Top five don’ts in an interview

Your academic credentials are excellent; you’re appropriately dressed and adequately skilled for the job. Your CV isn’t a fibbed tale and your job-hunting basics are correct. Yet you are having a tough time landing a job. Is this happening to you? Check out whether you’re committing any of these five deadly sins during the interviews. Avoiding these will help you increase your chances of securing the job.

Not preparing effectively

Simply reading books, knowing potential interview questions and being an expert in your field wouldn’t see you through the interview. These are good preparation methods but wouldn’t always suffice to see you through  the tough question-answer session. Rather, practice before a friend or in the worst case in front of a mirror, a hypothetical interview with suggested questions. Remember by seeking help from others, you don’t become a lesser mortal but in effect achieve more. Also take criticism from your friend in your stride for better preparation.

Never act too friendly

Never start chatting with the interviewer during the course of an interview. Answer only what you’ve been asked and not anything extra. Even in a relaxed environment, when you’re asked personal questions, answer only as much is required. Don’t bare your heart. I know people who talk about people whom they know as casual references and in the end, don’t get the job. Moral of the story: First get the job and then tell stories and give references.

Never be overtly loud

Always keep a soft tone. Don’t badmouth your previous employer even if he/she has not been good towards you. If you’re jaded and feel bitter about your current job, don’t express it overtly. Keep your disillusion to a minimum, as that doesn’t portray you in a good light.

Never go on talking endlessly

Know where to draw the line and stop. When through with answering a question, shut up. Don’t make a poker face or seem too sycophantic while answering either. The poker face shows absence of life and if you’re trying to fake a smile or give an appreciating nod to everything said, you tend to tilt towards sycophancy. Also, never give elaborate answers as the conversation is bound to drift and you tend to ramble more if you talk too long. As a general thumb rule, about two minutes is considered an ideal talking time for an interviewee.

Never be stoic either

Don’t give simple mono-syllabic answers to interviewer questions either. Do add some lines that convey your interest in the job, the company and the work profile. Don’t expect your resume to talk for you – you have been called to the interview to present yourself and make sure you do that effectively. Even if you are an introvert, be sure you have prepared yourself beforehand and have come ready to answer questions in some depth.

Finally of course don’t forget to carry at least one copy of your resume. Ideally, you should carry more than one copy, lest there are more interviewers. Never forget to know the names, address and contact numbers of the references. Also, note down important points from the interviewers during the course of the interview as that shows your urgency for the job as well as commitment. You can then also ask questions based on those points when the interviewer allows you to do so.

So, if you’re getting calls for interviews but none culminate in a job, it’s time you take a closer look at the interviews conducted. Follow these tips and you can accomplish your objective. Be aware of these five deadly sins and thus you would be taking the first step of reaching your goal, i.e be successful in getting employed.