Your academic credentials are excellent; youβre appropriately dressed and adequately skilled for the job. Your CV isnβt a fibbed tale and your job-hunting basics are correct. Yet you are having a tough time landing a job.Β Is thisΒ happening toΒ you? Check out whether youβre committing any of these five deadly sins during the interviews. Avoiding these will help you increase your chances of securing the job.
Simply reading books, knowing potential interview questions and being an expert in your field wouldnβt see you through the interview. These are good preparation methods but wouldnβt always suffice toΒ see you throughΒ 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 donβt become a lesser mortal but in effect achieve more. Also take criticism from your friendΒ in your stride for better preparation.
Never start chatting with the interviewer during the course of an interview. Answer only what youβve been asked and not anything extra. Even in a relaxed environment, when youβre asked personal questions, answer only as much is required. Donβt bare your heart. I know people who talk about people whom they know as casual references and in the end, donβt get the job. Moral of the story: First get the job and then tell stories and give references.
Always keep a soft tone. Donβt badmouth your previous employer even if he/she has not been good towards you. If youβre jaded and feel bitter about your current job, donβtΒ express it overtly. KeepΒ your disillusion toΒ a minimum, as that doesnβt portray you in a good light.
Know where to draw the line and stop. When through with answeringΒ a question, shut up. Donβt make a poker face or seem too sycophantic while answering either. The poker face shows absence of life andΒ if you’re trying to fake aΒ smile orΒ give an appreciating nod to everything said, you tend to tilt towards sycophancy. Also, never give elaborate answers asΒ the conversation is bound toΒ driftΒ and you tend to ramble more if you talk too long. As a general thumb rule,Β about two minutes is considered an ideal talking time for an interviewee.
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 courseΒ 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 canΒ then alsoΒ ask questions based on those points when the interviewer allows you to do so.
So, if youβre getting calls for interviews but none culminate in a job, itβs time you take a closer look at the interviews conducted. Follow these tips andΒ you can accomplish your objective. Be aware of theseΒ five deadly sinsΒ and thus you would be taking the first step of reaching your goal, i.e be successful in getting employed.
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