Fwd: Never Do This in Job Interview

[Hamid Kaashif]

Following are Top 5 things you should never do in your job interview.

1. Being late.

Arriving late to a job interview is often an instant deal-breaker. Hiring managers assume that you’re on your best behavior while interviewing, so if you’re late, they’ll assume you’ll be unreliable once on the job. Always allow more time than you’ll need to get to your interview, so that you have a buffer in case something goes wrong.

If you traveling to new city to attend the job interview,  plan on driving to your interview office the day before. So, you know the route. If your interview is during peak traffic hours, then plan to start early.

2. Being unprepared.

Asking questions about the company that could have been answered with some basic research or not seeming familiar with the job description tells the employer that you didn’t bother to do your homework.

Never attend an interview without doing background research on the product, team and the company.

3. Not showing enthusiasm

A job candidate who seems lackluster or unenthusiastic about the job prospect will almost certainly become an employee who isn’t engaged with the work. Employers want candidates who seem committed and excited, so don’t hesitate to articulate your interest in the job.

It’s easy for interviewer to identify if you are really  interested in the job and overall enthusiasm based on your response and overall outlook.

4. Specific Examples to Problems

Not being able to give specific examples in response to questions. This is my favorite one.

If you ask the candidate about tough problems solved, you can get an idea about their approach towards problem solving. Follow-up question will be related to their answer. Within couple of questions, interviewer can figure out, if the person really solved the problem or its a made up answer.

5.Claiming you have no weaknesses

One of the behavior interview questions is to have the candidate talk about his weakness.

If a hiring manager asks you about your weaker areas and you can’t or won’t respond with a realistic assessment of areas where you could improve, you’ll appear to be lacking in insight and self-awareness.