INTERVIEWERS LOCKERROOM » Ways To Blow An Interview

Most Common Job Interview Mistakes

ibelieve — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:36:49 +0000

There are certain common job interview mistakes that you want to do your best to avoid. Making any one of these can hurt your chances of getting the job or have the employer hire another candidate who didn’t make these common job interview mistakes.

1. Looking sloppy or having a stain on your clothing. Wrinkled or stained clothing will be noticed a mile away. No matter how nice the rest of your outfit is, if you have a stain on one part, it will ruin your entire look. Plus, it’s a dead giveaway for you lack of attention to detail. If you’ve ever hear the saying, “how you do anything is how you do everything,” it could hold more true in this situation.

2. Not being prepared with your questions and answers. Before you go into your interview, you should always go over some questions you think you could be asked. While you don’t want your answers to sound rehearsed, you definitely want to sound prepared. If you are asked a question and don’t give an intelligent answer to it, the employer will most likely move on to the next candidate.

This includes your resume as well. If the interviewer asks you about a previous job you have listed on your resume and you can’t remember because it was so long ago, you will only make yourself look bad and unprepared. Brush up on everything that you have listed on your resume – it’s fair game for your interview.

3. Talking about salary too soon. Don’t jump the gun regarding salary. Wait until the interviewer gets to know you a bit and or asks you about it before you start talking about it. If you are only want the job because of the money, your it will show and hurt your chances of getting the job. Most often there are several candidates who are competing for the same position you are. The company isn’t going to give the job to the person who is only in it for the money.

While it is completely reasonable to negotiate your salary, make sure you do it at the right time.

4. Being late. Always be on time for your interview. Make sure you have the right directions and allow plenty of travel time including traffic to get there. If you are late for an interview, your employer might see that you will probably be late showing up for work. Of course, there are some exceptional situations where you might be late and if one of those arises, make sure you call and let the interviewer know.

5. Lying – Always tell the truth about your past job history and anything that is asked of you at your job interview. If you lie, it will be a matter of time before the employer finds out.

6. Gossiping about a former boss – Nothing will make you look worse than talking badly about a former boss or place of employment. If you talk badly about your previous employer, chances are you will talk badly about this company if you get hired. Nobody likes a gossip. Plus you never know who knows who so it’s best to keep your personal business personal.

7. Having a bad odor. Bringing a strong odor into an interview can be very distracting. Don’t wear any perfume or smoke a cigarette right before your interview. You never know what kind of allergies the interviewer may have and this is not a great way to find out. Try not to smell like anything so your interviewer can concentrate on you instead the smell.

8. Being fidgety. If you are fidgety and anxious, the interviewer will sense your lack of confidence. Before you go into your interview, take a few minutes to collect your thoughts and take a few deep breaths. Make a point to make eye contact with the interviewer to create a good non-verbal connection.

9. Not listening carefully. If you don’t listen to what questions the interviewer is asking you, you are basically saying that what you think is more important that the question they are asking. Make sure to listen to exactly what they are asking and answer the right question. If you don’t listen carefully during the interview, you will probably will not be great at following direction on the job.

10. Appearing desperate. Interviewers can pick up on this right away. It’s ok to be enthusiastic about wanting the job, but there are limits. Keep your emotions out of the interview and focus on the skills and experience you can bring to the table

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – You’re Late (Video)

ibelieve — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:24:33 +0000

I found this video piece that further emphasizes how you can not be late for a job interview. It may cost you the job. Don’t say you got lost, but listen to hear some other unacceptable excuses.

Leave a comment, and tell me what excuse you gave that was accepted by the interviewer in which you got the job.

Hey, don’t forget to sign up for the Free Report, “Can’t Find A Job, Maybe It’s You”. When you see the box, sign up.

