10 ways to blow a job interview
Posted
Apr 16 2008, 05:35 PM
by
Karen Datko
It goes without saying that you shouldn't chew gum, drop bad-word bombs or wear your gym clothes when you're at a job interview.
Or does it? Based on the experience of "Gibble" and that of his readers, job candidates sometimes violate these basic rules and a bunch of others. As a guide for job applicants, Gibble offers "10 things not to do during an interview" at Gather Little by Little.
Gibble, who interviews a lot of candidates in his job as an IT manager, said those 10 violations "pretty much make me cut the interview short and walk out."
Here are a few on his list:
Don't say you know something when you don't. He recalls one applicant who claimed to know all about a particular system but actually knew only a small part of it. "He knew about the whole system all right, knew they existed! ... He flat-out lied on his resume. Next!" Gibble writes.
Don't tell jokes, or talk about religion or politics. The funniest part of this section of Gibble's post is about a guy who told blonde jokes during an interview until Gibble's boss, a blonde, walked into the room. He says, "I have never seen a guy turn so pale in my life."
It's better to overdress than be too casual. Gibble says that one applicant showed up in shorts and didn't make it past the HR office. "Dressing too casually shows lack of respect for the company's policies and lack of interest in the job," he observes.
Don't smoke right before the interview. It stinks. If you must smoke, do it outside, and chew some gum before the interview. Make sure you get rid of the gum before the interview starts.
