1. Trashing a Boss or Old Job
I get it. You had a horrible boss who ruined your experience, and now you are leaving. You may be bitter or angry, but don't let that unhinge you in a professional setting. You don't know if I know your boss, or how I will react. Was it you or them? I'd rather see someone who can learn from tough experiences and hold their head up high. Don't avoid the question if asked, but handle it with class.
- Trevor Sumner, President and Co-Founder, LocalVox
2. Taking a Call or Checking Messages
In
China, a lot of the people we interview have the habit of doing this in
interviews. I have no problem if the phone rings, but it is what the
person does after that lets me know how that person would treat a client
in a stressful situation. They don't know this, but I actually analyze
everything they do to determine if it would make a customer feel
uncomfortable or not.
- Derek Capo, CEO and Founder, Next Step China
3. Drinking a Beer
I
couldn't believe it. On a Skype video interview, a candidate who was
great on paper moistened his lips with a beer before starting to talk.
He took several more sips throughout the then-shortened interview, and I
told the employee who was supposed to screen after me not to bother. We
closed him out.
-
Ryan Buckley, COO & Co-founder, Scripted, Inc.
Job
interviews can be nerve-wracking, and it's normal to feel the need to
"sell" yourself. But some candidates get so focused on selling
themselves that they forget to ask questions to learn if the job is even
a good fit for them in the first place. Or worse, they come off as
disingenuous, inauthentic or fidgety. Interviews should be a
conversation, not a sales pitch.
- Matt Ehrlichman, CEO, Porch
5. Underdressing
One
time a potential hire called and asked what the dress code for the
office was. We said casual. Then later that day, that person came in
wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. To me, a first impression is
everything, and the fact that this person wouldn't even dress up a bit
for an interview showed me that he was not a good fit for us.
- Phil Laboon, President, Eyeflow Internet Marketing
6. Not Preparing Anecdotes
It's
all about the evidence -- saying you have a certain skill set or
experience isn't enough, and anecdotes and examples are critical in
showcasing that you really do have expertise. In particular, it's
important for applicants to have quantitative evidence for any skills or
experience they have. Without stories and numbers, an interview isn't
as memorable or effective as it could be.
-Doreen Bloch, CEO / Founder, Poshly Inc.
7. Saying They Didn't Want to Learn or Work Too Much
I
was interviewing a potential candidate who said to me, "My old job had
me working and learning too much." This was after a phone interview
where I explained we were a startup! Startups are small, nimble,
constantly growing and always learning to do things faster and better.
This statement showed me someone who isn't ready to fully immerse
themselves in the startup mentality and culture.
- Kim Kaupe, Co-Founder, 'ZinePak
8. Crying
Yes,
believe it or not, tough interview questions can make some people cry.
When tears flow, the interview is over. No one wants to hire people who
can't control their emotions on the job. I've interviewed over 1,000
people during the past 12 years, and in my humble opinion, crying is the
kiss of death.
- Robert Sofia, Co-Founder & COO, Platinum Advisor Marketing Strategies
9. Being Unprepared
It's
so hard to watch someone squirm during an interview. So many candidates
think that they will waltz in, deliver a few canned responses and charm
the pants off of their interviewer. It's not that easy. Candidates
should know about the history, culture and brand of the company they are
interviewing for.
- Maren Hogan, Chief Marketing Brain, Red Branch Media
10. Talking Themselves out of the Job
So
many people go into a job interview and set themselves up for failure.
Whether it's self-deprecating talk or downplaying their skill sets or
just completely talking themselves out of the job, there is
self-sabotage all over the place. If you're showing up for an interview,
show up, be confident, be prepared, and rock it. You ARE amazing and
deserve the job. Now go get it!
- Erin Blaskie, CEO, Erin Blaskie, Digital Strategist
11. Hedging Bets
The
worst mistake you can make is hedging your bet. You are interviewing
for a specific position within a company; therefore, you should focus on
communicating your qualifications for that role. If you mention that
"you are also available for consulting work," you don't seem very
interested in filling the role you are interviewing for. In fact, you
seem uncertain of yourself.
- Chris Hunter, Co-Founder, Phusion Projects
12. Having a Know-it-All Mentality
If
I'm starting out a potential employer relationship with somebody, I
want to make sure they're going to be a team player. People who think
they know it all and/or are rigid in their beliefs can be very hard to
work with. A know-it-all tends to accept that they do in fact know it
all and won't change when they should really be constantly learning.
