The ultimate reason for an interview is to showcase yourself to the person doing the hiring. Help them answer the question WHY? Navigate the person doing the hiring to the point where they can know and understand why you are the ideal person for the role that is being recruited for, other than the remaining 300+ candidates.
Your job as the interviewee is to show that you have the right personality, skills, and ability to perform the essential functions of the role and then some.
In the process of doing this, you should also keep in mind that an interview is a two-way communication street. However, on this street, once a wrong exit is taken, the probability that you get back on the road is slim.
Remember that there are several other drivers on the same interview street, and may just pass you by and take the lead, therefore you cannot afford to make any wrong moves.
It is the interviewer’s job to identify the red and yellow flags and use them as tools for elimination. Especially when the competition is tough. Too Much Information (TMI) can be a causative factor in either getting or not getting that job.
Do not badmouth your last employer, manager, or supervisor under any circumstance. Doing this is an indication that you will be doing the same thing to this current employer if brought on board, it will just be a matter of time.
Do not say “I will do anything or whatever” This is the last thing you should say in any interview. Remember that “anything / whatever” is not a job role. This just emphasizes how desperate you are for a job. If such occurs, the interviewer gets to understand that you are in for the money and not the passion for the role.
Refer the interviewer or hiring manager to something on your CV/Resume. He /she knows that it’s on your CV/Resume. Even if they don’t, refrain from referring them to the CV. It can be viewed as being arrogant.
Avoid cliché such as:
“I think outside the box”
“I work well under pressure”
“My greatest weakness is that I am a perfectionist”
Avoid using acronyms when talking about your roles & responsibilities. Unless interviewing within the same industry, don’t use jargon or acronyms. Too much use of acronyms is not a good idea either, even if the interview is within the same industry. Use the actual words or meanings for the acronyms. Too much jargon in a sentence even when the listener(s) understand you can become annoying.
Avoid talking about your weekend experiences. At no point should you tell an interviewer about your weekend experience. How much fun you had doing ABCDE.
Keep a clean language. Do not swear or use foul language. Even when the interviewer makes a mistake and swears or use foul language, that should not be a door opener for you to do the same. Do not curse, swear or use foul language at any time during the interview.
Avoid the use of words like:
Yeah, yeah
I, like…, so, like…
Don’t ask questions or make suggestions indicating that you have somewhere else to go:
How long will this interview take?
I asked permission before coming in
Am actually going back to work from here
Do not ask about what the company does. It is your job to do your research to find out what the company does. It is not for the interviewer to provide you with that information. The above are just a few of several others that make up the “don’t” list during an interview. These are recommendations. Candidates should do their research and be prepared prior to going for an interview.
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