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’s critically important that 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 it embarrassing but 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.
Now go ace that interview!
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I liked this article. From my experience all of these are right on. One big thing that future employers look for is your interest it the job and company. Asking engaging questions that spark conversation will help you gain insight into the day to day workings of the company and will also give you opportunities to comment on your strengths and talent.
I’m glad you liked it! Yah you’re spot on, interest in the company works like magic. Not only do they know you’re committed but they loved that you took time to research the company.
Great post, I agree with all of it!
Always dress at least 1 stage nicer than the employees would wear. If you’re going in for a banker job, you may want to dust off the 3-peice suit!
Always carry a smile as well. It’s incredibly important and will make you 100 times more appealing!
Nice write up Jon!
Thanks for the compliment Derek! Haha, I like you’re “1 stage nice” philosophy, it never fails. one can never dress “too nice.”
Speaking of the three piece suit, I need to bust that out of my closet and wear it one of these days. I bought one from Men’s Wearhouse for an interview. I guess it worked, cuz I got the job!
I just had an interview today! Great article. I find that I impress the most when I pull out my sheet of prepared questions. I’m a beast at interviews! Now only if I had more work experience… lol
Nice work LaTisha, I bet you aced the interview! I’ve never tried the sheet of prepared questions, I’ll be sure to try that next time.
What type of job is it for? How’s the market right now? It’s been a while since I interviewed.