subject: Interview Dos and Don'ts, What You Need to Know [print this page] Interview Dos and Don'ts, What You Need to Know
Look, the economy is in shambles and it's just flat out hard to land a job these days. With increased competition for fewer jobs, it'scriticallyimportantthat you play your cards right and set yourself apart during your interview.
I've gone through more interviews than I would like but having gone through so many, I now know what works and what doesn't. Here are my top 5 interview dos and don'ts. I hope these will help you on your quest for that job you've always wanted!
My top 5 dos:
1-Overdress, just do it. I don't care what industry you're interviewing for. Wear some nice shoes, slacks and a tie. Get a professional haircut and make sure there's nothing in your teeth. Sounds bad but appearance is everything for interviews.
2-Get there early. I learned a lesson the hard way for this one. It was for one of my favorite companies and I was late to my interview. Being late set the tone for the interview. Let me just say this, they were not happy one bit.
3-Ask pointed questions about the company. Make it evident that you researched the company and know a little history. This will impress the interviewer and will set you apart from the herd.
4-Focus on your accomplishments for past employers, not tasks. They don't care about your paperwork duties. They care about how you created a more efficient filing system for paperwork. Catch my drift on this?
5-Your resume is only a snippet of your life. Don't be shy, share more information with the interviewer. They're eager to know more about you. It's your time to shine, feel free to brag a little bit. But don't get cocky. Stay cool headed and humble.
My top 5 don'ts:
1-In my opinion, the worst thing you can do is talk about possible pay. This is a red flag for the interviewer. It tells them you only care about the money. This is a conversation you should save for when you get an offer. Only then, should you negotiate your salary.
2-Don't lie on your resume. You'd be very surprised at the resources companies have these days. Please don't get caught for lying about your GPA, all companies have to do is call up your school and find out. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.
3-When asked about your faults, NEVER say that you don't have any. No one is perfect and they don't expect you to be. Be honest about what you're improving on and turn it into a positive.
4-Don't bring up old bosses in your interview. Good or bad experience, don't bring them up. Talk about your experiences, not your bosses.
5-Don't have your cell phone ringer on! This is another one that happened to me. Not only is itembarrassingbut it ruins a potential industry contact. Forever, they will think that you are irresponsible and not prepared. If this does happen to you, forget ever working for the company you're interviewing for.
Well folks, there you have it. Those are the most important Dos and Don'ts for interviews. There are many more good and bad things one could do during an interview, but I thought these were the most important. Comment below if you have any additional tips.
