Job Interview Donts Straight from a Hiring Manager

Job Interview Donts Straight from a Hiring ManagerJob Interview DontsJob Interview Donts Straight from a Hiring ManagerI once had the pleaaya of interviewing a gentleman who, based on his resume, seemed like the perfect fit for my departments job opening. However, after he fumbled through a series of missteps and bumps during his interview, I discovered he was clearly bedrngnis the right hire.As I laughingly recounted the event, I was reminded of many other job interview Donts I have witnessed as a hiring manager. While many may appear obvious, theyre worth reinforcing.Dont be late Showing up an hour late because you miscalculated the time it would take to get to the interview is not a good start. Hello? Have you ever heard of MapQuest or Google Maps? Know where youre going and be on time.Dont bring your cell phone into the interview Having your Hells Bells ringtone go off while youre talking shop is probably not a good idea. Leave it in your car. Period. Its a distraction, even if i ts just vibrating in your pocket.Dont wear sandals or shorts Yes, I have seen it, even with candidates who interviewed for senior-level positions. Dress professionally, regardless of the position youre interviewing for. If you dress like you dont care, guess what? The interviewer will care and wont hire you.Dont look at the wall or into space every time you answer a question Eye contact is very important. You dont have to constantly stare at the interviewer just make frequent eye contact, especially when you listen to and answer questions. Looking into space projects an air of insincerity and disinterest.Dont pretend you know something when you dont I happen to like sports and have a nice collection of photos and memorabilia in my office. It often makes for interesting conversation. Especially the one time a guy saw a photo of a Boston Bruins game on my wall and said, You like the Bruins? I love them, especially Larry Bird Oh really? And how about that time Derek Jeter threw a touch down pass to Wayne Gretzky?Dont tell the interviewer your life story Stay focused and answer the questions that are asked of you. Theres no need to tell your life story or provide really long answers to simple questions. Conversation is good. Monologues, not so much. Time is valuable, especially the interviewers, so dont waste it.Dont act as if you already got the job Confidence is a good thing, but arrogance, pompousness, or cockiness will turn the interviewer off. I had one guy tell me Id have to create a flexible work schedule for him because he didnt want to deal with the commute. Turned out he didnt have to deal with the commute at all, because I didnt hire him. Buh-byeDont neglect your personal hygiene Think it doesnt matter? Au contraire It most certainly does. Make aya you shower and avoid those double-onion bagels right before the interview. Bad smells with a first impression dont work well in any situation.Dont ask, So, what does this company do, anyway? Failing to researc h the company ahead of time simply tells the interviewer youre not really interested. Spend at least a few minutes before the interview to find out what the company does, how it does it, and who its competitors are. Better yet, do this before you even apply for the positionDont say youre leaving your current job because the place sucks If youre in or have left a job you didnt like, simply find a nicer way to tell the interviewer why you left, such as I wanted to explore other opportunities or I am looking to build upon the skills I have. Dont tell them, My boss is such a jerk. He makes me work five days a weekDont announce on LinkedIn or Facebook that you partied so hard this weekend that you woke up two days later Interviewers have many tools at their disposal today. Checking potential hires LinkedIn profiles and Facebook or Twitter updates are common practices. Keep your personal pages looking clean, mature, and professional. You never know who might be looking at them, so be sure it doesnt cost you a potential opportunity.