Ten Ways to Ruin a Job Interview

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TEN WAYS TO RUIN A JOB INTERVIEW

The great thing about a job interview is the way that it narrows the
field. If you can get in front of the people making a hiring
decision, that means that you've already moved from a group of
perhaps 100 resumes to a field of just a few serious contenders. At
that point, your chance of getting a job offer improves dramatically.

Of course, having surmounted that huge hurdle, the last thing you
want to do is blow it. To that end, here are 10 job-interview gaffes
to avoid.

1. Complaining about the parking or directions.
Don't think it doesn't happen! As cordial and happy-go-lucky as your
interviewers may seem, they don't want to hear a job-seeker complain
that the place was hard to find or that the parking is inconvenient.
The best (that is, the worst) example of this I ever experienced as
an HR person came from the candidate who said, "Seven handicapped
parking spaces next to the front door? What, are you having a
wheelchair convention or something?" That was a short interview.

2. Bad-mouthing your previous job, manager, or company.
If you've been laid off or suffered some other unpleasant experience
at your last job, it's easy to launch into a litany of everything the
old employer did wrong. Don't do it! The interviewer is bound to
wonder "Will this person be bashing me behind my back on some future
interview, too?" Zip it.

3. Digging into details off the bat.
The typical selection process allows plenty of time for you to learn
everything you need to know about the company's dental plan, its
tuition-reimbursement policy, and the size of your cubicle. Don't ask
about any of these items on a first interview, when you should be
focusing the conversation on the role and the organization.

4. Groveling.
Employers want to hire people who can do the jobs and who are
enthusiastic about the work. What's not so appealing is the candidate
whose every word and gesture conveys the message, "Hire me, I beg
you!" Joblessness is no fun, but you don't help your chances of
getting the nod by presenting yourself as a candidate whose most
notable attribute is desperation.

5. Answering a question before you understand it.
The absolute worst answer to any interview question is the response
that shows you weren't really listening. When an interviewer asks a
question that requires thought, like, "Tell me about a time when you
had to convince a team of people to change gears," you don't want to
blurt out, "Oh, I've done that a million times!" Any "tell me about a
time when" question is a question that the interviewer has chosen to
elicit a specific problem/solution story from you. Take the time to
think through the question and compose a thoughtful answer. A few
minutes of silence in the room won't kill anybody.

6. Spacing out.
Any interviewer worth her salt will be able tell when you've zoned
out. If you're wondering whether the 5:40 train will get you home in
time to watch the playoff game, the interviewer will spot it in your
eyes. If you're really out of it, he may throw you a curve ball
like, "So, who would you say was the most effective member of Teddy
Roosevelt's cabinet, and why?" Stay in the room, with your eyes
either meeting the interviewer's or looking thoughtfully at the
ceiling. Or your shoes.

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