What
You Shouldn't Say in a Job Interview
Candidates can disqualify
themselves by revealing too much
Interviewers can be their own worst enemies.
They disqualify themselves by revealing information that's
better left unsaid in interviews because they feel defensive
or insecure. Consider this interview blooper, supplied by
an embarrassed colleague. "When an interviewer asked
me if I had any career regrets - things that I wished I'd
done differently - much to my chagrin, I blurted out. 'I
should have gone to Vassar!' " she says. This opened
up a whole discussion about the quality of my education
which could otherwise have easily been avoided."
Knowing what not to say in interviews can be almost as difficult
as learning what you should say. Even the answers to seemingly
innocuous questions, such as your opinion on the Gulf War,
can be a set up for discovering whether you're tolerant
of other's viewpoints, says career guidance author Marin
John Yate. In general, however, candidates have more trouble
fielding common questions about weaknesses, their backgrounds
or their personal lives. The best strategy is to turn weaknesses
into strengths and avoid revealing unnecessary information
or discussing your personal life.
What Are Your Weaknesses?
Not surprisingly, interviewers have learned that they frequently
need only to ask a candidate. "What are your weaknesses?"
to uncover potentially damaging skeletons in the closet.
Brevity and humor are often the best approaches to this
potential landmine. Jean Williamson, a career counselor
with Citibank's career services unit in New York, advises
candidates to minimize their faults and never disclose anything
that might disqualify them. "Don't eliminate yourself
as a contender by giving three or four weakness when only
one is required." she says. "If you choose to
be honest, it's best to give a fault which has been fixed
in order to show development. Don't use anything that will
blow you out of the water."
If you choose to answer humorously, such as saving your
weakness is "Chocolate Haagen-Dazs," or "my
second serve," you risk appearing flippant. "If
you're going to use humor, you'd better be good at reading
people," says Ms. Williamson. "Some interviewers
may think you're being to frivolous."
"It takes a strong person to use humor effectively,"
agrees Patricia Haskell, owner of Career counseling Services
in Rockville, MD. Ms. Haskill suggests that interviewees
mention a weakness that's unrelated to job performance,
such as, "I'm not bilingual" (assuming the job
doesn't require second language skills).
Interviewees often run into problems because they feel defensive
about their past. Another strategy is to reframe strength
so it sounds like a weakness, such as "I'm a workaholic,
" or "I tend to be a perfectionist." But
be careful not to sound "canned" when answering
or interviewers will see through the ruse, Ms. Williamson
says.
Tell me About Yourself
Open-ended statements such as this can be lethal to unsuspecting
interviewers who can't resist the temptation to talk too
much. Preparation is often the best antidote. Ms. Haskill
recommends what she calls a two-minute drill. "Spend
30 seconds on auto biographical information, 30 seconds
on education. 30 seconds on work history and 30 seconds
on personal characteristics and qualifications." she
says. "Don't grind out what you did in your first job
if you've been in the workforce for 15 years."
Ms. Williamson suggests reframing the questions into. "Why
are you qualified to do this job?" which is really
what the interviewer wants to know. She suggests a "pistol
approach" to answering. "Load your pistol (answer)
with specific accomplishments, experiences and results that
will hit the target, instead of barraging them with everything."
she says.
Interviewees often run into problems because they feel defensive
about their past. One job hunter who was unemployed for
two years was so defensive about the gap in his work history
that he would mention it unasked. Ms Haskell says. "Then,
he spent the rest of the (interview) defending what had
happened." she says.
Ms. Haskell advised the candidate to list on his resume
temporary positions he had held during the two years and
prepare a response that framed the experiences positively.
"The key is knowing how you're going to answer the
hard questions." Ms. Haskell says. "But don't
over focus on them so much that you can't listen to what
the interviewer is saying."
Be Objective About Yourself
Job seekers sometimes can't see the reality of their circumstances.
Hence, they adopt defensive postures that aren't necessary.
One communications director worked for 12 years for a major
corporation before being laid off in a reorganization. Feeling
panicky, he quickly accepted a low-level job. After four
months, he was so frustrated that he quit without having
another position.
This forced him into a new dilemma: whether to tell interviewers
he'd been unemployed during the four months or what actually
happened. Since he had a stable work history and the reasons
he left the low-level job reflected positively on his abilities,
he decided to be honest. At first, though, he was so defensive
that it was impossible for him to discuss the experience
positively. After counseling, he realized that he had nothing
to hide or be ashamed of.
