Mistake #1: You Sound Like Everyone Else
The key to a successful interview is to stand out in the employers mind. This doesn't mean wear funky clothes. To stand out, you need to stand for something. Pick one or two things you want the employer to remember about you. Refer to those one to two points several times during the interview.
For example, you may choose to brand yourself as someone who is deadline driven. When asked about working in a team environment, answer the interview question but feel free to weave in your main point. "Because I am so deadline driven myself, I’ve really learned how to work with others’ strengths and weaknesses in order to reach our goals on time.”
Mistake #2: Vague Responses
Vague responses will almost guarantee you a rejection letter. Not only are vague responses easily forgotten, they carry little credibility. By providing detail to each interview question, your answers become more real, tangible and most importantly... memorable.
Mistake #3: Little to No Preparation
Mistakes #1 and #2 are usually caused by lack of preparation. Give yourself plenty of time preparing answers to the interview questions related to the position you are applying for. Make sure you have a firm grasp of the products or services sold, the customers the company serves, and the competition. There really is no substitute for preparation.
Mistake #4: No Pause
When under pressure, some of us freeze up. Others talk more quickly. Regardless of how you act under pressure, take advantage of the pause. Here are 2 uses for the pause:
Pause before providing a response to each interview question asked. Use the time to formulate your answer. You can also use a stalling phrase like “That is a great question” to buy yourself some time.
Pause before delivering an important point. Anytime you pause, you will immediately gain the attention of your interviewer.
For more information visit www.readyprepinterview.com
Friday, February 22, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
10 Top Mistakes People Make in Job Interviews
By Dave Johnson | CBS Money Watch - Tue, Feb 12, 2013
You can never be too prepared for a job interview -- you never know what minor element of your personality or presentation can make or break your chances. But while you maybe polished to a luster for the usual interview questions and your resume is gleaming, what about some of the other intangibles involved in getting hired?
After all, for better or for worse about a third of hiring managers assess candidates and make a hiring decision within the first 90 seconds or so. Fair? Of course no. But it does mean that it's critical to control those elements that aren't just about your previous job performance.
Recently, education research firm Classes and Careers published an interesting infographic that rolls up a slew of less obvious things that influence the hiring process.
For starters, there are a slew of nonverbal queues that hiring managers consider mistakes that can cost you the job. The most egregious one? Failure to make eye contact is at the top of the list. Other deal-breakers include failing to smile, bad posture and fidgeting.
In addition, your choice of clothing is important. More than half of hiring managers say that your choice of clothes can be the deciding factor when choosing among similar candidates. In particular, it can be a liability to dress too fashionably or trendy.
According to Classes and Careers, here are the 10 most common mistakes people make at job interviews:
10. Over-explaining why you lost your last job
9. Conveying that you're not over having lost your last job
8. Lacking humor, warmth or personality
7. Not showing enthusiasm or interest in the job
6. Inadequate research about the position or company
5. Concentrating on what you want rather than what the company needs
4. Trying to be all things to everyone
3. Winging the interview
2. Failing to set yourself apart from the other candidates
1. Not asking for the job
You can never be too prepared for a job interview -- you never know what minor element of your personality or presentation can make or break your chances. But while you maybe polished to a luster for the usual interview questions and your resume is gleaming, what about some of the other intangibles involved in getting hired?
After all, for better or for worse about a third of hiring managers assess candidates and make a hiring decision within the first 90 seconds or so. Fair? Of course no. But it does mean that it's critical to control those elements that aren't just about your previous job performance.
Recently, education research firm Classes and Careers published an interesting infographic that rolls up a slew of less obvious things that influence the hiring process.
For starters, there are a slew of nonverbal queues that hiring managers consider mistakes that can cost you the job. The most egregious one? Failure to make eye contact is at the top of the list. Other deal-breakers include failing to smile, bad posture and fidgeting.
In addition, your choice of clothing is important. More than half of hiring managers say that your choice of clothes can be the deciding factor when choosing among similar candidates. In particular, it can be a liability to dress too fashionably or trendy.
According to Classes and Careers, here are the 10 most common mistakes people make at job interviews:
10. Over-explaining why you lost your last job
9. Conveying that you're not over having lost your last job
8. Lacking humor, warmth or personality
7. Not showing enthusiasm or interest in the job
6. Inadequate research about the position or company
5. Concentrating on what you want rather than what the company needs
4. Trying to be all things to everyone
3. Winging the interview
2. Failing to set yourself apart from the other candidates
1. Not asking for the job
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