Quick Hits - Interview Challenges

Not making a good first impression

Poor First Impression Sometimes, less-qualified people get selected over more-qualified people simply because they make a better first impression. To give yourself the best odds for success, work on establishing a positive first impression. Be friendly to everyone you meet, make good eye contact, use a firm handshake, appear genuinely happy to be there, and be sure you are prepared. The Pre-Interview Checklist in the Job Hunter Pro Tools section can help in this area.

Appearing nervous and uneasy

It’s normal to feel nervous about an interview. However, regardless of how nervous you might be, you don’t have to appear nervous to the interviewer. There are two primary ways to avoid appearing nervous: 1) good preparation for the interview, and 2) awareness of signs of a nervous behavior. During the interview, periodically evaluate how you might appear to the interviewer. Are you fidgeting, do you have negative body language, are you avoiding eye contact, are you speaking too softly, etc?

Talking too much or too little

Talking Too Much When an interviewer asks a question, they hope to get an answer that addresses their question in enough detail that they can make an informed decision about the applicant’s qualifications. Take your clues from the interviewer regarding the adequacy of your answers. If they ask for additional details after you answer each question, consider providing more details in future answers. If they start interrupting you or appear a little anxious, try scaling back the length of your answers.

Getting off the subject

Getting Off Subject Make sure your answers stick closely to the subject matter of the question that is asked by the interviewer. If you wander too far from the subject, it will reduce your effectiveness. Part of your job during an interview is to help the interviewer learn things about you that they might not specifically ask you about. Don’t be afraid to add important details that relate to the questions being asked.

Irritating use of repeated words or phrases

Repeated Words If you have ever been around someone who starts almost every sentence with “Ah,” or uses other verbal fillers, you know how irritating it can be after awhile. Most of us don’t realize we have such habits. It takes personal awareness to spot these speech habits. The next time you are having a phone conversation or just talking to friends, see if you can catch yourself over-using certain words or phrases. Periodically check yourself during the course of an interview to be sure you aren’t using bad speech habits.

Dealing with negative issues in your background

Negative Background Just about everyone has something in their background or work experience that they aren’t proud of. Start by preparing a list of potential negatives that you may need to overcome in an interview. From this list, prepare written responses that minimize any negative aspects and maximize any positive outcomes. Out of every negative experience comes a “lesson learned” that helps us in the future.

The interviewer asks inappropriate questions

Inappropriate Questions As a general rule, you do not want to get in a debate with an interviewer about the appropriateness of a particular question. This will not score points for you and could easily eliminate you from consideration. How you deal with inappropriate questions is a matter of personal choice. In most cases, it is best to avoid showing shock or surprise. Simply answer the question to the best of your ability and move on. If you believe there is a legal issue that needs to be addressed, take it up with your attorney.

Not having questions for the interviewer

Questions for Interviewer It is a good idea to ask questions during the interview, and to have at least two or three questions for the interviewer at the conclusion of the interview. It helps demonstrate your interest in the job and often provides an opportunity to add additional information about your background. An example of a closing question that can help you out is: “Is there anything about my background that you have any concerns about?” This gives you an opportunity to address any concerns before you leave.

Using Inappropriate Jargon or Acronyms

Negative Background The U.S armed forces and many other organizations regularly use jargon and acronyms that become part of everyday communication. It's easy to carry over routine speech habits into the job interview process. However, doing so may cause confusion or create a negative first impression. Consider your day-to-day language and adjust it so that it is appropriate and well-understood by those involved in interviewing you. Also recognize that acronyms often have more than one meaning.

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Turning Challenges into Opportunities

The importance of the job interview cannot be over-emphasized. Fortunately, there are many steps that can be taken to assure the best possible interview for your situation. One of those steps is to understand the kinds of challenges one might encounter and to consciously overcome those challenges.

Knowledge about the interview process and effective preparation are key elements of a successful interview. The above list of challenges provides a review of the kinds of things you need to be aware of during your interview. This awareness will help you throughout the interview process. There are lots of other interview tools and resources within this website including the Interview Trainer, the eBook and within the Tools and Forms sections. You are encouraged to take advantage of all of these resources.