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Your Job Interview: 5 Things you should NOT do!

By Jim Davin ©2016

We should all have a positive attitude. This extends to our job interview. But before we walk into this important meeting we should take a critical stance and remember some things that we should not do. 

Show up late. To ensure your punctuality make sure you leave home 2 hours before the interview time. This allows you some cushion in case you get lost or have parking problems.

Brag or name drop. Nobody,I mean nobody, likes a braggart especially during a job interview. Instead of naming famous people that you have worked with try to be subtle and name the organization they work for or the field they work in. For example: instead of saying I worked for Fox News Celebrity Sean Hannity, say I worked for a Fox News Journalist. If they ask you which one then in a low voice tell them Sean Hannity.

This is a big no-no. I know some of us, myself included like to use 4 letter words to reinforce our feelings but vulgarity remains very unprofessional. In many office situations a vulgar comment can have horrible consequences even leading to a dismissal and/or a loss of a client. If you present yourself at the interview as a Cussing Carl or a Salacious Sue, your potential employer may be fearful that your vulgar ways will be risky for their office environment. This could cause them to pass you over.

Flirt with the Interviewer. I don’t care how bare fingered and good looking the person interviewing you is, this is not helping your chances of getting hired. Even if you seduce this desired interviewer, this person is not the only employee who will be deciding if they will hire you or not. Routinely companies have at least two people making the hiring decision. Furthermore the last thing American companies want is more sexual harassment problems. So often innocent flirtation can regress into a major office crisis. As a wise man once said “If you  wanna be an office star keep your pickup lines at the bar.”

Ask how much money you will make at the beginning of the job interview. This is not smart. The potential employer is might think you are just interested in the job for the money. Employers want people excited about the mission of their organization rather than those just there to pick up  a paycheck. If they call you back for a second interview or offer you the job outright then it is more permissible to ask for the salary specifics.

*Interested in writing for our Guest Blogger series? Email info@perkconsulting.net.
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Jim Davin works in security and loves to write on the internet. He has lived most of his life in the Washington D.C. area. If you want to contact him, he is available at jpdavin12@aol.com and he is also listed as James P. Davin on Facebook if you wish to follow him there.