Post by Really Red on Sept 8, 2014 23:33:55 GMT
I've been interviewing people for weeks now. I thought I'd let you know a few things NOT to do in an interview and on your resume. Many of you can add on, I am certain
Resume/CV
Have someone else read your resume. I won't have someone in who has a spelling mistake on their resume. It's sloppy and I don't like sloppy (particularly in my technical field). Fully half of the resumes submitted (40-60 of them) had spelling errors.
In these days of electronic submissions, tailor your CV to the job. I don't want to see 4 pages or more because I won't read them. One to two pages is best. I'm mostly interested in your last position or possibly your last two positions. Make them count. Make your skills count - don't hide them anywhere.
Interview
Please don't mention you like to drink. My favorite candidate said this three times in the interview. I like to drink, too, but I wouldn't say it in an interview. I was a bit sad not to hire him, but he had a couple of crazy responses.
I always ask how candidates deal with frustration (hence the drinking response above) and be prepared for this question. Do not answer honestly if you don't deal with it well!!!
Another question I like to ask because I cannot believe how many people cannot answer is: If I asked your last manager what area you need to work on most, what would he or she say? Another version is "What is your weakest point/area?" I never wanted to ask that question, but I have found that people are completely unprepared for it and answer the truth!!! One person said he cursed a lot. Holy moly, I responded. One lady, who was late for the interview, told us of other times she was late to other interviews. Be prepared for these questions!!
Be prepared with questions for us. I was on the fence about one candidate. I liked her, but was a bit worried about her experience. The questions she asked me at the end were outstanding. No other candidate had ever asked me those questions and I thought that showed initiative. She got the job and was offered three times as much as she earned before and I gave her more money than she asked for.
One person asked about the chair she would have. Another said she needed to start immediately. Not that she could, but that she HAD to start immediately. Another one wouldn't let me finish a sentence without putting his two cents in. Another one, who we did hire (he hasn't started yet) talked on a little too much, but when we found that a lot of people talked on and on and ON. I couldn't even think by the time they stopped talking.
I'm not hiring for small positions. I have 8 positions open for relatively high-paying permanent and contractor positions. I would love to be in a more urban setting and have better choices, but at least a correctly-spelled resume would be a good start.
Feel free to add your own!
Resume/CV
Have someone else read your resume. I won't have someone in who has a spelling mistake on their resume. It's sloppy and I don't like sloppy (particularly in my technical field). Fully half of the resumes submitted (40-60 of them) had spelling errors.
In these days of electronic submissions, tailor your CV to the job. I don't want to see 4 pages or more because I won't read them. One to two pages is best. I'm mostly interested in your last position or possibly your last two positions. Make them count. Make your skills count - don't hide them anywhere.
Interview
Please don't mention you like to drink. My favorite candidate said this three times in the interview. I like to drink, too, but I wouldn't say it in an interview. I was a bit sad not to hire him, but he had a couple of crazy responses.
I always ask how candidates deal with frustration (hence the drinking response above) and be prepared for this question. Do not answer honestly if you don't deal with it well!!!
Another question I like to ask because I cannot believe how many people cannot answer is: If I asked your last manager what area you need to work on most, what would he or she say? Another version is "What is your weakest point/area?" I never wanted to ask that question, but I have found that people are completely unprepared for it and answer the truth!!! One person said he cursed a lot. Holy moly, I responded. One lady, who was late for the interview, told us of other times she was late to other interviews. Be prepared for these questions!!
Be prepared with questions for us. I was on the fence about one candidate. I liked her, but was a bit worried about her experience. The questions she asked me at the end were outstanding. No other candidate had ever asked me those questions and I thought that showed initiative. She got the job and was offered three times as much as she earned before and I gave her more money than she asked for.
One person asked about the chair she would have. Another said she needed to start immediately. Not that she could, but that she HAD to start immediately. Another one wouldn't let me finish a sentence without putting his two cents in. Another one, who we did hire (he hasn't started yet) talked on a little too much, but when we found that a lot of people talked on and on and ON. I couldn't even think by the time they stopped talking.
I'm not hiring for small positions. I have 8 positions open for relatively high-paying permanent and contractor positions. I would love to be in a more urban setting and have better choices, but at least a correctly-spelled resume would be a good start.
Feel free to add your own!