INTERVIEW RESOURCE GUIDE

Just as you evaluate the interviewer and the company, the interviewer and the company evaluate you. Your interview behavior can make or break your chances of moving forward. This includes details such as your haircut, manner of dress, body odor (including perfume or body sprays), posture, non-verbal signals, breath, fingernails (dirty, clean, clipped, or not), correspondence with the front desk staff, etc.

As you are focusing on the positives in your interview, the interviewer may be focusing on the negatives, looking for any reason to remove you from the process. You should be conscious of the perceptions you are creating.

Behaviors you should avoid during an interview:

• Dishonesty or lying during the interview or on the application! Do not inflate compensation numbers or lie about experience!!  
• Irresponsibility.
• Inconsistency in your responses. Interview processes will often ask the same questions (possibly in different ways) multiple times in an effort to identify inconsistencies. This can create the perception of manipulation or dishonesty.
• The smell of smoke or alcohol.
• Arrogance or excessive aggressiveness (Humility is a great buffer here). The perception of arrogance is an immediate eliminator 95% of the time.
• Money is your primary motivator. NO company wants to feel this. They will perceive you to be leaving when the next highest offer comes along.
• Tardiness or failure to keep appointments and commitments on time, including the job interview (try not to reschedule your interview if at all possible).
• Not following instructions or obeying rules.
• Negative attitude or blaming things on others (keep it positive).
• Laziness or lack of motivation.
• Lack of enthusiasm for position or opportunity.
• Instability. (Be prepared to discuss why you left each of your past positions)

Your goal during the interview process is to ensure your interview behavior creates a perception in the hiring authority’s mind that is as close to reality as possible. It is very frustrating to be eliminated from an interview process based upon a perception (acquired during the interview process) that is not reality.