10 Things NOT to do in a Job Interview

As a career counselor for the past eight years, I've helped a great deal of students make career decisions and apply for jobs or graduate schools. I've also recruited and hired people for positions at the colleges and universities where I've worked. Some of the items on this list are the mistakes I've seen others make, and some of them are actually my own... Do as I say, and not as I do, and hopefully you'll land that perfect job!

1) Do not go to an interview unprepared. The biggest complaint of recruiters is that candidates have not adequately researched the job description and the company or organization with whom they are interviewing. When the interviewer asks why you want the job, you need to be able to answer that question thorooughly and intelligently. You need to know as much as you can about the position, not only so that you can demonstrate your knowledge to the recruiter, but also in order to determine if the position and the company is right for you.

2) Do not be late. This is the quickest and easiest way to make a bad impression. If you are late to an interview, not only have you wasted your time and theirs, but you have also demonstrated that you will probably be late to work, or have problems with attendance. You have proven that you are not dependable. Arrive a few minutes early, visit the restroom, wash your hands and relax while you wait to be greeted by the interviewer.

3) Do not be rude, to anyone at any time. I once heard a story about a candidate who was driving to his interview and happened to get into a heated argument with someone in the parking lot over a parking space he felt he rightly deserved. After cursing out the person who took the spot, he angrily sped around the parking lot in search of another space. Once he found a space and entered the building he noticed that the woman with whom he had gotten very angry, was indeed standing there to greet him, as she was his interviewer and head of the Human Resources Department. Having heard this story, I have made it a habit to be kind and considerate to everyone I meet along the way to an interview. Sure enough, I had an interview recently, in which I was boarding the elevator, when a chatty young blonde woman began to run for the closing elevator. Quickly, I hit the open door button and allowed her to get on the elevator. It seems that not enough people do that these days. After catching her breath, and grabbing her belongings, she thanked me and then introduced herself as the receptionist in the office where I was interviewing. You'd be surprised to know that many hiring managers ask their receptionist and front office staff what their impressions are of the candidates. Hopefully, I made a good one, just by being courteous.

4. Do not speak negatively, in an interview or otherwise. As much as you may have detested your former employer, or as bad as the traffic or the weather is on the day of your interview, you must avoid speaking negatively about anything. People want to hire people who are positive and optimistic. Nobody wants to work with Debbie Downer who is always complaining about traffic or gas prices or food, or whatever other issue she can. And employers certainly do not want to hire someone who speaks poorly about their last job or their boss or co-workers. Besides being bad karma, it's just poor judgement. Find a way to focus on the positive aspects from your last position, or how you grew, changed, or developed new skills because of it. Focus on the accomplishments you made, and not what may have frustrated you or brought you down. Then focus on what you look forward to learning, gaining, accomplishing and delivering in this new position.

5. Do not dress inappropriately for the interview. Here is one where I can speak from experience. I once interviewed to be a waitress at a seafood restaurant in the small town where I attended college. It was a fairly casual restaurant and it was the middle of summer and quite hot outside. But, certainly that was no excuse for me to show up to the interview wearing shorts! I have no idea what I was thinking. I basically demonstrated to the interviewer that I was not professional, nor did I take this job seriously. Since my previous jobs prior to this interview were as a lifeguard at a pool, and a nanny working with infants and toddlers, I actually thought I had dressed up. Wrong. Needless to say, I was not hired. Don't make this mistake. Research the company, field or industry for which you have interest and find out what the business attire is for the position. For most professional positions this will mean a suit. There are of course some exceptions, but you should always err on the side of conservatism. The standard guideline is to dress for the position one level higher than the one for which you are interviewing. This will demonstrate to the employer that you are ambitious and ready to take the next step. And while you're at it, make sure to get a haircut, shower, and show up fresh and clean. No one wants to hire someone with poor hygiene.

6. Do not use foul, inappropriate or slang language. Because I have worked mostly with younger college students for quite some time, I've become rather familiar with the terms "like", "dude", "sweet", "you guys" and "you know". I'll admit, sometimes I've even picked up and used some of these terms when speaking to college students, in order to better understand or relate to them. None of these terms however, are appropriate in a job interview. As an example, when you are asked, why you are interested in a company, please do not respond with, "Well, I'm like really interested in your company, because you know, I think your products are like really sweet, and like you guys seem really cool". You've got to learn to speak the language of your intended profession, and to do this you will have to practice not using these terms. The same is true for curse words, but I know that none of you would ever curse during an interview.

7. Do not ever chew gum in an interview. Yes, it is a definite plus to have nice, minty fresh breath in an interview. I usually pop a breath mint or gargle a little mouthwash before heading into an interviewer. I want to make a good impression. Chewing gum does not make a good impression and most interviews find it very annoying. Brush your teeth and gargle instead. You'll make a better impression that way.

8. Do not ask about money. This is a tough one. Everyone wants to know how much the position pays. But the employer wants to get a sense for who you are and what you are worth first. Be prepared to discuss your strengths, skills, interests and background as they relate to the postion. Do your research and find out the typical salary range for similar positions, so that you have an idea of how much is typically offered. Allow the interviewer to bring up the salary topic first. Once they have made an offer, let them tell you what is is, or whether it is negotiable. You can then use the research you've done on salry ranges to negotiate for the appropriate salary you deserve.

9. Do not bore, ignore, or lose eye contact with the interviewer.Ok, these are three things but they all go together. About a year ago, I was on a committee that was interviewing candidates for a position in our office. It was a very competitive pool with applicants of very high caliber. We could only make offers to three people, even though we had interviewed nearly twenty and liked them all. There was one interviewer who really stood out to us and ultimately was not given an offer for the following reason; she did not connect to us, because she was constantly looking at the floor, the ceiling or anywhere else except for us. In american culture, eye contact is of critical importance. We are told even as children to look our parents in the eye, or they will assume we are not telling the truth. Eye-contact conveys confidence, sincerity and truthfulness. It also build rapport and trust with the interviewer. This candidate that we turned down had an impeccable resume and great qualifications, but she blew her interviewer by not making eye-contact. Practice this with a friend or career counselor. It will make a huge difference.

10. Do not negate the importance of a firm handshake. This is similar to #9, in that it is an opportunity to connect, build rapport and exude confidence to an employer. If it is not in your religious or cultural doctrine to shake hands with someone, do not be afraid to mention this to your recruiter. He or she should respect your religion or culture, and will often look favorably on you for educating them about who you are. Otherwise, you should always offer a a firm, but not bone crushing handshake while looking into the eyes of the recruiter and smiling. Make a mental note while the recruiter is introducing herself, to remember her name, and clearly pronounce yours. This again, is all about the first impression, and you want to make a good one. A firm handshake after a good, solid interview should close the door, and leave them feeling like you are the right person for the job. Oh, and one more thing, don't forget to say "Thank you" to your interviewer.

Good luck out there!