The document outlines 10 common mistakes people make during job interviews according to Dave Sanford from Winter, Wyman. The mistakes are: not being prepared, not knowing yourself, talking too much and saying too little, focusing on the past, not listening, being too humble, stepping out of "sell mode" too early, having low energy or passion, not being realistic, and not asking for the job. The document provides tips to avoid each mistake such as researching the company beforehand, focusing on current skills and experiences, being concise yet confident, and asking for the job at the end of the interview.
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Introduction
You were sure when you got called for that interview
that the job was yours.
But then it happened. It all went wrong. You turned a
sure-fire job offer into a response of “thanks, but no
thanks.”
Want to avoid falling flat on your next job interview?
Here are some tips from Dave Sanford, Executive
Vice President of Business Development at the
staffing firm Winter, Wyman, to help you avoid
tanking it.
This presentation by Dave Sanford, Winter, Wyman’s EVP of Business Development,
originally appeared as an article on Boston.com and has been re-used here with the
publisher’s permission.
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Top ten tips
1. Not being prepared
2. Not knowing yourself
3. Talking too much and saying too little
4. Focusing on the past
5. Not listening
6. Being too humble
7. Stepping out of “sell mode” too early
8. Low energy or passion
9. Not being realistic
10. Not asking for the job
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1. Not being prepared
• There is no excuse with today’s technology to go into an
interview without doing basic research on the company
interviewing you, their executives, products, customers and
competitors. Make sure you visit the company’s website
and review it thoroughly.
• If time allows, request the firm’s marketing literature or
investor relations’ packet. Try to find out where it stands in
the market and what its concerns may be for the future.
• Check out research databases and business publications,
and talk to your friends and colleagues to uncover more
information.
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2. Not knowing yourself
• To be an effective interviewee, you must be able to
articulate in a clear, concise and natural manner what you
do — and how well you do it.
• Make sure you know what sets you apart from other
candidates and be specific about what you’ve done that has
made you, your department and former company
successful.
• Also, know your background without having to refer to your
resume. There is no one better than you to tell your story.
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3. Talking too much and saying too little
• There is a misconception that the length of your response
to an interview question is as important as the quality of
your answer.
• Try to remember that the person sitting across from you
has a full day of interviews and other to-dos.
• The way to his or her “hiring heart” is to be concise and to
the point when demonstrating your knowledge, expertise
and value.
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4. Focusing on the past
• The projects you worked on and the duties you performed
10 to 15 years ago bring context to your career and the
professional you have become, but the skills and traits you
now possess are what will be valuable to your new
employer.
• Concentrate on your current roles, abilities and
experiences.
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5. Not listening
• An interviewer will guide you toward what they want to
know and what’s important to them — if only you listen!
• Sometimes we are so excited or nervous during an
interview that we talk without listening. Pay attention to
what the other person is saying and make sure to answer
all questions fully. If you aren't sure that you did, ask.
• And, try to hone in on non-verbal clues as well as the
verbal ones to continually assess your audience.
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6. Being too humble
• Interviews are the place where you are selling yourself and
you must be able to do so effectively.
• Find a way to get comfortable with tooting your own horn
and discussing what makes you special.
• This is your opportunity to brag a little. But, and this is very
important, do so without being boastful.
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7. Stepping out of “sell mode” too early
• We’ve all been in interviews that are going along
swimmingly and we think the job offer is in the bag. So
what do we do?
• We stop selling ourselves and move into buying mode. We
ask about salary, vacation or benefits. These topics are all
appropriate — at the right time, which is when the
company is completely sold on you.
• A lot of opportunities have fallen through because people
have stopped selling themselves too early.
• Remember, “it’s not over till it’s over!”
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8. Low energy or passion
• Passion + energy = good impression.
• Managers want to hire people who are enthusiastic. It
doesn’t matter how boring you think your last job was, you
can still be passionate about your work, and you need to
get that across in your interviews.
• Don’t speak negatively about your former duties, boss or
company. Put a positive spin on the situation and your job
search. This is particularly important for people who have
been in the job hunt for a long time or who left their past
employers under strained circumstances.
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9. Not being realistic
• Sometimes we expect our next job to make up for all the
shortcomings of our previous positions: salary, benefits,
vacation time, management support, career opportunities...
• But, no new opportunity can undo all the wrongs that you
may have experienced in your career.
• Be realistic about the company, the job and what will make
you happy.
• Concentrate on the factors that are most important to you
and that are under your control. And, don’t make demands
that may make you appear unreasonable.
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10. Not asking for the job
• The interview is winding up and love is in the air. Now it’s
time to close the deal. Don’t fall down and forget to ask for
the job!
• It’s very appropriate to ask your interviewer how you did
and whether he or she needs anything else from you. It’s
also the right time to reinforce your interest in the position.
Make sure they know of your desire to join the firm.
• Companies want to make offers to people who are going to
accept them. You will advance your chances if the company
knows you are going to say yes.
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About Winter, Wyman
• Established in 1972
• An industry leader and one of the largest and most
recognized staffing firms in the Northeast
• Service the New England and Metropolitan New York
job markets with national technology contracting
capabilities
• Specialize in recruiting permanent, contract and
contract-to-permanent professionals
• Specialty areas include:
– Accounting & Finance
– Creative & Digital Technology
– Human Resources
– Information Technology
– Investments & Financial Services
– Software Engineering
15. Thank you for joining us.
Visit the “Job Seeker” section of
www.winterwyman.com
for additional job search resources.
