What to do if You Need to Take a Call at the Interview

In the post a few days ago, we discussed what to do with your cell phone. Namely, that it should be both on silent (not vibrate) and off completely. However, in some rare cases you may need to take a call during the interview. Perhaps you have a sick relative or a family member is having a baby. Whatever the reason, there are going to be some rare, rare cases that you need to have your cell phone on and with you during the job interview.

What to Say

Before the interview begins, you need to explain the situation to the interviewer. Right after you introduce yourself, let the interviewer know the situation:

“Before we begin, I just wanted to let you know that I may need to answer a phone call during the interview. A good friend of mine is very sick, and I am her emergency contact should something go wrong at the hospital. I’d like to apologize in advance for any inconvenience.”

Your reason needs to be something like the one above. You also need to make sure that you do not give away personal information, for example “My wife is having a baby.” This type of personal information can play a role in your ability to get hired. If your wife is having a baby, say “a family member is having a child and she is 2 days late for her due date. I may need to drive her to the hospital if she goes into labor.”

What to Do

Your cell phone either needs to be on vibrate, or you need to turn every single ringtone for every one of your contacts off except for the one person that you are waiting for. Most phones allow you to set a ringtone of “silent” and then personalize ringtones for contacts. You do not want to check your phone because it is vibrating or ringing, only to find that it is not the person you are waiting for.

If the person calls, you first say to the interviewer “I am so sorry, I need to get this, it is the friend in the hospital” and only answer if they give you the nod. Then make sure you speak as briefly as possible, and you if you need to leave, apologize to the interviewer and ask to reschedule.

What to Expect

This is going to affect your ability to get the job. There is no way around it. If you are lucky, they may give you another chance, but do not expect it. Even the best excuses are still excuses. You should have rescheduled if there was a risk of you getting a phone call.

The advice above will help minimize the damage, but it will not negate it completely. If you present yourself as a great employee throughout the rest of the interview, you may still have a chance, but expect that the phone call has hurt your chances.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Warn the interviewer ahead of time.
• Turn the cell phone on vibrate or give only the one contact a ringtone.
• Expect it to hurt your chances.

How to Deal With an Interviewer That Likes to Hear Himself/Herself Talk

One of the problems you may encounter during a job interview is that of the self-important interviewer. These interviewers talk, and they talk a lot. In fact, they spend more time talking about themselves, their work, and their company than they do asking you any questions.

It can be difficult to deal with this type of interviewer. Indeed, how are you supposed to impress someone if you do not get a chance to speak? When you come across an interviewer that seems to be dominating the conversation, the best course of action is as follows:

Tips for an Interviewer Dominated Interview

• Listen

First and foremost, do your best to listen and remember everything they say. If they are talking about it, they probably see it as important. The more you can show them you remembered their ranting, the more you acknowledge their own importance, which is good for getting you the job.

• Acknowledge

Make sure you are constantly showcasing body language that shows the interviewer you are listening. Nod often, smile larger when they appear to be making a joke – do things that show you are intently listening in and acknowledging everything they say.

• Seize Your Opportunities

When you do get a chance to speak, the most important thing to do is not be timid. Just because the interviewer dominated the conversation does not mean the interviewer is the only dominant member of the interviewer. When you get a chance to speak, speak loudly and confidently. Show them you are on their level.

Fewer Opportunities Means Fewer Mistakes

When the interviewer dominates the conversation, there is actually some benefit to you. The fewer questions the interviewer asks, the fewer mistakes you can make. By showing them you are listening and taking advantage of what few opportunities you have, you may actually put yourself in a better position than you would if you dominated the interview, since the more you talk, the more possibilities of mistakes arise. Though hiring manager dominated interviews can be difficult, if you respond to them correctly, you may actually put yourself in a better position.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Let them speak and acknowledge their words.
• Speak loudly and confidently when you do talk.

