Capitalista Careers
Interview Tips – Part Two
Yesterday I brought you the first part of my talk with recruiter Jack Farrell in which we discussed his most valuable interview tips for today’s job market. Today we’re talking about the worst things you can do in an interview. Read on for Farrell’s tips for avoiding rejection due to careless mistakes.
1. No whining. Nobody wants to hire a whiner. Be careful about how you relay the information from your resume and be sure to spin it positively. Never run down someone you used to work for. Even if it is factual or deserved, the only takeaway for your interviewer is that you might be a problem waiting to happen.
2. Don’t ignore the competition. You need to remember that you’re competing against other qualified candidates. Make a case for yourself. You can’t be complacent. Even if you think the interview will be easy, you have a connection at the company, or feel like the position is yours for the taking, you still need to show enthusiasm and ambition. Don’t be passive.
3. Don’t be shy. Share your work. You might be sending around a resume that you think is wonderful. You might have spent hours or even days perfecting it. But another set of eyes could be the difference. Have a friend or colleague you trust edit for you. Remember that less is always more. Use bullet points and keep it to the point and conversational.
Many thanks to Jack Farrell for his advice this week! Jack Farrell & Associates is a recruitment firm that offers career coaching, resume repair, and interview assistance.
Happy hunting!
xo, The Capitalista
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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.
Featured image courtesy of [Alex France via Flickr]
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