Interviewing for a job can be a stressful experience. The applicant wants to make the best impression but often isn't sure exactly what to do.
DiversityInc interviewed recruiting experts from companies ranked among The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list to hear what mistakes are made and how to best ensure a successful interview process.
Here are the five biggest mistakes job applicants make and how not to commit them:
No. 1: Not researching the company before the interview
Researching the company's web site, its statements on diversity management, benefits and the requirements of the job for which you are applying are all advisable. But Joseph Hammill, manager of talent acquisition for corporate human resources at Xerox Corp., No. 35 on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list, adds that applicants should be more comprehensive in their research. Network with people already working at the company; call professional organizations the company is associated with, and ask any fellow college alumni who work at the company about their experience.
Thorough research will reveal what positions are available but moreover what type of employee the company wants, says Steve Bean, associate director forNorth America talent supply and human resources at Procter & Gamble, No. 11 on The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list.
"People need to understand the differences from company to company and be ready to address how they best fit the bill for a particular company," says Bean.
"Not knowing reveals itself in the interview process," says Tony Jenkins, market president for Central Florida and vice president of cultural competence and diversity for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, No. 32 on the Top 50 list. "Sometimes [the interviewer] asks questions around how [the applicant] would approach a problem and their answers do not relate to the company's business. You want to hear answers that relate to the company's business."
No. 2: Inability to articulate needs and desires
"Too many people don't spend time upfront understanding what they bring to the party and they might undersell their particular skills," says Bean. "People need to take time to say, 'Here's what's important to me by rank order.' That can be geography, level of pay, benefits, work/life balance, the type of work you get to do, or even what does the daily grind look like."
Companies are hiring because they either need to solve problems or have opportunities that require more employees, which is why the best applicants are those who can articulate how their experience is best for the particular position, says Hammill.
Michelle Kuranty, retail, financial-services staffing manager for Chase, agrees.
"Knowing what you want to do and applying for it is important because we see people ... apply to every job, and when they're called they don't know what job they applied for," says Kuranty. "That's not professional." Chase is a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase, No. 15 on the Top 50.
"And many people say they did something on their résumé but then can't remember in the interview," adds Dan Tiernan, manager of national recruiting for Verizon, No. 12 on the Top 50.
"Interviewers ask open-ended questions to bring out an applicant's experiences or skill sets that apply directly to the job so you should be generally accurate to represent what's on your résumé," says Tiernan.
No. 3: Being unprofessional in the interview
Of course, be early to all interviews and don't bring food unless asked to do so. At Verizon, one of Tiernan's recruiters told him about an applicant who walked into the interview with a sandwich in hand. Upon reaching the recruiter's office, the applicant placed the sandwich on top of the recruiter's desk. When the recruiter asked the applicant what he planned to do with the sandwich, the applicant said he planned to eat the sandwich and asked if that would be a problem. Think he got the job?
Tiernan says that applicants often commit faux pas that can be excused among friends but that make them less desirable to recruiters. During summer months, people on the East Coast may have hay fever. Tiernan has seen incidents where an applicant dealing with hay fever or other allergies sneezed into their right hand and then put it out for a handshake.
"And it's hard not to screen a person out when you hear about their personal medical history and/or their family's medical history or their date from last night," says Tiernan. "Don't share personal information that's not germane to the job."
Another unprofessional faux pas is to speak ill of a current boss. Applicants do not persuade a recruiter to hire them when they complain that a boss micromanaged. It makes the recruiter think the micromanaging was needed.
No. 4: Demonstrating poor communication skills
"It's about being able to talk with confidence and expertise about who you are and why you're the best fit," says Kuranty. "That's communication skills."
Practice the basics of communication before going to the interview, listening and responding and not talking over the other person. Too many applicants over-talk and don't listen to the questions being asked of them.
"I've had people come in to an interview and all they want to do is talk and not listen at all," says Jenkins. "Within the first 10 to 15 minutes I've made up my mind ... At the start, I'm looking at body language and speaking style."
Hammill agrees that part of having a good interview is listening.
"You have to tell but you certainly don't want to blab on forever and miss a point," says Hammill. "The more you can get an interviewer to do some telling is a good sign."
But don't be dull or fear showing enthusiasm. Companies seek enthusiastic, focused, passionate recruits, says Jenkins.
"I can't put someone in front of customers who is lackadaisical or who has no passion," says Jenkins. "In today's competitive world, the person has to be passionate about the product and business and enthusiastic and show that."
No. 5: Not keeping the personal to yourself
With the proliferation of MySpace and other social-network web sites, people often think it harmless to include their social-network identification in their résumés or in an interview. But it is not harmless - too often what is posted on those sites does not demonstrate corporate professionalism.
"Don't dare put your social-network identification on your résumé or mention it in the interview," says Tiernan. "Some of them are a little bit over the edge as to what we want to know about the person."
Kuranty adds that applicants should make sure their voicemails reflect a professional attitude as well. When searching for a job, keep the outgoing message simple, such as who they've reached and that you'll return the call soon.
An applicant's e-mail address should also reflect a professional attitude. E-mail addresses often describe people's personal attributes. The e-mail addresses given to recruiters should simply state the professional name of the applicant.
Job interviewing can be a stressful experience. But if an applicant conducts the proper research into the company, his or her own experience and desires, and a professional demeanor, the chances of being hired are greatly increased.
http://www.diversityinc.com/content/1757/article
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