What’s going on out there? I sit in on tonnes of job interviews, and get feedback on many more from friends and colleagues. These blunders are happening more often, but are so easy to fix. Don’t be the earnest applicant who commits these job interview crimes.
- Wearing perfume and cologne. Okay, you probably won’t lose the job over this, but come on! I’m blown away by how many people douse themselves for their interviews. You know what happens next? We all get to sit together in a stuffy boardroom for the interview and the smell takes over the space (and my mental state). Since nearly every workplace is scent-free these days, this also tells me that you don’t understand office etiquette and/or that you are inexperienced. Cork that bottle next time!
- Forgetting to research the organization and the panel. Finding out who’s interviewing you and reading up on them on LinkedIn is smart, but very few applicants do it. It only takes a few minutes and will set you apart from the rest. On the other hand, educating yourself about the organization is mandatory. You will get grilled on what they do, and simply memorizing the mission statement does not cut it these days. All their info is online, so there’s no excuse! Want to take your research next-level? Check this post.
- Not making eye contact. It’s easy to get nervous and focus on one interviewer, or forget to make eye contact at all. This one will cost you the job. Eye contact = human skills. Don’t overlook people in the panel just because they might not be asking you questions. They will notice. This is also really important with the increasing amount of interviews via video-conference. Figure out that camera angle before you dial in!
That’s it for now. I’m off to practice my hand-shake!
"F" is for Fundraising 