Job interviews have a few more tricks to them thank you think
This post was originally written by Pete Leibman and was reprinted with permission from ncmahq.org.
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1. You are not well-prepared.
The job is won or lost before the interview begins, based on your preparation.
2. You have not taken the steps necessary to control your anxiety.
-It's normal to be nervous in a job interview. While some people will naturally get more nervous than others, you can control and reduce your anxiety by being well-prepared, practicing ahead of time, looking your best, showing up early, and so on.
3. You are not professional at all times.
I won't list all the possible ways you could be unprofessional. Let's just say that you can blow your chances of getting hired in the first three seconds you meet someone. Make sure you have confident body language, your breath is fresh, and that you don't have any body odor or smell like smoke. Make sure you are nicely groomed. Turn your cell phone off before the interview. Don't say anything that could damage your chances. Don't volunteer more information than is needed. Never let your guard down. And...don't be weird! Seriously. One of my friends started her own business recently, and she told me of all sorts of bizarre ways that people showed up and acted in interviews. She said it was amazing how hard it was to find someone who was "normal."
4. You give the interviewer too much credit.
First of all, do not make the person interviewing you into some almighty king or queen. When I interviewed with an NBA team president as a college student, I talked to her like an equal, and she respected me for that. Secondly, do not assume the interviewer knows what he or she is doing. I conducted interviews for a previous employer and I had no training, and none of my colleagues did either! This happens more often than you might think, and more often than any employer will publicly admit. Lastly, do not assume the interviewer is familiar with your background. I once interviewed with a senior executive when I was in the process of leaving my job in the NBA. I showed up with a professional portfolio with the logo of the team I used to work for on it. The interviewer said, "Oh, are you a big fan of theirs or something?" I replied, "Well, yes, I work for the team." He said "Oh, wow, that must be very cool." The guy had clearly not even read my résumé or cover letter at all!
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