Don't Sabotage Your Job Interview - Inside Tricks of the Trade from An Interview Coach.    Interview coaching clients are always surprised by at least one or two pieces of feedback they get about how they come across in an interview. They are amazed that they are making consistent mistakes, that once exposed, seem so basic. This article explains ten such common, yet deadly mistakes to avoid.    561 words.

Don't Sabotage Your Job Interview

Inside Tricks of the Trade from An Interview Coach

Bill Cole, MS, MA
Founder and CEO
William B. Cole Consultants
Silicon Valley, California

In every interview coaching session I conduct, my clients are always surprised by at least one or two pieces of feedback they get about how they come across in an interview. Perhaps they see themselves on video, or I hold up a verbal mirror for them. Either way, they are amazed that they are making consistent mistakes, that once exposed, seem so basic. They actually ARE basic, but what you don't know that you don't know can really kill you in the interview room. Here are ten such common, yet deadly mistakes to avoid that are made every day, all across the globe in the interview.

1. DO NOT Appear Desperate: Neediness can be sensed very easily, and it does not endear you to an interviewer. Companies want people who can handle adversity, solve problems, and keep a reasonably cheery attitude through it all.

2. DO NOT Appear To Be A Loner: Even if the job you are applying for is a loner job, don't give this impression. Companies want people who are easy to manage, not demanding or socially ill-at-ease.

3. DO NOT Ignore Emotional Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence, or EI, is your social skill set, and ability to read social situations, adapt, and be productive. You need people skills, even if you will be staring at a computer screen all day.

4. DO NOT Over-Explain Sensitive Issues: The more someone talks, the more suspicious or bored the listener becomes. If you are feeling insecure about an issue, don't talk it to death. Be crisp and finalize it, and you will appear very confident about it.

5. DO NOT Be Passive: Especially for newer college graduates, it is tempting to act as you did the last four years, letting the interviewer take 100% charge of the interview, and only speaking when asked questions. Don't do that. Be active.

6. DO NOT Be Over-Controlling: By the same token, you don't want to dominate. It is their business and you are the guest, so speak about 60% of the time, and strive for a dialogue, not speechifying.

7. DO NOT Come Across As Clueless: You need a reasonable level of awareness about things that are germane to the job you want. Find out what these are and school yourself so you can be conversant about them in the interview.

8. DO NOT Step On The Interviewer's Sentences: One of the most irritating communication errors you can make is to think that what you have to say is more important than the interviewer's right to finish a sentence. Do that a few times and you can kiss the interview Good Bye.

9. DO NOT Go Off On Tangents And Irrelevant Topics: You must be organized in your thinking, and your answers must reflect this. You can't scat here and there like a bothered butterfly.

10. DO NOT Tell The Interviewer That There Is No One More Perfect Than You For This Job: Ever hear about being humble? Statements like this are not humble. They do not make you a warm and fuzzy person. Confidence is great, arrogance is not.

I want you to succeed in the interview game. And please be aware, it IS a game, with definable rules, moves, countermoves and strategies. I want to help you improve your interview skills, and learn winning strategies so you can say, "I got the job!!"

This article is an excerpt from the Interview Success Guide, an indispensable tool you need to make your interview campaign a big success. This is a 216-page blueprint containing over 400 questions you could be asked in an interview, listed by category. There are over 1200 interview task reminders, questions and guidelines in checklist form so you leave nothing to chance. This guide gives you a step-by-step approach to mastering the interview process. Everything you need to do, from the moment you begin your job hunt to when you accept the position, is covered. We have thought of everything you could possibly need to know to conduct a comprehensive, smart job hunt campaign. Learn more about The Interview Success Guide.


To learn more about how interview coaching can help you improve your abilities in media situations, oral test and exam situations, and job interviews visit Bill Cole, MS, MA, the Mental Game Coach™, at: www.mentalgamecoach.com/Services/InterviewCoaching.html.

Copyright © 2012 Bill Cole, MS, MA. All rights reserved.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, a leading authority on peak performance, mental toughness and coaching, is founder and CEO of William B. Cole Consultants, a consulting firm that helps organizations and professionals achieve more success in business, life and sports. He is also the Founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (www.mentalgamecoaching.com), an organization dedicated to advancing the research, development, professionalism and growth of mental game coaching worldwide. He is a multiple Hall-Of-Fame honoree as an athlete, coach and school alumnus, an award-winning scholar-athlete, published book author and articles author, and has coached at the highest levels of major-league pro sports, big-time college athletics and corporate America. For a free, extensive article archive, or for questions and comments visit him at www.MentalGameCoach.com.

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