Pongo Resume

Employers don’t interview unqualified job candidates, so if they’ve scheduled an interview with you, they already think you’re qualified.

That’s great, right?

Yes, but… they also think that about the other candidates they’re interviewing.

To stand out, pay special attention to your attire and attitude. If you dress well and show up on time (which means 5-10 minutes early), no one will notice. But if you don’t, they’ll definitely notice—and not in a good way.

Here are 20 interview no-no’s to remember:

1. No being late
2. No jeans
3. No wrinkles
4. No holes
5. No stains
6. No fragrance
7. No flirting
8. No gum chewing
9. No smoking
10. No cell phone
11. No iPod
12. No coffee
13. No garlic
14. No swearing
15. No pen borrowing (bring your own!)
16. No boss-bashing
17. No rambling on and on
18. No over-sharing of personal details
19. No inappropriate remarks
20. No salary demands (yet).

Remember, it can be impossible to recover from a bad first impression! 

Fortunately, these 20 bloopers are pretty simple to avoid. When there's a job at stake that pays tens of thousands of dollars per year, a little extra time and effort to be well prepared and professional is worth it. 

Now let’s hear from you... Do you think it’s fair that these things matter in a hiring decision? Have you ever been hired despite breaking the rules? Are there other interview "don’ts" I’ve forgotten? Leave a comment and we’ll reply!

RELATED LINKS
Job Interview Basics: Prepare Well to Present Well
First Impressions Mean Everything in Your Job Search
5 Bits of Bad Job Search Advice
 

I also wanted to expand on #6 -- no fragrance. While people generally know bad odors like onions, garlic, and B.O. are to be avoided, they sometimes think that wearing their favorite scent is OK. Skip the perfume/cologne altogether because the interviewer could have allergies. That, and what is the "just right" amount of fragrance to some can be overwhelming to others.

You're right. And even if they're not allergic or sensitive -- heck, even if they LOVE the scent -- it's a distraction that doesn't support your qualifications for the job.

--Julie

An interviewee should always be dressed a little more formally than regular employees. As for why they don't reply, it may be that they are still interviewing others and have no news, or they are simply swamped. Rest assured that if they eant to see yo again, they will get in touch!

@Sara K.

Yes, it's hard to believe, but people make these mistakes every day. School does a pretty good job of teaching people to DO jobs, but they usually fail to teach people how to GET jobs.

Thanks for the comments!

Julie

Thanks for commenting! Julie

Some companies interview several possible candidates to find the "right personality mix". Not just the qualification.

Very true! I certainly didn't mean to imply that qualified = hired.

Being qualified is sort of the bare minimum -- All of the candidates who get interviewed are assumed to be qualified.

Once you get to the interview stage, you don't have to focus solely on proving you're "qualified," but must -- as you point out -- also show you've got the right personality mix, as well as an understanding of the business and how you can fit in and contribute to its success!

Thanks for a great comment!

Julie

Possible? Yes. Likely? Nope.

In general, an instant hiring decision signals that the employer is more interested in a "warm body" than in finding the right person to fill the job long-term. I'd be wary of any employer that does that (unless there's been extensive communication via phone, email, and/or Skype beforehand).

--Julie

Essentially, the best skill these employees have is whining and complaining. A person who is capable of delivering quality work and doing so with a good attitude are the employees you want.

Many of these employees are the ones rewarded with employee of the month while the exception employees are passed over for any recognition. I know all about the interview process.

In my opinion, the interview process is overrated and a sham. Whereas people are qualified, they lack teamwork ethics, modern leadership skills, and communication.

-syeds-