5 things not to say at a job interview
Interview success in today's job market is bit difficult. But if we prepare well it is not a Herculean task to attract the interviewers. The importance of creating a good impression within the allotted time is so important in an interview.
To make a good impression, it is important to know what the interviewer is look for and what they are testing you on, according to a report by Sanjeev Sinha of EconomicTimes.com.
According to Arindam Lahiri, Director- Academics, Career Launcher India, there are five things that should be avoided while attending an interview. Rude replies, bluffing, being defensive, unprepared responses and lack of interview strategy can end up portraying a person?s personality in an unappealing manner.
Rude replies
Short, curt, arrogant or confrontational comments and replies are of course a strict no-no. You might want to pay attention to peer review about whether you come across as a genuinely friendly, amicable person or otherwise. Besides the obvious fact that the interviewer is all powerful when it comes to deciding your fate regarding the job, also keep in mind that they are not sitting there with the sole purpose of antagonizing you.
"The objective of putting you in a spot is usually to observe your behavior under pressure. Getting agitated easily would betray a lack of coping skills. On the other hand, dealing with such 'tests' with grace not only saves you trouble but also immediately scores you points," said Lahiri.
Bluffing
If you hesitate to admit something that you don't know, you will be forced to continue bluffing until you either get caught, or are forced to do what you were supposed to do in the first place - say "I don't know."
This statement can help you move away from topics you don't know much about and possibly salvage the interview by starting a new conversation thread. Of course, using this statement too often would lead to the interviewer assuming you don't know much.
Getting defensive
If you happened to make a mistake and were rightly corrected, then make sure that you gracefully admit your error and allow for the discussion to be carried on in a polite tone. Leave the 'offense is the best defence' theory outside the door along with excess ego that could seriously hamper your chances of success.
It is also necessary to clarify the interviewer as they can also be wrong about something. Maybe the mistake on their part is actually deliberate conducted, to test your knowledge or relevant social skills.
"In such a scenario, wherein you are absolutely sure of your view, stick to your guns, but (again) gracefully. Be polite but firm while presenting your case, and after a while, you might want to agree to disagree and free up the conversation to on to the next topic," informs Lahiri.
Unprepared responses
There are certain questions that are taken as granted to appear in any interview - questions related to your goals, about yourself, your reason for applying to the particular job, your interest in that company and so on.
To earn a favourable impression, the answer to these should be thoroughly prepared, clear and precise, leaving no ambiguity in the interviewer's mind.
"This does not mean you have to have a rigid 10-year plan for life or be aware of exactly what you are going to do when. Rather, your thinking process and general direction should be organized and clearly presented to the interviewers. Doing your homework early on can guarantee you a certain number of points even before you walk in the interview room," said Lahiri.
Lack of interview strategy
In a selection process, the interviewer is required to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. For this, he/she has to steer the conversation and investigate various aspects of the candidate's personality
If instead, you learn how to steer the interview on your own, by giving open ended answers that lead to more question in those specific fields that interest you and in which you command decent amount of knowledge, you would make the interview a smoother process for the interviewer and a more rewarding one for yourself.
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