Job Interview Tips

I asked a question to put my date at ease. I thought it was an easy question: What would you do if you won the lottery? After that man's answer, that question became my test question for all others.

He slumped down in his seat, head hung low, not making eye contact. "It wouldn't be a good thing for me to win the lottery," he muttered, "See, I used to have this drug problem, and if I had the money, I'd probably just blow it."

I didn't hear much after that, except for me asking the waiter for the check.

As one who has done the hiring and one who has sought out jobs, that simple event, that one question, taught me a huge lesson. Success and failure can hinge on a few words. When you are seeking your dream job, every word out of your mouth needs to count for you, not against you.

We all make mistakes in job interviews. As with anything else, information is the tool to help you overcome a potential mistake. Here are some common mistakes interviewees make, and some tips on how to avoid them:

Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome:

In Robert Redford's movie Brubaker, a crusty prison warden uttered the line "What we have here, is a failure to communicate." Your written words, the resume, got you the meeting. Your verbal skills can seal the deal. Unless you fall victim to Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome.

Most of us have come out of a job interview deflated, thinking we should/shouldn't have said this or that. Maybe we shouldn't have told the interviewer we love her dress...that we saw one just like it on a rerun of the Golden Girls. Doh!

You don't have to talk non-stop.

Assuming the Interviewer Knows You:

The person who pulled your resume may be a screener. The person doing the interviewing may be unfamiliar with your resume until the minute you walk in her office. You know how you fill out all those forms in a doctor's waiting room, and s/he asks you all the same questions when you walk in the office for the exam? Same thing.

Moreover, that person may not even be able to put his or her hands on your resume and stunning cover letter. When you go to an interview, bring two copies of each: one for the interviewer, one for yourself so you can answer questions that arise. (You should be tailoring your cover letter and resume, so what you wrote as your strong points for the person who interviewed you last week may not be the same things you highlighted to get this job.)

Not Elaborating Appropriately:

As you speak of the resume, tell anecdotes that directly relate to skills that company will need. I have two instances of finding mistakes that were costing the company I was working for. I paid for my salary for two years with what I saved that company. When I've sought money-related jobs or management jobs, I've made sure to tell these anecdotes.

Chatty Kathy:

One of the first tips I was taught as a reporter is still my favorite, and I've never seen it fail. If you want people to speak, say nothing. Human nature dictates that people in uncomfortable or unfamiliar settings will fill in that dead silence with words. I ask a subject a question, knowing he'll tell me the pat, corporate line. The real answer will come when I sit, staring at him, and he starts wiggling...then continues to talk just to do something about that awkward silence. It's pretty amazing. Conversely, that has taught me when to keep my mouth shut. I can sit in silence or focus in on things that will make the interviewer want to talk himself.

Burning Bridges:

Most often you're looking for a job for a reason. Many people leave a job (or are asked to leave) because of a personality clash. Just as you don't denigrate a spouse in front of your children (or hopefully anywhere) during a divorce, you never speak poorly of a past employer. Talk about the company's good qualities as a whole, if you can't speak about your supervisor. If you'll speak poorly of your last employer, the interviewer will assume you won't hesitate to do the same if you get disgruntled there.

Not Asking Questions:

Don't lead off with 1)How much will you pay, 2)Are benefits included and 3)How much vacation time would I get? I've had people do this, and I've tried to halt that voice screaming, "Next" in my head. Ask about the job duties. Most of the descriptions are vague at best.

You may think that because you've investigated the company, etc., that it's best not to ask questions. That may be taken as a sign of disinterest. I learned an invaluable lesson in school. I was tutoring a classmate who was struggling in math. At the end of the grading term, she received an "A," while I received a "B." When I questioned the teacher, she said we had similar grades at that point, but my classmate participated more. In short, she asked a lot of questions. There will always be a good question to ask if you are observant. It will set you apart from the competition.

Excuses:

We all have had crazy incidents happen on the way to a job interview. Translated, don't be late! Anticipate problems and add in some time to cover them. In interviews and in real life keep one thing in mind: your time is NOT more valuable than anyone else's. If you arrive in the waiting room an hour early, so be it. It gives you time to take in the surroundings and feel the place out. If you are late for a job interview, you are snubbing your nose at the company before you are even hired.

I had a job interview in Washington, D.C. that took me well over 2 hours to navigate. It was a very odd day, a homeless guy insisted on directing traffic at one of those circles which added an extra half hour to the trip. All of this is of no concern to the person doing the interviewing. That person's concern is to see if you can get in on time and, when you are thrown these kinds of curve balls, that you can navigate the situation with poise.

Not Looking the Part:

Even if the office is business casual, put on a suit, manicure the nails (You'll be shaking hands.), dye your hair. People will spend hours agonizing over what to wear for a date and how they should wear their hair, but they pick out simple mix and match attire for a job interview.

Not Knowing the Players:

I applied for a part-time job at a magazine while I was still in college. It was for a gaming magazine. I wanted to work for a magazine, but as the editor interviewed me, just talking about my clips and prior writing experience, I had serious misgivings which I'm sure were obvious during the interview. Even though I wanted to work for a magazine, and this was a huge opportunity, I wasn't comfortable with the thought of editing a publication for hunters. It's not my thing.

Luckily for me, this gaming publication referred to gambling, not hunting. YIKES! At least I did that when I was still in college.

Before you go into an interview (actually before you apply for a job), you should get to know the company. I sent a resume to one company whose services I used. I admired the work the company, the founders in particular, did within the community. By the end of it all, the president of the firm was emailing me. They really tried to find a spot for me, but we just couldn't find a good fit. Had I not known about the company's work and the background of the family, I wouldn't have met the president for probably a year even AFTER I'd been hired.

During your interview, ask the person for a copy of their media kit or prospectus. I'm amazed at how many interviewers have been taken aback by this one. This request has to be conjunction with doing your homework on the company beforehand. Don't go in ignorant.

Failing to seal the deal:

Even if you think you have only a slim-to-none chance, send a thank you note. Bring up some anecdote the interviewer spoke of or some company detail you didn't know until you went in for the interview. That gaming magazine job I wanted in college for the hunting magazine that turned out to be a gambling magazine? I didn't get it. I kept in contact with the editor, however, and let her know how grateful I was for the chance, and I was sincere about it.

After a few months, I received a phone call. They had another position open. I became the editor of a national magazine and newsletters before I had graduated college! Always follow up.

Always let the interviewer know that you truly appreciate the fact that s/he took the time to interview you in the first place. That can be a tough one sometimes when you feel like someone has wasted your time. Still, you never know when someone in that office may see something in you that will come up later when another position opens.