For about the past 6 months to a year I have been conducting interviews.  Some of the adjectives used by people to describe this interview are:

*Stressful
*Insightful
*Hard
*Depressing
*Educational

The interviews that I conduct are very much technical.  It almost reminds me of taking my certifications when I was in school.  Over the these past 6 -12 months I’ve probably done somewhere between 50 – 100 interviews, both in person and over the phone.  I was trying to think about what to write this week and decided to write a list of things NOT to do when interviewing and applying for a job.

As stated above, I run interviews that for the most part involve technical questioning so these suggestions will be slightly slanted toward these types of interviews.  However, I think that you will find that they apply to pretty much any type of job.

1.  Show Up Early… Just Not That Early

When I am interviewing for 6 open positions at a time, I rely on a strict schedule.  I might be phone screening new job candidates in 30 minute intervals between 9 am and 11 am, taking my lunch early at 11 because I have an interview scheduled from 12 – 2, and a follow-up with management about how all of the hiring is going at 2:30. Oh yeah… then I’ve got to look through the list of potential job candidates to see if any of their resumes catch my eye from 2:30 – 3.  At 3 I’ll probably have another meeting to go to followed by the another interview.

My whole point is, If I schedule you for an interview at 10:00 – don’t show up at 9:30.  That’s right, I said DO NOT SHOW UP 30 MINUTES EARLY.  15 minutes is even kind of pushing it… 5 – 10 minutes usually works best for me.  You see, if you show up 30 minutes early I will make you sit in the lobby for most of that time.

However, I will also feel obligated to not let you sit too long…. now I you have interrupted my schedule by making me come and entertain you for the next 25 minutes until everyone else that is scheduled to be in your interview shows up…. don’t make me entertain you, you want me to be in a good mood.

2. Shut Up and Listen

If I am asking you questions, let me finish the questions.  Nothing makes me more angry then someone I’m interviewing being disrespectful.  I’m trying to give you a job and if you think what you have to say is more important then me deciding whether you would be a good fit or not, then I don’t want to work with you.

Aside from being disrespectful, you miss a lot of really good information from an interviewer if you are busy talking or thinking about what you are going to say next.  Hell, I’ve flat out given people answers to technical questions during interviews, but they were so busy yackin’ it up that they had no idea that I had given it to them.

I use interviews to not only determine your technical ability, but also your ability to learn and adapt to new information.  If you are the type of person that won’t let people finish speaking, or are so wrapped up in your own thoughts and words that you won’t listen to me – then how am I ever going to teach you anything?

3.  Thou Shalt Research The Company

It’s funny that almost every time we ask someone to name one of our products in an interview they screw up their face, look to the ceiling, and then blink at us like we just threw them a huge curve ball.

If you put in just a small amount of effort trying to find out more about the company, you will stand out so much more then most of the other people applying for the job.  It tells me that you truly are interested in working for the same company I do, and not just tossing in a bunch of lines to see if something bites (even if this really is what you are doing).  I’m not a fish so show me you aren’t trying to stick a hook in me.

All it really takes is 30 minutes and an internet connection to get just a little bit of information on the company you are interviewing with… Google is your friend, well – at least it was during the phone screen when I heard you frantically typing to try and find the answer.

4.  If you lie on your resume, be prepared to lie to me during the interview

I don’t put a ton of stock in resumes.  People lie and keyword stuff the hell out of them all the time.  However, if you are going to write “Cisco” and “CCNA” all over your resume… you should expect to be asked at least a couple of basic router questions.

Sure you may have got your CCNA…. fantastic, but I could care less about a piece of paper that Cisco gave you.  I’m more concerned with whats in your head.  The point here is, if you don’t know the subject matter.  Or, if you no longer know the subject matter – keep it off your resume.

p.s.  I know when you’re lying to me during the interview

5.  Don’t Tell Me That You’re In It For The Money

If during an interview I ask you “Why do you want to work here?”, don’t tell me that it’s because the job pays more.  If you were smart enough to ask about the salary range before taking up everyone’s time for the interview – be smart enough to not tell me that it’s the reason you want to leave your old job to come work with me.

It’s already understood by most people that conduct interviews that you want the job for the money, but when you bring it up you make everyone in the room think “… and what’s to stop him/her from leaving here after we’ve invested time and money in them to work for someone else who pays more.”

Even if more money is the only reason that you do want the job, please be gracious enough to make up another reason.  I’ll get you started:

• I really like to learn new things and I think that this would be a great place for me to expand my knowledge.
• I am really interested in learning more about you’re product (bonus points if you name a specific product and give a reason why you are interested).
• This interview process has intrigued me and I am very interested in the things you guys do here.

Conclusion:

Ok, so this isn’t by any means your comprehensive guide on how to get a job based on your interview charm alone.  However, I hope it did give you some insight on what things are like from the interviewers point of view.  Bottom line is – don’t come off as desperate, use some common sense, and be polite to the people interviewing you.

Any little bit extra you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd will help.  If you were someone who has been effected by the bad economy and you found this post looking for tips on interviewing for a new job, I wish you luck.

I encourage anyone else who has tips for interviewing (not finding a job) to post their suggestions in the comments below.