Career Progression Tips: Interview No-No’s - Part 4

Interview No-No’s to increase your career progression prospects:

 

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0cm; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0cm; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1558710028; mso-list-template-ids:675082272;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:36.0pt; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-18.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;} ol {margin-bottom:0cm;} ul {margin-bottom:0cm;} –>

Don’t be dishonest.  I’m always amazed at how people lie and think they can get by with it.  First of all, body language usually tells an astute interviewer when someone is lying.  Second of all, these days companies do those background checks-they don’t just say they will.  So even if there’s something you really would prefer to lie about-don’t.  I promise you, you will be glad you didn’t.
Don’t act improperly.  This seems obvious, but many people fall prey to the desire to be dramatic or overly-casual.  Either is deadly when it comes to interviewing for a job.  When you get dramatic, you tend to exaggerate and can come across as aggressive, rather than assertive.  When you act laid-back and “cool,” you come across as unconcerned about how the interviewer perceives you or as not really caring about whether you the job or not.  You, again, want to appear alert and attentive, so you can answer questions calmly and confidently.
Don’t talk money or vacation or time off.  Period.

Knowing what not to do in an interview is really a matter of manners and knowing business etiquette.  Dress appropriately, act appropriately, be honest and open during your interview, and before you know it your phone will be ringing with a request to come back in for a second interview-or even better, with a job offer.