5 Things You Should Never Reveal in a Job Interview
February 24, 2010 (12:25PM) by Brianna Raymond, CPRW
 Have you ever said something in an interview and walked out completely regretting it? That's what happened to one of my Pongo colleagues several years ago. She had an interview lined up for a great job, and had just found out she was pregnant. Everything about the interview was perfect, except for the part when she shared the great news about her pregnancy. As she left the building, she realized she would never hear from that company again. (And sure enough, she didn't.)
In most situations, it's best to be honest and up front, but there's a time and place for everything. In a job interview, there are certain topics that can quickly take you out of consideration for the job if you voluntarily reveal them.
Here's a short list of five types of information you never want to volunteer in a job interview:
- YOU'RE PREGNANT (OR TRYING): When an interviewer hears, "By the way, I'm pregnant," their immediate thought is: Oh boy. This job requires months of training and she'll barely be up to speed before she takes a leave of absence. And what if she never comes back? Save the good news until you have a job offer in hand, when you can present the news along with a plan of how you'll make it work for both you and the employer.
- YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS: Many employers are wary of hiring someone who'd be quick to push their personal political views in the office, making others uncomfortable and getting in the way of productivity. Mention anything that hints at your political standing in an interview and you're forcing the employer to reconsider your professionalism and how well you'll fit with the rest of the team.
- YOUR RELIGIOUS VIEWS: See # 2. Same concept.
- HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO MAKE: "So, how much do you want to make in this position?" Um. I...uh...well...uh....I think...well. Never go into an interview without a good idea of what you're worth and what a reasonable salary range for the job should be. (Suggested sites: PayScale.com and Salary.com.)
- YOU'D RATHER BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE: Times are tough, and you may be willing to settle for less than your ideal job, but the employer doesn’t want to hear that. Employers want you to WANT to work for them; they don't want people who are just there for the paycheck or to get by until a better opportunity presents itself. Show some enthusiasm, even if you have to fake it.
My point? Keep your focus on the value you bring to the job and the employer, and leave those personal interests unexposed.
Have you ever said something in an interview and quickly regretted it? Tell us about it in a comment below.
RELATED LINKS
What NOT to Say at the First Job Interview
How Do You Handle the Salary Question?
It's tricky, but I would also try to withhold how much you WERE making. Many employers use this tactic to gauge how they should pay you, when the reality is, that former paycheck shouldn't dictate your worth.
Use your judgment during the interview, because you can hurt yourself if you refuse to answer.
This is along the same lines of #5: if you really loved your last company but were laid off simply because they downsized, don't gush about how much you loved it there.
While you don't want to put down your former employer, going on too much about how wonderful they are can hurt you, too. Your interviewer may worry that you are not really ready to move on or that you may go back to your old job if you get called back.
Also, ... if asked the question, "Given your knowledge of the type position you are applying for (Management), how long would you project it would take before you became autonomous, forward-thinking, and productive?" I made the mistake of not only doing my homework and extensive research on the company prior to the interview(s), but by actually outlining in a flow chart the more productive changes needed than were currently being implemented by the outgoing manager I would replace. I took more time than I should have and went into very detailed explanations how I could create a more productive environment by implementing X, Y, and Z within 4-6 months. The interviewers were impressed, but the manager to be replaced had actually been laterally mnoved to another management position in the company.. and here I was coming in like 'gang busters' basically alluding to the fact that I was more than ready and 'chomping at the bit' to come in to rectify a stagnant operation. That very manager was on my hiring panel along with his bosses. I had made a political faux pas trying to put my best foot forward to impress with my experience, education, background preperation and knowledge of their organization which of course was accurate, but came across too strong, with too many details, too quickly. My confidence was received as arrogance. Of course I wasn't offered the position. I learned my lesson about brevity and being able to formulate a confident approach for a win-win decison - for the benefit of the whole and not as a 'lone wolf'.
In the same vein as "revealing" things in a job interview, I have two "ouch" moments I remember clearly when I was younger:
1) When I was 22, my answer to the "where do you want to in 5 years?" question (which is a stupid question IMHO) - "I'd like to be as rich as Bill Gates." My thought process? It would show I have initiative and drive.
2) I was interviewing for an internship with a mergers and acquisitions firm. Two people interviewing me and something came up about "Tommy Lee." They asked me if I knew who he was. I said "drummer for Motley Crue?" Didn't even know that Thomas Lee was one of the best-known M&A guys out there.
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