- Andy Karuza, CEO, Brandbuddee
13. Asking the Wrong Questions
I
had an interviewee stop me in the first couple minutes of an interview
to tell me her requirements for vacation. I can appreciate vacation time
being important to someone, but I'm interviewing someone who I hope
wants to work -- not just take time off.
- Sam Saxton, President, Salter Spiral Stair and Mylen Stairs
14. Saying 'Yes' to Everything
When
candidates say, "Yeah, I can do that," to almost everything that is
asked during an interview, that's a red flag. The reality is they’re
thinking more about paying their bills or gaining employment than about
what the organization is trying to solve by hiring for the position.
Some people have been searching for a job for so long that they're
desperate to show they can handle anything.
- Brett Farmiloe, Employee 01: Digital Marketing Auditor, Internet Marketing Agency
15. Focusing on the Benefits Over the Value
I've
had people ask about benefits such as vacation time and paid time off
right at the beginning of the interview. While it's important to have a
clear understanding of all incentives offered, focusing on benefits
offered by the company over the value they can bring to the company
sends a message that the person is looking to take more than give.
- Michael Mogill, President, Crisp Video Group
16. Lacking Company Research
The
worst mistake I’ve seen someone make at a job interview was not
researching my company beforehand. It was so easy to tell, especially
when I started asking questions related to our products. An hour’s
research can mean the difference between getting the job and wasting a
company’s time.
- Ted Murphy, Founder / CEO, IZEA
17. Not Having an Agenda
Most
people show up to job interviews with the sole purpose of answering
questions. Big mistake. It's imperative to have an agenda. For example,
if you only communicate three key points about your experience during
the interview, what must they be? If you'd like to display your
knowledge of the company and the industry, have examples ready to go.
Take a proactive approach.
- Antonio Neves, Founder, THINQACTION
18. Confusing Us With Our Competitor
I
once had an applicant forget which company he was speaking with during
our interview. About five minutes into our telephone interview, he
started mentioning all the reasons why he wanted to work for our
competitor. We obviously didn't invite him back for another interview. I
didn't see any reason to embarrass him, so I just thanked him for his
time. He probably never realized his mistake.
- Chuck Cohn, Founder and CEO, Varsity Tutors
19. Not Having Passion
Recently,
a prospective hire fresh out of college applied for a job opening with
us. During the interview, he showed a lack of research on the company.
When I asked him what he was looking for in his career, he told me
anything that hired him and paid well. The only enthusiasm in the whole
interview was the possibility of earning a paycheck. Needless to say, we
never called him back.
- Fehzan Ali, Co-Founder & CEO, Adscend Media LLC
20. Making the Interview Too Much About You
When
interviewing, you're proving you can both do the job and bring value to
the company. So don't focus on how great the job will be for you or
your career. It's not about what you need at this point; it's about what
you have to offer and what you bring to the table.
- Susan Strayer LaMotte, Founder & Principal Consultant, exaqueo
21. Making a Pitch on Autopilot
Interviews
fail as soon as the conversation goes into autopilot. Interviewees
should engage in a genuine dialogue starting with developing an informed
understanding of the company and the person they're meeting with.
Responses should be phrased within the context of the company, and the
opportunity and questions should be real, not canned.
- Christopher Kelly, Co-Founder, Principal, Convene
22. Not Taking Ownership of Mistakes
I
love to grill potential employees on conflict in their previous
positions, and I always listen closely to how they describe what
happened. I look for people who take full ownership and proactively look
back at what they could have done differently. The worst mistake is
just blaming others and not seeing how they played a role in the
conflict.
- Laura Roeder, Founder, LKR Social Media
23. Asking What the Company Does
Every
now and then, there are candidates who may have applied to several
companies and are in the process of interviewing with many of them. They
show up to an interview asking what our company does without having
done any homework on the culture, position or mission of our
organization. We want to know we're bringing on people who are diligent,
passionate and hard-working.
- Shradha Agarwal, Founder/Chief Strategy Officer, ContextMedia
24. Not Having Any Questions
At
the end of most interviews, the interviewer says, “OK, so do you have
any questions for me?” The absolute worst mistake a candidate can make
is to say no. Really? Not one question? This immediately tells me
they’re not passionate about the job. They’re not even interested.
-Marcos Cordero, Chief Gradsaver, GradSave, LLC
25. Wearing a Costume
During
a one-way video interview, an applicant wore a Jedi robe (you know, as
in Star Wars Jedi). The worst part was that the candidate made no
reference to the costume at all. We were all baffled!
