{"id":2423,"date":"2016-03-09T08:54:23","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T07:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=2423"},"modified":"2016-03-09T08:54:23","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T07:54:23","slug":"job-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/business-law\/business\/job-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things NOT to do in a job interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

They\u2019re nerve-wracking and stressful but an interview could mean you\u2019re one step away from that dream job – or at least a little closer\u00a0to fulfilling your career ambitions. Student Services Manager (Careers<\/a>) at The Open University, Lynne Johnson, explains what NOT to do in the interview room…<\/em><\/p>\n

\"A1) NEVER offer a limp handshake or slouch<\/h2>\n

“An excellent first impression is really important and a weak handshake, lack of eye contact, or a slumping your chair won\u2019t help you here. It takes 30 seconds to generate that impression so start on the right foot.<\/p>\n

“Make eye contact with all of the panel members, not just the main interviewer. Body language is important so keep it open, don\u2019t slump, and remember to smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the time you\u2019ve sat down they\u2019ll probably already have an opinion of you and a bad first impression will result in your spending the rest of your interview proving them wrong..\u201d<\/p>\n

2) “Don\u2019t tell the panel about your favourite childhood hobby or your dog called Oscar”<\/h2>\n

“Open questions like \u2018tell me about yourself\u2019 can catch you off guard \u2013 this isn\u2019t an opportunity to tell your life history, but to put across the key points you want the interview panel to remember about you. This is when you should be highlighting your professional experience and skills in a more personal way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something you can easily prepare beforehand<\/a>, and should be relevant to the organisation and you are being interviewed at. Don\u2019t tell them about your favourite childhood hobby or your dog called Oscar. Keep it relevant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink of your three best selling points and get them across in these open questions. Communicate your achievements, experience in, and strengths to demonstrate why you\u2019re ideal for the role.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Red3) That bright red jacket with the wide collar? Leave it at home<\/h2>\n

“This is all part of making a good impression. You don\u2019t always have to wear a suit or office skirt; it depends on the organisation and I\u2019d recommend conservative formal over less formal.<\/p>\n

“Loud clothing, low cut tops, or excessive jewellery all distract the interviewer from what you\u2019re saying and you want to make an impression with your words rather than your clothes.<\/p>\n

“You want to walk into an interview looking like you belong there. If unsure, you can call the organisation beforehand for its dress code.”<\/p>\n

4) NEVER ask when you\u2019ll get a pay rise<\/h2>\n

“In fact, in your interview, you shouldn’t ask about salaries at all. It\u2019s not a good idea to jump straight in and ask about holidays, pensions, and pay rises at the end of your interview and it doesn\u2019t leave much room for negotiation if you\u2019re successful.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait until they offer you the job, then ask about salary, and as you\u2019ll be in a better position to negotiate a good package. If you need to know approximate salary, call and ask before you apply to save the hassle of a wasted application.<\/p>\n

“Ask about opportunities for mentoring and training; expectations in your first week; and who you\u2019ll be working with.”<\/p>\n

\"Sleeping5) Don\u2019t be a bore. Zzz<\/h2>\n

“Interviews can be nerve-wracking and it\u2019s easy to let anxiety get in the way. A sense of humour is allowed in an interview and it\u2019s fine to say no to a glass of water because you\u2019re so nervous you might drop it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe panel will already have a good idea of your experience, qualifications, and skills before you attend an interview. At this point, they\u2019re checking\u00a0 to see if they like you and think they could work with you. You should be selling your personality, and be both enthusiastic and excited about the job you\u2019re applying for.\u201d<\/p>\n

6) Avoid chattering on. And on. And on \u2026<\/h2>\n

“Sometimes interview questions can be complicated<\/a> and it\u2019s easy to lose your thread; focus on the question you\u2019ve been asked, and be confident enough to take notes during the interview so you can write the question down and answer in two parts if it\u2019s complicated.<\/p>\n

“You shouldn’t be afraid to ask the panel member to repeat the question or ask for a minute to think; this is perfectly acceptable. \u201cIf you\u2019ve come to a natural conclusion and the panel members aren\u2019t saying anything, don\u2019t chatter on. As them if they want clarification on anything or would like you to provide an alternative example. Don\u2019t be tempted to keep filling the silences.\u201d<\/p>\n

7) Actions speak louder than words<\/h2>\n

“When asked to give examples of your work, remember the interview panel is looking for your action \u2013 what you did, how you handled it \u2013 and not the level of project you were working on at the time. When asked to explain a difficult decision you had to make, they want to know how you handled the scenario, not what the actual scenario was.<\/p>\n

“People panic and think \u2018have I got a good enough example?\u2019 However, you just need the confidence to communicate what you did. People make decisions all the time in their work and if you\u2019re really good at it, it might not seem that difficult. Forget the word \u2018difficult\u2019 and focus on decisions you probably make regularly.”<\/p>\n

Find out more:<\/h3>\n

You can follow the Careers and Employability Team<\/em>\u00a0on Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a> and\u00a0Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n