Category Archives: Interviews

Are you making some big mistakes on your interviews?

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Everyone makes mistakes, right? But you may not be aware of some of the interview mistakes that may cost you a job offer! So what makes employers crazy? Here are some of the top responses that consistently pop up in surveys as well as from recruiter feedback: Being late for the interview (with no good reason); poor personal appearance;  overly scented perfume or poor hygiene; distracting jewelry (jangling bracelets, overly fancy jewelry in the workplace, or too many piercings); untidy facial hair; overbearing personality or a “know it all.”;  inability to express oneself clearly; poor grammar; over- emphasis on money or benefits not the job; bad-mouthing a former employer; no eye contact; expressing that one wants the job just for a short time; knowing nothing about the company; asking no questions about the job; poor listening skills.

 

Review these top items and see if there are areas you need to work on, such as:

  • Are you offending an interviewer with your perfume? Most recruiters will tell you not to use perfume at all, since so many people have allergies or just may have different tastes on what scents are pleasing.
  • Have you done your homework in preparing for the interview? You can read the company website, google press reports or business journals, or dig for information from someone you may know who already works there. If a recruiter is sending you for an interview, ask the recruiter for any info about the company or the position.
  •  Check out your mode of dress and jewelry in relation to their culture – are beards or facial piercings acceptable or frowned upon? Is business casual appropriate in that environment?
  • Are you asking about company benefits at the beginning of the interview? Try to focus on understanding the job itself and emphasizing your enthusiastic interest in the position. Let them hear what you learned about the company from your research and why you are so interested in working there.
  • Be sure you leave the interview on a note that highlights your skills and how you are going to add value.  Ask questions you have about the job, the department, the company, and of course, then feel free to ask a about the benefits and the potential salary range.

Handling Salary Issues: Are you Negotiating too soon?

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Many candidates lose a job opportunity by negotiating salary too soon…and they don’t even realize it. The employer asks what you are looking for and you answer with a specific number. Yikes! Once you quote a specific salary, you have started the negotiations. Perhaps you quoted too low, and now they wonder if you are really qualified. Or, they do want to make you an offer but not they can keep you at the low end of the potential range. Even worse, you may have quoted too high, and they may already eliminate you from consideration.

How to prepare? First, understand that salary is only one aspect of your total compensation. Determine in advance, what your total needs are including salary, vacation, benefits, commuting costs, etc. Decide where you are able to be flexible. How to answer that question? First, ask the employer what the salary range is for the position and you can then affirm (or not!) that the range is within your ballpark. Of course, they may not be willing to provide that information to you. Alternatively, you can state that you would like to be paid fairly for the level of the position and try to avoid further discussion about it until an actual offer is on the table. Also, you can quote a salary range that you are looking for, based on a determination of your needs. Be cautious though – do not say it is based on your needs – state that it is based on fair market value and you can easily fine this info online beforehand (try www.salary.com). Do some research to see what average salaries are for your position and level, and now you will have factual info to quote to the employer as to what ranges are appropriate for your level. Let them know that the acceptable salary offered will be influenced by what is included in the rest of the compensation package. Remember, keep a poker face during these discussions and always let them know how excited you are about the position itself. You may be surprised how employers rise above their initially quoted range to close a deal when they can focus on your value and not get bogged down by the numbers coming up too soon in the process.