5 Ways To Blow An Interview

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

A few months back, I was in a position where I needed to hire someone to fill a role in my Houston Same Day Delivery business. After going through stacks of resumes, the interviews were all set up and I was ready to meet the good, the bad and the really bad candidates. Interviewing, as much as it can be a pain, is a very good reminder of the many types of people out looking for a job. And knowing the type of person that will be a good fit for your environment, an asset to your company and loyal to the proprietary information of your organization takes lots of practice. I have made some great hiring choices over the years and some horrible hiring choices. The horrible choices have taught me some great lessons that I would like to pass on to potential interviewees that are currently in the market.

5 Ways to Blow An Interview

1. Gossipers – We have all worked for bad bosses and bad companies in the past, but there is no reason to run down a laundry list of flaws to your new potential employer. My natural response to this is “If they talk like this about their old boss, how will they talk about me?” If you are asked about the details, which you most likely will be, you should have a factual, dignifed answer prepared and leave it at that. Getting in to the he-said, she-said dirty details is not going to help you get the job.

2. Unprofessionalism – I tend to conduct interviews in a relaxed format. I don’t want to add to the nervous-factor, if I can avoid it. I want people to feel comfortable so I can get a feel for who they really are and how they will fit in with the family-atmosphere of Hot Shot Delivery. That being said, an interview is never the time to talk to me about personal problems, political ranting or any explicit information. I don’t care how comfortable you are with me, this is still an interview and we are still strangers. Stay professional and remember what you are here to do.

3. Arriving Unprepared - In this ‘age of the internet’, it is absolutely unacceptable to arrive to an interview without an idea of who the company is, what they do, how long they have been in business, etc… If I take the time to read through your history, education, accomplishments and references, you should be fully prepared as well. You would be surprised at how many people come to an interview completely unprepared and one of their questions to me is “What does Hot Shot do?”.

4. Dress The Part – If you want to be treated as a professional, show up like one. Clean, pressed clothing that is not missing buttons, has holes or stains is the way to arrive. Respect the role you are applying for by dressing for success. I’m not asking for a 3 piece suit – but I am asking for a little consideration when dressing for the interview that could become your new paycheck or lifelong career.

5. Don’t Know Yourself – Some of the most frustrating interviews to me are the ones where the candidate can’t tell me about themselves. Strengths, weaknesses, insight, opinions…anything. Why they want to work at this company and how it is the right fit for them seems to be something they should run through before walking in. Many people do not. So, be sure to practice these answers and come prepared to speak intelligently about yourself.

Interviewing is an art and some people are very good at it and others need some help. Just because you are not the best at interviewing does not mean you are not an extreme asset to an organization. If you take the extra time to practice, follow the do-s and don’t-s of interviewing and arrive with a smile, you are already ahead of the pack. Have faith, have confidence and knock em dead.

Till Next Time,

Eric

Tags: Business, Houston Courier Service, interview, interviewing, job

Posted in Business, Sports, Theories | No Comments »