FIVE INTERVIEWING MISTAKES, from Job.com

1. Interrogation versus Interview: Most candidates expect they will be interrogated. An interrogation is when one person asks all the questions and the other gives the answers. An interview is a business conversation where both people ask and respond to questions. Too many job seekers believe an interview is an interrogation. With this attitude, candidates do not ask questions and hence do not make their best impression. You need to ask questions throughout the interview. If you don't, you force the interview to be an interrogation.

2. Making a Positive out of a Weakness: Unskilled interviewers frequently ask candidates "What are your weaknesses?" Conventional interview advice recommends candidates highlight a weakness like "I'm a perfectionist" and turn it into a positive. Interviewers are not that easily fooled. If you are asked, "What are your weaknesses?," highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and (more importantly) describe what you are proactively doing to enhance your skills in this area. Interviewers really don't care what your weaknesses are. They simply want to see how you address the question and what your answer may indicate about you. Highlighting an area for improvement demonstrates you are self-aware. Describing what you are doing about that weakness demonstrates that you are proactive and seek to continually improve your talents.

3. No Questions: Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you have any questions. The worst thing to say is you have no questions. Having no questions shows you are either not interested or not prepared. Interviewers are more impressed with the questions you ask than the selling points you try to make during the interview. Before each interview make a list of 5 question you will ask. Take out your list when they ask if you have any questions. This demonstrates you are prepared and thorough. In some cases the interviewer starts the interview by asking if you have any questions. In such instances you will be well prepared to handle this situation.

4. Only Researching the Company, What about You?: Candidates intellectually prepare for interviews by researching the company and reviewing the company web site. Most job seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of their experience, knowledge and skills. Formulating an organized talent inventory prepares you to respond immediately to any question about your experience. Interviewers will focus their questioning on your experience and talents. You must be prepared to discuss any part of your background at a moment's notice. Creating a your talent inventory refreshed your memory about the many dimensions of your experience and helps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise forget during the tension of an interview.

5. Leaving Cell Phone On: We may live in a wired, always available society, but a ringing cell phone is not appropriate for an interview. Turn it off before you enter the company.

From Job.com --

Tip: What Your References Will Be Asked


Experienced reference checkers will ask probing questions instead of yes / no types of questions. We've listed a couple of common probing type reference questions below:

* How did the candidate communicate with others across departmental lines?
* How did the candidate react when he/she was "shot down" on an idea he/she had?
* If you had one word to describe the candidate what would it be?
* What made you choose that word?
* The candidate stated on his/her résumé that he/she did XYZ accomplishment, which is pretty amazing, is that really true?
* We're thinking of candidate for a position as a Widget Accountant, do you think they possess the skills to do this?
* If this candidate is so great why did you let him/her leave your employ?
* Would you re-hire this candidate?

Always remember if a company is deciding between two equally proficient candidates the one with the stronger and more enthusiastic references will typically get the job!