Fredi Balzano, a consultant in Roseland, NJ., with King,
Chapman, Broussard & Gallagher Inc., an outplacement
firm, offers this rule of thumb. "Tell the truth, but
make it sound less horrible." One candidate who changed
jobs four times in four years used this approach. Ms. Balzano
says. When asked about her track record, the job seeker
replied honestly. "It wasn't always my choice. There's
a lot of reorganization going on that's beyond my control."
Ms. Balzano suggests that interviewers with troubled chronologies
address the problem head on. "Emphasize what you learned
from the experience. " she says. "You can't change
what happened, but you can try to present it positively."
Ms. Haskell concurs. "Don't say anything negative about
past bosses or colleagues," she says. "This will
raise red flags that there were problems. Don't be the first
one to open the door to a discussion of the negative."
Remember that how you respond is as important as what you
say. Clearly, there has to be rapport and communication,
a feeling of openness and honesty. But that, too, can be
seductive. "Don't get too cozy," Ms. Haskell warns,
"or you may reveal something too personal. Stay focused
on a discussion of your talents and abilities. The interviewer
isn't your friend."
Don't Lose Control
Disclosing personal information is always risky and can
cause you to lose control of the interview process. In general,
it's best not to initiate personal discussions. Ms. Haskell
says. "Never assume that the interviewer feels the
same way you do," she says. Although you may be thrilled
to be a brand new parent, for example, an employer may start
worrying that you'll be fatigued, preoccupied or unreliable.
Ms. Balzano disagrees. Sharing personal information is appropriate
at times, but exercise good judgment when doing so, she
says. One investment banker who was recovering from a drug
problem felt his situation had been so visible on Wall Street
that he needed to address it to overcome employers' resistance
to hiring him. Ms. Balzano says. "By presenting it
as a problem he had conquered, he demonstrated personal
strength and alleviated employers' concerns simultaneously,"
says Ms. Balzano.
In the case, employing a high-risk interview strategy paid
off. For other, revealing sensitive and highly charged personal
information isn't necessary. Sometimes we're so acutely
aware of our own vulnerabilities that we assume others perceive
us similarly. This usually isn't true.
Jane Reynolds had filed a lawsuit against her former employer
for sexual harassment. Although the outcome of the litigation
was still pending, Ms. Reynolds (not her real name) elected
to look for another position. However, she was so paranoid
that other employers knew about her situation that she became
defensive and unable to present herself appropriately when
interviewing. Although Jane believed she'd been blackballed
from future employment in her industry, others could see
that she wasn't presenting her qualifications effectively.
Fielding Personal Questions
If you have a troubled professional or personal history,
you need to be comfortable with how you'll discuss it in
interviews. Decide if you'll initiate the conversation and
what you're going to say. Even if you don't bring it up,
some interviewers won't hesitate to ask blatantly illegal
questions about personal matters that will be used to evaluate
your employability. What should you say?
If you want the job, answer the question," says ms.
Haskell, "but do it as neutrally as possible."
Obviously, you're not required to answer illegal questions,
yet refusing to may alienate the interviewer, in which case
you won't get the job, anyway. Present the information,
then ask the interviewer what he or she has concluded about
what you've said.
For example, if you're a patent and an available position
requires extensive travel, an interviewer may assume that
the two are mutually exclusive. You, however, feel differently.
To avoid being unfairly judged, ask the interviewer about
his or her conclusions and clarify any misconceptions. Remember,
you aren't a passive victim. "Why do you want to know?"
or "Do you have some concern about how this will affect
my performance?" are thoughtful questions that can
help the interviewer-overcome prejudices or insecurities
that interfere with objectivity.
One final caveat: Never lie about your background or inflate
your credentials during interviews, no matter how much you
want the job. Most employers check references carefully
and any untruths will result in immediate disqualification.
It's far better to state that you don't have a needed skill
or degree, but are planning to obtain it. This shows your
initiative and sincere interest in the available position.
Article courtesy of: National Employment
Weekly
Authored by: Ms. Arlene Hirsch
Ms. Hirsch is a Chicago based career counselor, psychotherapist
and author of "VGM's Career Checklist" (1991,
VGM, Lincolnwood, Ill.)
