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Interviews: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Do

Interviews: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Do

Last Updated (22/06/12) Written by Sinead Smith 22/06/12

We’ve talked a lot at this stage about interviews; how to prepare, how to present yourself, how to answer the questions put to you. While this is all valuable information for the active jobseeker, what about the flipside, what not to do during an interview?

We’ve put together our Top 10 tips, some more obvious than others, to those avoid awkward silences and embarrassed laughs. So, in no particular order;

 

1. Don’t Be Late – First impressions are everything and you want to make a good one. So, needless to say, turning up to an interview late will not give the employer a good impression of you. The silent subtext of casually strolling in 10, 15, 40 minutes after your scheduled appointment is that you don’t have good time management skills, that you aren’t entirely dependable and that you don’t care to facilitate other people. However, we are all human and, sometimes things happen that are out of our control and can cause us to be late. In this case, pick up the phone and either call the company directly or call your recruiter and ask them to get a message to the person you are meeting that you are running a bit late and expect to be there by X time. Apologise profusely when you arrive and most people will understand and won’t hold it against you.

2. Don’t Call The Client – Waiting for feedback on an interview can have you perching anxiously on the edge of your seat and jumping a mile every time the phone rings. While these nerves are understandable, don’t take matters into your own hands by calling the client in the interim. Most likely this will just annoy them which you never want to do to a perspective employer. However, this does only apply if you are working with a recruiter. If you have sourced, applied and interviewed for the role by yourself, do give a call in if they haven't been in touch in the suggested timeframe to see where you stand.

3. Don’t Talk Too Much (Or Too Little!) – There is a fine line between saying too much and not saying enough in an interview. While it’s great to be enthusiastic, it’s important not to come across as hyperactive. Don’t make it hard for the interviewer to get a word in edgeways! At the same time, however, it’s also important not to clam up and just give clipped, one-word answers. Try to relax into the interview and carefully consider the questions being put to you and give clear, well-thought out answers.

4. Don’t Badmouth Past Employers – Most people will have a few different jobs in their lifetime. So, chances are the person interviewing you will have a past employer and will understand that, someday, they too might be your past employer. As convoluted as that sounds, they won’t take too kindly to you badmouthing or ranting about your current and/or past employers for fear that they, one day, may be the subject of your tirade. It can also make you, the candidate, look quite petty and can give the impression that you can’t leave the past in the past and focus on the potential opportunities the role at hand offers

5. Don’t Answer Your Phone – Again, another no-brainer but, in an age where we are all glued to our phones 24/7, we often forget that it is not actually an extension of our arm and must be turned off and put away in certain situations. A job interview is one such situation and, if in the event you forget to turn it off, apologise profusely and switch the phone off immediately. Do not, whatever you do, answer it!

6. Don’t Lie – Take the recent case of ex-Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson. He allegedly lied on his CV, got caught and, subsequently, got fired. The moral of this story is that we shouldn’t ever consider embellishing upon our experience and employment histories. The evolution of the internet and social media has made it quite easy for a prospective employer to check-up on your CV and verify what you say in interview, whether it is via your Facebook or Twitter profiles or through shared connections on LinkedIn so, without a doubt, don’t lie your way through the recruitment process; it will most definitely backfire on you somewhere down the line.

7. Don’t Consider it a “Stepping Stone” – Don’t give the interviewer the impression that you consider the role in question as merely a stepping stone towards bigger and brighter things. While a new role is, indeed, a chance to grow your experience and open new windows of opportunity for yourself, no company will want to hear that you are just interested in them for what they can teach you and that you plan on leaving the first chance you get.

8. Don’t Bring Up Money – At least in the first interview, you shouldn’t ask about remuneration. Questions about salary and benefits packages can be quite off-putting to the employer as they suggest that the individual is only interested in the role because of payment offered. While money is, of course, a big aspect for any jobseeker, it is important that the employer feels that the candidate values the role itself and the opportunity of working with the company more than the money.

9. Don’t be too Humble – It seems to be something of the human condition that we don’t like to talk of our achievements. We consider it bragging or boasting and often tend to dumb down and undersell ourselves, our experience and our skills. While it is never a good idea to give the impression that you single-handedly saved your past company from financial ruin, it is important that you put plainly and honestly the facts and merits of your career history. After all, you are promoting both yourself and your skills at an interview and short-selling yourself will do you no favours in the job market.

10. Don’t Chew Gum – It may seem like an obvious one but, chewing gum in an interview is the height of rudeness and can also be very distracting to those around you. Many people chew gum as a habit and often forget that it’s there but, for an interview, make sure you spit it out; you want the employer to focus on what you’re saying and not on your incessant chomping!

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