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – You’re Late, But Please Don’t Use This Excuse

ibelieve — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:30:43 +0000

You just received great news. You’re excited that you passed the interview phone screen, and have now been invited to a face-to-face interview. They didn’t even hear your cat purring on your shoulder during the phone interview. Or at least they didn’t say anything. Hmm. The interview is this coming Monday. As you hang up the phone, you reflect on how many times you’ve been late to work on Mondays and now you have a job interview scheduled on a Monday. Well, “I can do it”, you think to yourself.

It’s Sunday night, and you run through your winning strategy for tomorrow’s interview. Monday, you think. Your Job Interview checklist is within reach, so you glance over at it and decide you already know what it says. You’ve confirmed the address for the interview with the Human Resources person with whom you spoke. You know the location and feel you’ll have no problem getting there. You’re clothes are ready, shoes clean, the right resume, with a few extra is in its proper place. Good to go.

Monday comes, and you arrive at the interview 15 minutes late, instead of 15 minutes early. You did call once you realized you were running behind schedule. You sensed a little irritation in the voice of the Human Resources person on the phone. Dang, you intended to be on time, but history has a way of repeating itself. You are just not at your peak on Mondays. Should have asked for another date. You finally get to the office; go into the room where everyone is waiting for YOU. All eyes on you. You apologize, for being late, because you “Got lost”.

If I could make a screeching sound, it would be right here.

Never use the, “I GOT LOST”, response. It doesn’t work anymore. It’s just lame. With all the ways to check traffic conditions, road detours, route changes due to construction, and on and on, that response just isn’t acceptable. You screwed up, and it may just result in you blowing this interview. Being on time is the first step to knocking out the competition, and getting yourself hired.

So if you don’t want to blow a job interview, there are six things you must do:

1. Make sure your job interview checklist includes verifying the exact location. Ever so often, there are companies that have the same name, but are different businesses or business units.

2. Print out MapQuest instructions (whether you are local or being flown into a location).

3. Ask the person scheduling you for the interview, if there is any construction going on that would require you to take a detour.

4. Ask the interviewer for a map with directions to the location. (If it’s current, it should get you there).

5. Do a test-drive, as if going to work (if you were hired). You need to know how long it will take you to get there. The intent is that you won’t be late. This is a good practice, even if you are being flown in to interview.

6. Have alternative routes identified. Sometimes accidents occur and detours pop up over the weekend.

Its things like these that separate the winners from losers, duds from the studs. That position may have your name all over it, but if you want to blow a job interview, be lame – be late.

p.s. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you sign up to receive, my Free Report entitled, “Can’t Find A Job, Maybe It’s You”. When you see the box, sign up.

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – You’re Rusty

ibelieve — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:04:25 +0000

It’s November 2008 and we just elected a new President Elect – Barack Obama. All that is well and good, but let’s bring it home to your house. You are out of work, your friends, neighbors, family members, even people you don’t like are all out of work. Every day you are looking for a position only to realize that everyone else is looking for the same position. This is one way to blow a job interview, if you don’t acknowledge and take action.

Maybe you’ve had several interviews without success. After all you have been employed by the same company, doing the same job for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years. Now as you were planning head off into the sunset of retirement, someone had the nerve to hit you over the head with the unemployment hammer. Your company has relocated, or closed or just down sized. Anyway you are now trying to figure out what to do. You can’t, it’s just too much to take in all at once.

In the Interviewers Lockerroom, we would say you are, “RUSTY”. I don’t mean your skin is dry, or you are old in age. One of the formal definitions for “Rusty” is lacking recent experience, out of practice, especially with respect to a skill or activity. Does that sound like you? So get over it. You haven’t had to compete for a position, and now it’s coming at you too fast.