- Heather Huhman, Founder & President, Come Recomme
I get it. You had a horrible boss who ruined your experience, and now you are leaving. You may be bitter or angry, but don't let that unhinge you in a professional setting. You don't know if I know your boss, or how I will react. Was it you or them? I'd rather see someone who can learn from tough experiences and hold their head up high. Don't avoid the question if asked, but handle it with class.
- Trevor Sumner, President and Co-Founder, LocalVox
2. Taking a Call or Checking Messages
In
China, a lot of the people we interview have the habit of doing this in
interviews. I have no problem if the phone rings, but it is what the
person does after that lets me know how that person would treat a client
in a stressful situation. They don't know this, but I actually analyze
everything they do to determine if it would make a customer feel
uncomfortable or not.
- Derek Capo, CEO and Founder, Next Step China
3. Drinking a Beer
I
couldn't believe it. On a Skype video interview, a candidate who was
great on paper moistened his lips with a beer before starting to talk.
He took several more sips throughout the then-shortened interview, and I
told the employee who was supposed to screen after me not to bother. We
closed him out.
-Ryan Buckley, COO & Co-founder, Scripted, Inc.
4. Over-Selling Yourself
Job
interviews can be nerve-wracking, and it's normal to feel the need to
"sell" yourself. But some candidates get so focused on selling
themselves that they forget to ask questions to learn if the job is even
a good fit for them in the first place. Or worse, they come off as
disingenuous, inauthentic or fidgety. Interviews should be a
conversation, not a sales pitch.
- Matt Ehrlichman, CEO, Porch
5. Underdressing
One
time a potential hire called and asked what the dress code for the
office was. We said casual. Then later that day, that person came in
wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. To me, a first impression is
everything, and the fact that this person wouldn't even dress up a bit
for an interview showed me that he was not a good fit for us.
- Phil Laboon, President, Eyeflow Internet Marketing
6. Not Preparing Anecdotes
It's
all about the evidence -- saying you have a certain skill set or
experience isn't enough, and anecdotes and examples are critical in
showcasing that you really do have expertise. In particular, it's
important for applicants to have quantitative evidence for any skills or
experience they have. Without stories and numbers, an interview isn't
as memorable or effective as it could be.
-Doreen Bloch, CEO / Founder, Poshly Inc.
7. Saying They Didn't Want to Learn or Work Too Much
I
was interviewing a potential candidate who said to me, "My old job had
me working and learning too much." This was after a phone interview
where I explained we were a startup! Startups are small, nimble,
constantly growing and always learning to do things faster and better.
This statement showed me someone who isn't ready to fully immerse
themselves in the startup mentality and culture.
- Kim Kaupe, Co-Founder, 'ZinePak
8. Crying
Yes,
believe it or not, tough interview questions can make some people cry.
When tears flow, the interview is over. No one wants to hire people who
can't control their emotions on the job. I've interviewed over 1,000
people during the past 12 years, and in my humble opinion, crying is the
kiss of death.
- Robert Sofia, Co-Founder & COO, Platinum Advisor Marketing Strategies
9. Being Unprepared
It's
so hard to watch someone squirm during an interview. So many candidates
think that they will waltz in, deliver a few canned responses and charm
the pants off of their interviewer. It's not that easy. Candidates
should know about the history, culture and brand of the company they are
interviewing for.
- Maren Hogan, Chief Marketing Brain, Red Branch Media
10. Talking Themselves out of the Job
So
many people go into a job interview and set themselves up for failure.
Whether it's self-deprecating talk or downplaying their skill sets or
just completely talking themselves out of the job, there is
self-sabotage all over the place. If you're showing up for an interview,
show up, be confident, be prepared, and rock it. You ARE amazing and
deserve the job. Now go get it!- Erin Blaskie, CEO, Erin Blaskie, Digital Strategist
11. Hedging Bets
The
worst mistake you can make is hedging your bet. You are interviewing
for a specific position within a company; therefore, you should focus on
communicating your qualifications for that role. If you mention that
"you are also available for consulting work," you don't seem very
interested in filling the role you are interviewing for. In fact, you
seem uncertain of yourself.- Chris Hunter, Co-Founder, Phusion Projects
12. Having a Know-it-All Mentality
If
I'm starting out a potential employer relationship with somebody, I
want to make sure they're going to be a team player. People who think
they know it all and/or are rigid in their beliefs can be very hard to
work with. A know-it-all tends to accept that they do in fact know it
all and won't change when they should really be constantly learning.- Andy Karuza, CEO, Brandbuddee
13. Asking the Wrong Questions
I
had an interviewee stop me in the first couple minutes of an interview
to tell me her requirements for vacation. I can appreciate vacation time
being important to someone, but I'm interviewing someone who I hope
wants to work -- not just take time off.