In Job Interviews, There is No Sin of Omission

Often times during an interview, you are asked a question in which the correct answer is an answer that will lose you the job. For example “why did you leave your last job?” may have an answer like “I told my boss to take a hot dog and shove it where the sun don’t shine when he didn’t give me a raise.” Obviously the truth is unpleasant.

Yet it is not a good idea to lie during your interview.

• You can get caught in which case you both lose credibility and won’t get the job.
• You can give off body language that makes you appear untrustworthy.
• You can forget your own lie, make new lies, and be lost in a web of deception.

Lying is a bad idea. Omitting is not.

Why Omitting is Not Lying

When discussing baseball, fans and sportscasters alike tend to omit important information simply because it does not prove their point. For example “If you ignore that start against Milwaukee, Tim Lincecum has struck out at least 10 in every start since May.”

It’s a convenient way to make a point, but its bias. Of course if you ignore the bad things you get good things. If you ignore every game the Seattle Mariners lost, they won 100% of their games. But you can’t ignore them just because you want to. They’re there. They are a part of history.  Yet these fans and sportscasters are not lying. Everything they say is completely true, providing you ignore the parts that don’t meet that criteria.

In Job Interviews, You Can Pick Your Facts

In the job interview, that is how you take the “not lying” approach. For example, let’s say you are asked the question: “How did you get along with your last supervisor?” and let’s say you and your supervisor got along terribly.

When you are answering this question, look at it as a question that is asking you to omit important information. Rather than “how did you get along” the question becomes, to you, “if you ignore everything bad that happened, how did the two of you get along?” Well, you got along great! You are not lying ether. You are simply omitting the information that doesn’t show the point you are trying to make.

That is the approach you should take to all interview questions that ask you to say something negative. Don’t lie. Simply omit. By ignoring the bad parts of your history, you are left only with the good, and your answers are being honest about only those good parts.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Don’t lie.
• Do omit.
• The Seattle Mariners were the best team in history if you ignore all of the losses.

5 Things Job Interviewers are Searching For in Your Answers

According to statistics at www.immakingthesenumbersuptoproveapoint.com, there have been roughly 123,321,123 interview questions and 456,654,456 interview answers supplied by applicants and interviewers throughout the history of time. That’s a lot,  maybe even true. Yet every single interview question is designed to answer one of the five questions interviewers are looking to answer with each of their interview questions.

The 5 Big Questions

• Can you do the job?

The number one question the interviewer is looking to answer is whether or not you can do the job. They are going to ask you questions about your skills, experiences, etc. to see if you are capable of performing your duties adequately. Sometimes they will do this by asking you direct questions about your abilities. Other times they will ask you behavioral questions and you will have to incorporate your knowledge into your answers to help satisfy their curiosity about this question.

• Are you a moron?

Some people are not smart. If you are not smart, you are not going to do your job very well, regardless of how much experience you have working with the same exact programs at another job, nor will you be able to bond with your coworkers (presumably). Lots of places employ less-than-intelligent people for long periods of time, so an interview is always going to be a better way to judge an individual’s intelligence than a resume.

• Are you the best choice?

Open positions get hundreds of applicants. The interviewer is going to be looking for evidence that you have more potential than your competitors. They may find it in your personality, in your abilities, or in your dashing good looks, but they are going to look for it somewhere.

• Do you show a commitment with the company?

Every employee represents a considerable investment. Companies want to employ those that both want the company to succeed and are planning to stay with the company for a long period of time. You need to show that within your answers by researching the company and tailoring your answers to make it sound as though you never plan on leaving.

• Will you fit in?

Every company has its own unique environment. From the values it preaches to the staff it employs, every company maintains its own culture, and hopes to find people that fit with both its vision and its personality. How you answer questions (including the manner in which you present your answers) will help employers figure out how well you will fit in with your coworkers and with how the company hopes to progress.

Questions are Different, Goals are the Same

Though the questions may change, every employer is looking for answers to satisfy those five questions. That is why as you plan your answers, ask yourself how well your response answers at least one of those questions if not more. If it doesn’t answer any of them, it’s probably not a good choice.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Make sure your answers answer all 5 of these questions.

