For many job seekers, an invitation to an interview is a ray of hope for better things to come. An interview can be equated to a market place with you as the product on sale. The challenge is that the product and the seller are one — you.
Everyone looking to build their career must envisage mastering the skill of selling themselves without over or underdoing it.
One way of doing this is to be aware of the mistakes that can jeopardise your chances of getting a job.
The most common one is poor personal presentation. Some people dress without any regard to the impact this has during an interview. Others have no standard, dressing up for the first interview and dressing down in subsequent interviews. There is only one universal rule for interviews: unless otherwise advised, dress formally.
Others make shoddy preparations and leave too much room for assumptions. It is quite common to see qualified professionals babble when asked a simple question and make a fool of themselves due to inadequate preparation.
Other people talk too much, saying more that they should for every question asked. Be aware of people’s time and let your answers have quality, not quantity.
Avoid a know-it-all attitude. Interviewees who are poor listeners and start giving answers before a question is completed exhibit impatience, which does not augur well for one’s job prospects and career in general. In some cases, they may answer the wrong questions due to a lack of attention usually caused by stress or overconfidence.
Other people have the futuristic disease. Every statement they make is about what they plan to do. They forget that while the future is important, it is only relevant when connected with the present and any attempt to ignore current situations will backfire miserably.
Be prepared
Also, prepare yourself for the “Tell us about yourself” question. Do not beat about the bush looking for technical answers when all you need to do is state the obvious.
And do not play the mute professional, assuming your papers will speak for you. The statement, “It is all in my CV” is all too common in interview rooms and is usually interpreted as a sign of ignorance. Further, most recruiters do not just want to know what your qualifications are, but also what kind of character you have and if you would fit in well with other employees.
Other people have a habit of speaking ill of their current or former bosses whenever an opportunity presents itself in an interview. They tend to come across as petty and unprofessional, character traits interviewers will steer clear of.
The list of interview goofs is virtually endless. The truth is that while there is no universal strategy for passing an interview, a combination of meticulous preparation, and good values and attitudes will go a long way towards improving your chances.
The writer is a human resource specialist with Peoplelink Consultants Ltd. Email: goretti@peoplelink.co.ke
