The cardinal sins never to commit during interviews revealed
October 3rd, 2008 - 12:56 pm ICT by ANI ( 1 comment ) Melbourne, Oct 3 (ANI): Want to crack a job interview without any blunders? Well, then here are some things, which the interviewers don”t expect you to do during the one on one session.
The survey carried out by a career website over more than 3000 managers and human resources professionals brought forth the worst interview faux pas by job seekers that failed them to land the job.
Fifty one per cent of managers said ”dressing inappropriately” for an interview was the biggest mistake a jobseeker could make.
According to Kirsty Ferguson, from Pinstripe Solutions Interview Coach, inappropriate dressing leaves a message that the candidate hasn”t bothered to research the company, industry or the culture.
“A lot of people these days say this is who I am, and too bad,” News.com.au quoted her, as saying.
“But to get what you want, you have to have those professional standards,” she added.
Christine Connors, owner of Interview for Success, echoes that same.
She said that candidates wear the wrong thing because they go with what they”re used to, and don”t understand the company’’s culture or requirements of the new role.
“I advise clients to go observe employees coming and going from the building and then step it up one notch from that,” said Connors.
Complaining about a former employer can also land you in trouble for 49 per cent of managers said that it was the biggest mistake you could make.
While seeming disinterested was third, with 48 per cent.
Jobseekers appear disinterested when they haven”t researched the company and don”t have any questions - another thing interviewers hate - said Connors.
Do not ask about your salary in the first interview. Focus on selling the product, which is you.
“The one that sticks in the mind a candidate where body odour was a big problem,” Connors said.
The candidate was well dressed, qualified and personable, but it was a hot summer’’s day.
“As soon as he came in, an odour permeated the room,” she said.
He wasn”t hired because the customer and sales focused job required excellent grooming.
Remember to turn off your phone before entering the room. Ferguson said that answering a mobile phone during an interview also irks the interviewers.
“When you have the mobile phone on, it says waiting for a call is more important - it takes away your credibility,” she said.
Don”t be too friendly since interviewers may try to draw candidates into a ”false sense of security” to see if they stay professional.
Avoid using slangs. Younger generation make the mistake of ”like this, like that”, which is unprofessional and annoys older managers.
Connor said that telling too many personal details when asked ”tell us about yourself” is another big mistake. Have a personal statement of two to three minutes prepared which highlights your key strengths and how they are relevant.
The managers also managers listed arrogance as another big mistake.
“Some candidates have been successful all their lives, they think they are going to breeze in but they haven”t taken the initiative to learn about or show interest in the company,” said Connors.
“It has to be a two way street. Showing you are confident but asking about the company and how you can contribute will avoid coming across as arrogant,” she added. (ANI)
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Tags: bad news, blunders, body odour, cardinal sins, career website, christine connors, echoes, ferguson, hot summer, human resources professionals, interview coach, interviewers, job interview, job seekers, jobseeker, jobseekers, kirsty, news com au, notch, professional standards
October 4th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Another cardinal sin career seekers and former employees make is assuming the interviewer is competent or properly trained in how to conduct job interviews! In my experience as an employment mediator, ill-trained job interviewers are all too common. Companies routinely find themselves in legal hot water promoting individuals into management and then “turning them loose” in job interview settings.
The one thing that has been consistent is the inconsistency of job interview questions. Job seekers should understand that the person doing the interview might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer. He or she may not have been adequately trained. Job interviewers routinely ask illegal or improper questions either out of ignorance or deliberately with the intent to discriminate against certain groups. That makes learning to give good job interview answers and asking good job interview questions so important. The questions asked at job interviews often hide what the job interviewer really wants or needs to know! One of the things in the job interview process for the applicant involves discovering what that is. As a job seeker, why am I being asked these interview questions?
For example, the interviewer asks, “Have you had challenges working in various cultural workplace settings?” From my experience, here is what the job interviewer is really asking. “Have you had trouble dealing with different racial groups?” When preparing for a job interview spend time investigating the business. You should learn about the company’s history and what it does for the industry. Review the company’s website and its about us page. I would be looking at how well it treated its employees with things like salaries, benefits and promotional opportunities. Ask the interviewer questions such as:
“What are the company’s goals?”
“Where does the company see itself in five, ten years?”
“Why is the company a good fit for you?”
“Why will the company be a good fit for me?”
Try to find out how well the company is doing financially. It would be to the job interviewee’s advantage to know if the company is going to be around for a while. You could do some research with the Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau. I would make inquiries with local, state and federal consumer advocacy groups for any complaints filed against the employer.
Is it on the verge of layoffs that could include the position applied for?
Is the business going to be sold in the near future?
Are their any bankruptcy issues?
Does the organization have a history of employment complaints on file with state and federal agencies?
Are there any employees that you know personally, who could give some insight into the “culture” of the organization and its management?
Incompetent job interviewers can be a cardinal sin to themselves, their companies and job applicants.
Interviewees are not just interviewing to get a job; they should interview the company and job to get them!