How to Discuss Career Setbacks During an interview

It is hard enough to go through a long period of time without a job. It is made even harder when that time you spent not working affects your ability to find a job in the future. Employers often ask applicants “Why do you have such a large gap in your work history” and it is tempting to answer “because companies like yours won’t give me a job.”

Reasons for Gaps in Employment

People have employment gaps for a variety of different reasons. Some of these reasons include:

• New baby
• Drug addiction
• Prison
• Laziness
• Living off savings

As you can see, the list of reasons people spend away from work is quite long. None of these reasons – not even the “taking some time off to vacation” reason – is something the employer wants to hear. Prison means you may not be trustworthy. A new baby means new responsibilities. Living off your savings means that, if given the choice, you would prefer not to be working (much like everyone). All of these add risk to your applicant profile.

How to Explain These Gaps in Employment

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the best thing to do is prepare an answer ahead of time to any questions about gaps in employment. They also recommend that the answer be honest.

Honesty is important in a job interview. If you have been to prison, it is a good idea to disclose that information in the manner described in the article. However, honesty is not as important if the answer is inane and cannot be disproved. For example, if you spend six months not working because you preferred to live off unemployment for a while and rest, you probably don’t want to share this with your interviewer. Honesty is important, but it is only important when the answer matters and can be proven. Whether or not you went to prison matters and can be proven. That you were a little lazy and didn’t try hard to get a new job cannot be proven and doesn’t necessarily matter.

The article in the WSJ has some sound advice, but it’s okay to stretch or bend the truth when there is no actual evidence of why you were out of work for that long.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Be honest when you were in prison, or in another country, or some place that can be proven.
• Stretch the truth when you were simply lazy or just couldn’t find a job.

3 Little Things to Remember at Your Job Interview

Most of the time job interview tips focus on the interview basics, like interview questions interview dress code, interview body language, etc. We at Everyday Interview Tips are guilty of the same thing. After all, those categories have a lot of information, and there is no limit to the amount of information you can receive on those topics.

Still, sometimes it is best to get a few quick and helpful pieces of advice that aren’t covered by the most basic job interview tip categories. Below are some of the little things that you should remember to do before your job interview.

Little Things

• Feed the Meter, Check Your Car

“Excuse me, I don’t want to interrupt, but I noticed a lime green Volkswagen rabbit sitting outside that looks like it’s about to get a parking ticket, is that yours?”

The last thing you want to see is your car getting towed through the interview room window because you forgot to pay the meter. You also do not want to go outside after a successful interview only to realize your battery has died and you need your interviewer to give you a jump. Make sure your car is in order before your interview. If you took the bus, make sure you have bus money home. The interviewer is not going to make change.

• Go to the Bathroom

The awkwardness of a bathroom break can harm even the best interviews. Go to the bathroom first. Your interviewer is going to notice your discomfort if you look like you need to pee throughout the interview and you don’t want to have an accident simply because you were in too much of a rush to go beforehand. See if you can go to a nearby coffee shop bathroom so that you don’t have to do this in the potential place of employment.

• Check Your Face

While in the bathroom, check your face. Do you have any little green things hanging from your noise? Do you have dog hair stuck in your beard? Do you have spinach in your teeth? It doesn’t matter if the interviewer loves spinach or dogs, these are going to leave a negative first impression at your interview.

Give Yourself Time

Most importantly, make sure you have time to do all of these things. If you are going to show up to the interview the moment it begins, then you have no chance to run to the bathroom or check yourself out in the mirror. A few extra minutes can save you a lot of heartache.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Check your transportation.
• Go to the bathroom.
• Watch out for stray boogers.

How to Stand Out in a Group Interview

Group interviews can be extremely difficult. You are surrounded by individuals whose only goal is to look better than you. These applicants are out for blood, because they know that unless they outshine you, they are not getting a call back to continue through the interview process. No one has ever received extended job interview chances by blending into the background.

