Things not to do during your Interview

Things not to do during your Interview

Now that your CV has done its job and fetched you an interview call, it is your chance to capitalise on this opportunity. While most of us worry about the type of answers we should provide to the questions asked in the interview, very few of us pay attention to things we should not say during the interview. So let's take a look at some of the things that you should avoid at your job interview:

What salary will I get?

All of us are curious about the salary offered for the position we are being interviewed for but there is more to a job interview than just money matters. Other things like the job profile, chances to grow in the company and industry, doing something that interests you are other crucial aspects.

If you initiate salary discussions, it makes you look money-minded and gives the impression that you will jump jobs for a couple of thousand rupees. Never bring up money matters, let the interviewer make the first move. Don't sound like someone who is trying understand the "salary benchmark" or posing as a "Compensation Survey expert"

What exactly does the company do?

This is one of the most dreadful questions you could ask. You need to study the company (no matter how small it is) and its business before you go for the interview. Not knowing about the company shows your lack of preparation and interest in the job. Even if you don't know what the company does, do not give away your ignorance by asking a question like this. You must do a "company research" before your interviews.

No bad-mouthing your employer or boss. 

During the interview you might be asked for the reason you left or want to leave your employer or what your relationship with your last boss was like. While it might be tempting to discuss how badly you were treated by a 'tyrant' or how your boss tortured you with impossible deadlines and late hours, saying derogatory things about him/her will reflect on you. You may be perceived as immature, unable to handle the pressures of work, or just indiscreet. A more ominous possibility is your interviewer and current boss actually know each other, which might mean trouble for you.

And this dude on the phone, like, you know, just would not listen...

A job interview needs to be kept formal, and slang (wanna, gonna, bro etc) should be restricted to more social occasions. Using slang will give the impression of you being immature or simply unaware of the proper etiquette required in an interview. Both of which do not reflect too well on you.

I don't have any weaknesses.

Sure, you can write an 1,000-word essay when asked about your strengths but most of us don't like to admit our weaknesses. However, when it comes to your job and to your job interview, it is important to identify your weaknesses and work on improving upon them. In most cases it is better to offer a weakness that is loosely related to your job. If you have offered a weakness that is directly related to your job, remember to mention what you are doing to improve yourself.

I don't have any questions.

At the end of an interview, most interviewers will give you the chance to ask them questions. If you respond by saying 'I don't have any questions', it might give the impression of you being disinterested. If something does not come to mind immediately, take a minute to go over your interview and see if there is anything you could ask about. Make sure, however, that they are relevant to the company and the job you have applied for.

Do not bring up issues like vacation time, bonuses and the like at your first interview with a company. If these issues are critical to your particular field, either let the interviewer take the initiative or wait for the second round of interviews. Questions like these demonstrate a 'what can you do for me' attitude instead of 'what I can do for you'.

There was this deal that went awry, and we lost a ton of money...

Do not discuss confidential information about your last employer, even if the interviewer is the one to bring it up. It is not a good idea to reveal the business secrets of your last employer during an interview. This raises questions about your integrity and discretion.

Traffic was a pain in the a***.

Again, a job interview is a formal discussion. It is not a conversation you are having with your friends where you can use swear words. While some of us use these liberally at work, at an interview it does not show you in a very positive light.

When will you let me know if I got the job?

Try not to be over-eager or aggressive about getting the job. Thanking the interviewer for his/her time and saying that you are looking forward to working with the company is enough to show that you are keen on the job. Do not ask when you will hear from the company and do not ask if you should call later or the next day to find out if you have been selected. If you have managed to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, they will be eager to get in touch with you.

Seven Communication Principles

To compose effective message you need to apply certain specific communication principles. They tie closely with the basic concepts of the communication process and are important for both written and oral communications. Called the “seven C’s”, they are: completeness, conciseness, consideration, concreteness, clarity, courtesy, and correctness.

Completeness: Your business message is "complete" when it contains all facts the reader or listener needs for the reaction you desire. Remember that communicators differ in their mental filters; they are influenced by their backgrounds, viewpoints, needs, attitudes, status, and emotions.

Completeness is necessary for several reasons. First, complete messages are more likely to bring the desired results without the expense of additional messages. Second, they can do a better job of building goodwill. Third, they can help avert costly lawsuits that may result if important information is missing.

As you strive for completeness, keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Answer all questions asked.

• Give something extra, when desirable.

• Check for the five W's and any other essentials.

Conciseness: A concise message saves time and expense for both sender and receiver. Conciseness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing the other C qualities. Conciseness contributes to emphasis. By eliminating unnecessary words, you help make important ideas stand out.

To achieve conciseness try to observe the following suggestions:

• Eliminate wordy expressions.

• Include only relevant statements.

• Avoid unnecessary repetition.

Consideration: Consideration means that you prepare every message with the recipient in mind and try to put yourself in his or her place. Try to visualize your readers (or listeners)—with their desires, problems, circumstances, emotions, and probable reactions to your request. Then handle the matter from their point of view. This thoughtful consideration is also called "you-attitude," empathy, the human touch, and understanding of human nature. (It does not mean, however, that you should overlook the needs of your organization.)

In a broad but true sense, consideration underlies the other six C's of good business communication. You adapt your language and message content to your receiver's needs when you make your message complete, concise, concrete, clear, courteous, and correct.

However, in four specific ways you can indicate you are considerate:

• Focus on "you" instead of "I" and "we."

• Show reader benefit or interest in reader.

• Emphasize positive, pleasant facts.

• Apply integrity and ethic.

Concreteness: Communicating concretely means being specific, definite, and vivid rather than vague and general. The following guidelines should help you compose concrete, convincing messages:

• Use specific facts and figures.

• Put action in your verbs.

• Choose vivid, image-building words.

Clarity: Clarity means getting your message across so the receiver will understand what you are trying to convey. You want that person to interpret your words with the same meaning you have in mind. Accomplishing that goal is difficult because, as you know, individual experiences are never identical, and words have different meanings to different persons.

Here are some specific ways to help make your messages clear:

1. Choose short, familiar, conversational words.

2. Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.

3. Achieve appropriate readability (and listenability).

4. Include examples, illustrations, and other visual aids, when desirable.

Courtesy: Courteous messages help to strengthen present business friendships, as well as make new friends. Courtesy stems from sincere you-attitude. It is not merely politeness with mechanical insertions of "please's" and "thank-you's." To be courteous, considerate communicators should follow these suggestions regarding tone of the communications.

• Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative.

• Omit expressions that irritate, hurt, or belittle.

• Grant and apologize good-naturedly.

Correctness: The correctness principle comprises more than proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. A message may be perfect grammatically and mechanically but still insult or lose a customer and fail to achieve its purpose. The term correctness, as applied to a business message, means the writer should:

• Use the right level of language

• Include only accurate facts, words, and figures

• Maintain acceptable writing mechanics

• Choose nondiscriminatory expressions

• Apply all other pertinent C qualities

Ref: Herta Murphy, Herber Hildebrandt and Jane Thomas