How to fail an interview?

BREEZE

I had an interview recently for a part-time job. I realised I would be too early and walked around for a while which helped me gather my thoughts. I entered the building with 5 mins before the interview was due to start. The manager kindly rang me a couple of days later to say that on this occasion I did not get the job but he wanted to give me feedback. He said he had in excess of 100 applicants, he interviewed 16. He said he liked 4 candidates and I had been one of them but he chose the one with most experience. He said that my covering letter had been good and that many candidates just sent a CV and he didn't have time to read them.

November5th

Things I do and need to avoid:

Being too nervous. Just had to start enjoying the process and make myself relax. It's fine to be a little nervous, expected.

Being too chatty / rambling. I know which topics tend to trigger this and am careful when they come up. I also slimmed down my CV so there was less to talk about (that sounds a bit counter intuitive but it was very effective).

Showing too much personality. After all, I am not going for a clowning job. Just being nice is enough. Sorted out as both above, watched for triggers.

Having some bad interviews where I know where I went wrong really helped, boy, I have walked out of some feeling a right prat.

LadyMissA

InsideInsurance wrote: »

I certainly wouldnt instantly fail someone for being there more than 10 minutes early but I would be slightly irritated by it.

I am always more than 10 minutes early to the area of where the interview will be but then will just go to a cafe or sit in the car or go for a walk etc to eat up the time and get to the company reception 5-10 minutes before the interview.

What not to do is generally the opposite of what you should do:

1) People who dont answer the complete question. As an old example, "Given me an example of when you had to deal with an irate customer?" I dont want you to just say "a guy came in angry and I dealt with him" and then look at me blankly. What happened. What you did. What the outcome was.

Just stick to L.A.S.T then you don't waffle but give a good example.

Timmne

Personally it does annoy me when candidates turn up more than 5 minutes early, simply because I don't always have the space for them to wait! In an old job I had, my office had glass walls and could be seen from reception where the candidates were waiting. When the receptionist called me to let me know they had arrived, it then looked rude if I didn't see them straight away, despite the candidate not knowing that I had notes to make from the last interview, or about the next one.

How to fail an interview with me is:
- If you smoke, don't have your last drag just before you see me. It stinks and will likely make the interview room a little manky for the 30 minutes
- Be smart - obvious but surprisingly not always followed! I once interviewed for a trainee accounts position (I'm an accountant) and of the eight candidates, at least three of them turned up in whatever they'd been wearing for the rest of the day - instant fail!
- Don't feel you need to ask questions whatever the weather. If I say "do you have any questions" and you don't, just say - I'd rather you were honest than have to go into depth on what the canteen's like if you're not interested!
- Good handshake - and please don't be weak or sweaty!
- Don't be too obvious in how much research you've done into the company. I once had a guy in for a more senior position and he was essentially quizzing me about the financial stability of the company by going through the accounts he'd downloaded online. It was weird and made me feel rather uncomfortable!

Obviously every interviewer is different but by the time I have someone in for an interview, assuming everything they've put on their CV in terms of skill is correct, the only job I have to do is check you're a nice person that the team will get on well with. Therefore don't be afraid to be friendly and relaxed; it'll reassure me that you're a great person, not someone who's going to cry when the going gets tough if I offer you the job!

InsideInsurance

Timmne wrote: »

by the time I have someone in for an interview, assuming everything they've put on their CV in terms of skill is correct, the only job I have to do is check you're a nice person that the team will get on well with. Therefore don't be afraid to be friendly and relaxed

Whilst I would argue that part of the interview is to test that what you've put on your CV is correct - too many people lie far too much - there is a big part of "can I work with you"



As a wrong tip maybe, if you are going to be stretching the truth then try and find out who your interviewers will be and look them up on the likes of LinkedIn. Whilst evidently you shouldnt lie at interview if you are going to stretch things you need to be much more careful around any companies you have in common with your interviewers. For one I will often call former colleagues and get an informal reference or check claims that feel wrong and have frequently caught people out. I've even had people effectively claim to have worked for me at previous companies because they've lied and haven't known who I was.

LadyMissA

Timmne wrote: »

- Be smart - obvious but surprisingly not always followed! I once interviewed for a trainee accounts position (I'm an accountant) and of the eight candidates, at least three of them turned up in whatever they'd been wearing for the rest of the day - instant fail!
- Don't feel you need to ask questions whatever the weather. If I say "do you have any questions" and you don't, just say - I'd rather you were honest than have to go into depth on what the canteen's like if you're not interested!
- Good handshake - and please don't be weak or sweaty!
- Don't be too obvious in how much research you've done into the company. I once had a guy in for a more senior position and he was essentially quizzing me about the financial stability of the company by going through the accounts he'd downloaded online. It was weird and made me feel rather uncomfortable!

Obviously every interviewer is different but by the time I have someone in for an interview, assuming everything they've put on their CV in terms of skill is correct, the only job I have to do is check you're a nice person that the team will get on well with. Therefore don't be afraid to be friendly and relaxed; it'll reassure me that you're a great person, not someone who's going to cry when the going gets tough if I offer you the job!

I work in accounts and you would be surprised how many financial directors have interviewed me whilst swigging out of a bottle of water, or one that sat there drinking tea with no suit jacket on and his shirt sleeves rolled up.

I always incorprate my questions into the interview so it's a converstaion not a Q & A.

When I was younger I would not know a lot about companies as the net was not invented but now I do all the research but only say a few things as too much is maybe over powering and may put them off I guess as my old boss said an interviewer my feel threatened!

Timmne

Haha I would believe the FD thing actually - it's frightening.

I always treat an interview to only be 70% interviewing the candidate - the other 30% is them deciding whether they want to work for the company. This means that me being smart, offering a decent environment and not making them feel nervous is important.

When I'm the interviewee and I don't feel like I'm being given the respect I deserve, very quickly I switch off the charm and look forward to getting out. If they're like that in an interview, what are they like to work for?!

LittleVoice

wapow wrote: »

What NOT to do.

. . .
.
Not keeping strong eye contact.

. . .

Someone mentioned something really good. Called a STAR? System (I think)
Always answer like -

Situation - What was the situation
T?
Action - What action you took
Result - What was the result? (Make it good)

Also avoid adopting a fixed stare - very disconcerting. Remember to look away briefly, especially when speaking.

S Situation or
T Task
A Action - what, how and why
R Result

Lith

How to fail an interview?

Easy

Turn up in casual clothes (not a suit lol)

Mr_Ted

Never believe the employer is being honest?
Never believe that discrimination doesnt exist even though it may be illegal?

Been both sides of the fence but have experience of others interviewing with me and their discriminatory actions as well as having experienced them also!

Problem is, your not employed so how will you get to know or be able to anything anyway???