From the moment you walk into your room, you need to do everything in your power to impress your interviewers. Below are some tips for standing out in a group interview.

Group Interview Tips

• Speak Up and Often

Whenever you are given a chance to answer a question, you should. Be the first to speak up (provided you have something interesting to say) and you will ensure that you are remembered. You should give other applicants a chance to speak, and you should not interrupt them to get your point in, but it is vitally important that you do quite a bit of the talking.

• Feel Free and Disagree

When a point is up for discussion, you should consider yourself welcome to disagree with another applicant. Sometimes it can be difficult to want to speak up when an applicant brings up a point that the interviewers seem to enjoy, but your willingness to challenge the opinion of others can only help to serve your caus.

• Ask Questions

Like with all job interviews, the more questions you ask, the better. Try to make the questions related to some of the content in the interview. If you have a genuine question, don’t wait until another applicant asks.

• Build On Statements

Sometimes you will find an applicant makes a point that you agree with. It is a good idea to acknowledge the great points of others (shows you work well as a team) and try to build on them with your own worthwhile points.

Quality and Quantity

Your best bet to succeed during a group job interview is to produce quality responses as often as possible. It is important to remember though that quality cannot take a back seat to quantity. Every answer you supply must be interesting and informative. Do not speak for the sake of speaking. If you dominate a conversation without producing anything of value, you are immediately going to be placed in the “no” pile.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Be confident during your group interview.
• Be willing to discuss and disagree points.
• Acknowledge good answers by others and see if you can build on them.

How to Interview for a Job You are Underqualified for

When you are unemployed, you try anything to find employment. You will apply to jobs you have no interest in, you will apply to jobs where you are a perfect fit, and you will apply to jobs that you have no chance of winning.

What happens, though, when you get asked to interview for the job you thought there was no chance you could win? You still want the job, and though you are underqualified on paper it is clear that the employer felt that you had something to bring, otherwise you would not have been called in for the interview. Below are some interview tips for job interviews you are underqualified for.

Job Interview Tips

• Prepare Like Crazy

The reason you are underqualfiied is because you do not have the experience that you believe is necessary to fill the role. You cannot gain those experiences before the interview, so your best bet is to wow them with your ability to answer interview questions. Practice answering every question with the best answer possible and try to wow them with your interview skills.

• Study Up On Skills

If you are underqualified for the role, chances are there are a lot of skills that you do not yet have. For example, perhaps they are looking for someone with a great deal of leadership experience, and you have never held more than an entry level job. There is not a lot you can do. What you can do is make sure that you are as up to date as possible with the knowledge that you do have. Refresh yourself in programs you have used, remind yourself of relevant terminology, etc. The stronger you can be on the knowledge you do know, the more what you are missing will be ignored.

• Act Like You Deserve the Job

Never give the impression that you are somehow not worthy of the position, or the interviewer might realize that you do not have the qualifications and you will immediately ruin your employment chances. You should always act like the job was made for you. This includes asking for a salary commensurate with the work involved. Don’t undersell your services simply because you really want the job.

• Don’t Look for Excuses

When people are not qualified for a position, they often try to overstate irrelevant experience as a way to make it sound as though they have more experience than they do. Don’t fall into that trap. If you don’t have knowledge in an area then you don’t have knowledge. That’s okay. If you try to relate experiences that are barely related, if at all, you will only look like you are reaching.

• Bring a Portfolio

Nothing says professional like a portfolio of documents relevant to the position. If you can prove that you have the knowledge and abilities to succeed in the position, your shortcomings are far more likely to be overlooked and you will be able to establish greater credibility.

Take Things in Stride

If you know you are not qualified for the position, do everything in your power to win the job but understand that things may not be meant to be. Also, once you get the job, do your best to learn. If the same things that made you underqualified make it hard for you to do your role, try your best to learn these skills and know that it impact your employment.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Act like you are qualified for all jobs you interview for.
• Practice like crazy for the interview to impress employers.