Avoid these stumbles during job interviews
Steven Davila of Brooklyn, a SFC in the Army Reserves, works with resume consultant Carol McDermott, part of an area sponsored by General Electric at a Veteran's Job Fair hosted by the Mayor's Office of Veterans affairs on board the USS Intrepid Air and Space museum. (March 28, 2012) Credit: Craig Ruttle
You can have the perfect resume and a compelling cover letter and show up for the job interview ready to impress, but get ready to forgo the job offer if you make one of these stumbles, compliments of Alison Green, writing for U.S. News & World Report.
1. Being late. Arriving late to a job interview is often an instant deal-breaker. Always allow more time than you'll need to get to your interview so that you have a buffer in case something goes wrong.
2. Being unprepared. Asking questions about the company that could have been answered with some basic research or not seeming familiar with the job description tells the employer that you didn't bother to do your homework.
3. Not showing enthusiasm. A job candidate who seems lackluster or unenthusiastic about the job prospect will almost certainly become an employee who isn't engaged with the work.
4. Being rude to the receptionist. Don't just be on your best behavior with your interviewer; make sure that you're polite to everyone you encounter. Many interviewers will ask the receptionist what they think of you.
5. Sounding bitter. Job searching is tough, especially in this market, but if you let an extended period of unemployment make you bitter, then you'll turn off potential employers.
6. Not being able to give specific examples in response to questions. If you claim that you excel at problem-solving or that you're an innovative genius and then you aren't able to give specific examples, interviewers aren't going to believe you.
7. Claiming you have no weaknesses. You might as well wear a sign saying, "I'm not being straightforward with you." A good hiring manager genuinely cares about ensuring you'll excel at the job, and having an honest discussion of your fit is a crucial part of that.
8. Answering your cellphone in the middle of the interview. If you forget to turn your phone off and it rings, that's forgivable, but answering it isn't.
9. Sharing inappropriately. Employers want to know that you understand professional boundaries and have a sense of discretion.
10. Lying about anything. Lying in a hiring process is an instant deal-breaker.