You will be viewed as rusty if you have no computer skills, regardless of the position. Having computer skills, gives an employer some options to think of how they may be able to use you (your skills) in different areas.
You will be viewed as rusty, if you go in with a bunch of out of date quibbles and wibbles, or whining. Pay attention, so what if you are rusty, you can shine yourself up again. You are out of touch with what the job market is asking and expecting. Here are a few things you must do to not blow a job interview.
Take the mental position that the interviewer doesn’t want to hear that you are rusty because you’ve been doing the same job for 20 years. The interviewer doesn’t want to hear that, nor do they care.
Take the mental position, that you have skills you’ve developed and have used that could be of benefit to an employer. Tell the interviewer how what you did kept someone from getting hurt, or saved the company money. Look for ways in which your prior job skills connect with new skill requirements.
Be who you are within the requirements of the position.
Take advantage of local resources available for Displaced/Dislocated Workers or Adult Program. Don’t be ashamed, because you are rusty and need the help.

Use all the resources available to you so you don’t blow a job interview, because you are rusty. Treat your job search as you are working a job, your interview as your chance for a promotion within your job, and scrape off that rust.

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – Sloppy Application (Audio)

ibelieve — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:17:41 +0000

Okay, I couldn’t resist sharing the audio piece of an applicant who has an interesting approach on how to blow a job interview. I think a little humor in your job search will make it easier. Enjoy and tell me what you think.

John Boy & Billy: The Job Application

Job Searching – Advice and Information Job hunting can be hard work, but there are some...

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – Sloppy Job Application

ibelieve — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:00:35 +0000

Okay here is the scenario. Worker Plus has an interview and is asked to complete an application as prior to the actual interview “Oh crap” he says to himself. I do not have my information written down. Well I’ll just wing it.” Hmm what better way to blow a job interview than at the beginning.

Worker Plus does wing it, and innocently manages to submit a piece of crappy work to the hiring manager. So now, Worker Plus walks into the interview and sits down. Here is where the big problem starts.

Because this application is sloppy, with ink marks, the first part of the interview is spent clarifying what is on the application. The hiring manager is thinking that this is a reflection of the kind of work he can expect form Worker Plus. If he would turn in this crap, ok my goodness I do not want him.

Worker Plus could have avoided this huge error by going to the library or searching online for a sample application and completing one. You can take a copy of an application with you, so you are consistent in the information you provide. You have to understand that you may not be the only person applying for a position, so “anything” does not fly. If you are a quality find of an employee, this is where it must initially show. Otherwise, I guarantee your application won’t get a 30-second look and the interview will be nicely truncated.

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview – Poor Personal Appearance

ibelieve — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:45:58 +0000

Yes, it’s 2008 and the world has changed greatly from the past. There are all types of fashion statements being made. Some good and some bad. You have the flexibility to express yourself in most arenas without being ridiculed, laughed at or shunned. All except one – the job interview. You had better dress right or blow a job interview. So for the next many gazillion posts, I’m going to detail all the ways I can think of, have read, or been told ways people blow a job interview and ultimately not get hired.

Now when we read, “dress for success”, it doesn’t mean the following”

Put on your church best and carry your bible to the interview
Put on your party clothes
You are a horrible dresser and you stuff is gaudy.
Way too much perfume, the hounds found you from 2 states away
You wear a suit to an interview where you have to demonstrate your skills as a plumber

Dah, “dress for success” means:

First of all find out what the dress code is for the interview you are attending, and then dress the part. You want the employer to hire you, not stick out like an imbecile. Okay, okay. To help you get a clear understanding, look at the following video piece.

What To Wear: Job Interview, Cute and Corporate

Tell me what you think. If you are still clueless afterward, send me a picture of what you think is ideal, and I’ll share it with the world. Okay, you can learn and copy so you don’t blow a job interview anymore.

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Ways To Blow A Job Interview

ibelieve — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 01:50:00 +0000

In the next few days, I will start a series of post on all the ways I’ve seen, or been told that a person can blow a job interview. Some of them will be funny, gross, stupid, weird, twi-light zonish. They will consist of the things that people have done, that have gotten them “Xed” from the interview process. In some cases my language will be considered crude, and will definitely not get the approval of the Ms. Manners. So if you think you might be offended, then I suggest you don’t read it. After all you have entered, “interviewers-lockerroom”. So I would suggest you stick around so you don’t blow a job interview.

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