- Sam Saxton, President, Salter Spiral Stair and Mylen Stairs
14. Saying 'Yes' to Everything
When
candidates say, "Yeah, I can do that," to almost everything that is
asked during an interview, that's a red flag. The reality is they’re
thinking more about paying their bills or gaining employment than about
what the organization is trying to solve by hiring for the position.
Some people have been searching for a job for so long that they're
desperate to show they can handle anything.- Brett Farmiloe, Employee 01: Digital Marketing Auditor, Internet Marketing Agency
15. Focusing on the Benefits Over the Value
I've
had people ask about benefits such as vacation time and paid time off
right at the beginning of the interview. While it's important to have a
clear understanding of all incentives offered, focusing on benefits
offered by the company over the value they can bring to the company
sends a message that the person is looking to take more than give.- Michael Mogill, President, Crisp Video Group
16. Lacking Company Research
The
worst mistake I’ve seen someone make at a job interview was not
researching my company beforehand. It was so easy to tell, especially
when I started asking questions related to our products. An hour’s
research can mean the difference between getting the job and wasting a
company’s time.
- Ted Murphy, Founder / CEO, IZEA
17. Not Having an Agenda
Most
people show up to job interviews with the sole purpose of answering
questions. Big mistake. It's imperative to have an agenda. For example,
if you only communicate three key points about your experience during
the interview, what must they be? If you'd like to display your
knowledge of the company and the industry, have examples ready to go.
Take a proactive approach.
- Antonio Neves, Founder, THINQACTION
18. Confusing Us With Our Competitor
I
once had an applicant forget which company he was speaking with during
our interview. About five minutes into our telephone interview, he
started mentioning all the reasons why he wanted to work for our
competitor. We obviously didn't invite him back for another interview. I
didn't see any reason to embarrass him, so I just thanked him for his
time. He probably never realized his mistake.
- Chuck Cohn, Founder and CEO, Varsity Tutors19. Not Having Passion
Recently,
a prospective hire fresh out of college applied for a job opening with
us. During the interview, he showed a lack of research on the company.
When I asked him what he was looking for in his career, he told me
anything that hired him and paid well. The only enthusiasm in the whole
interview was the possibility of earning a paycheck. Needless to say, we
never called him back.
- Fehzan Ali, Co-Founder & CEO, Adscend Media LLC
20. Making the Interview Too Much About You
When
interviewing, you're proving you can both do the job and bring value to
the company. So don't focus on how great the job will be for you or
your career. It's not about what you need at this point; it's about what
you have to offer and what you bring to the table.
- Susan Strayer LaMotte, Founder & Principal Consultant, exaqueo
21. Making a Pitch on Autopilot
Interviews
fail as soon as the conversation goes into autopilot. Interviewees
should engage in a genuine dialogue starting with developing an informed
understanding of the company and the person they're meeting with.
Responses should be phrased within the context of the company, and the
opportunity and questions should be real, not canned.- Christopher Kelly, Co-Founder, Principal, Convene
22. Not Taking Ownership of Mistakes
I
love to grill potential employees on conflict in their previous
positions, and I always listen closely to how they describe what
happened. I look for people who take full ownership and proactively look
back at what they could have done differently. The worst mistake is
just blaming others and not seeing how they played a role in the
conflict.
- Laura Roeder, Founder, LKR Social Media
23. Asking What the Company Does
Every
now and then, there are candidates who may have applied to several
companies and are in the process of interviewing with many of them. They
show up to an interview asking what our company does without having
done any homework on the culture, position or mission of our
organization. We want to know we're bringing on people who are diligent,
passionate and hard-working.
- Shradha Agarwal, Founder/Chief Strategy Officer, ContextMedia
24. Not Having Any Questions
At
the end of most interviews, the interviewer says, “OK, so do you have
any questions for me?” The absolute worst mistake a candidate can make
is to say no. Really? Not one question? This immediately tells me
they’re not passionate about the job. They’re not even interested.
-Marcos Cordero, Chief Gradsaver, GradSave, LLC
25. Wearing a Costume
During
a one-way video interview, an applicant wore a Jedi robe (you know, as
in Star Wars Jedi). The worst part was that the candidate made no
reference to the costume at all. We were all baffled!- Heather Huhman, Founder & President, Come Recomme
No comments:
Post a Comment