Job interviewing seems to take place within a big black box. It is shrouded in mystery and apprehension. You don't know what will transpire until you go inside an office to meet an interviewer to discuss the situation. In the meantime, job hunters guess about what the interview will be like. They worry about how they should dress, what they should say, when to talk about salary, how to close the interview, and if and when it's appropriate to follow up the interview with a telephone call.
Many aspects of job interviewing are surrounded by myths which contribute to interviewing apprehension. These myths prevent many individuals from properly preparing for the interview. The most common interview myths as well as the realities for each are outlined. By examining each myth you should better be prepared for the realities of the job interview.
Getting the Job
MYTH 1: My resume will get me the job.
REALITY: Your resume helps communicate your qualifications to employers. It is used to screen candidates for interviews. Few people ever get hired on the basis of their resume. Over 95% of employers hire on the basis of a personal interview.
MYTH 2: The candidate with the best education, skills, and experience will get the job.
REALITY: Employers hire individuals for many different reasons. Education, skills, and experience are only a few of several hiring criteria. If they only hired on the basis of education, skills, and experience, they would not need to interview candidates. Such static information is available in applications and resumes.
Employers interview because they want to see a warm body - how you look and interact with them and how well you will fit into the organization. Other information they can get from other sources. Indeed, the most important reason for hiring you is that the employer "likes" you. How "likes" is defined depends on each employer. In some cases the employer "likes" you because of your educational background, demonstrated skills, and experience. In other cases the employer "likes" you because of your style and personality as well as a gut feeling that you are the right person for the job. The employer will determine or confirm these feelings in the actual job interview. So be prepared in the interview to communicate a great deal of information about yourself other than what the employer already knows - your education, skills, and experience.
Getting the Interview
MYTH 3: I'll get invited to an interview based on the quality of information found in my resume, letters, and applications.
REALITY: Invitations to interview come from many different sources. Resumes, letters, and applications are important screening devices, but they are by no means the only ones nor the most important. These sources primarily demonstrate qualifications and capabilities in written form. Since most jobs are intensely interpersonal, interviewers also seek verbal and interpersonal sources of information about candidates prior to inviting them to interview. Invitations to interview are initiated from several other job search sources.
Networking, referrals, nominations, and the telephone screening interview are often more important than the more traditional written sources of candidate information. Therefore, it is to your advantage to supplement your written communication with these other sources of information, especially networking for information, advice, and referrals.
MYTH 4: Once I submit my application for a job, the proper thing to do is to wait until I hear from the employer.
REALITY: Waiting is not a good job search strategy. It is perfectly acceptable to call the employer within two weeks of submitting your written materials to ask when you might expect to hear about the final selection. Employers often fail to inform candidates whether or not they are still under consideration. It is to your advantage to get a definite "yes" or "no" rather than waste your time doing nothing else in anticipation of being called for an interview.
MYTH 5: Invitations to interviews normally come by letter or telegram.
REALITY: Most employers issue invitations to interview by telephone. In fact, many interviewers will telephone you in order to conduct a screening interview over the phone. Based on how well you do in this interview, you will be invited by telephone to attend a formal job interview. Therefore, you should be well prepared to handle this telephone screening interview.
Preparing for the Interview
MYTH 6: I cannot prepare for interviews because I don't know if I will get an interview nor do I know what the interviewer will ask. It's best to wait and see what happens. Once I'm invited to the interview, I almost have the job.
REALITY: Everything you have done in your job search thus far -- self-assessment, skills identification, objective setting, research, resume and letter writing, networking -- has prepared you for the job interview. Based on these activities and the information you have acquired on yourself, the job, and the organization, you can do many additional things to prepare you for the interview. Best of all, you can predict and prepare for 80% of the questions the interviewer will ask you. And remember, you'll only get the job if you do well in the interview. Preparation will help you do well.
MYTH 7: Once I've been invited to the interview, there's not much I can do other than get a good night's sleep so I am fresh for the next day's interview.
REALITY: There is a great deal you can and should do in preparation for the interview, in addition to getting a good night's sleep. You need to make decisions about your wardrobe; determine how long it will take you to arrive at the interview site and where you will park; review how you will greet the interviewer; examine your files on the organization and collect any additional information about the organization, job, and salary ranges; practice the most important questions, answers, and stress reduction techniques; and review what you stated in your resume. It is a good idea to practice interview questions and answers with a friend and a tape-recorder. Remember, you must be at your peak performance for this interview - both verbally and non-verbally.
Arriving and Waiting for the Interviewer
MYTH 8: If I'm late for the interview, it is best to find a good excuse for being late - like bad traffic, no parking places, car problems, illness in family, etc. The interviewer will understand and excuse me.
REALITY: There is absolutely no excuse, other than personal injury or family tragedy, for being late for the interview. After all, the very first impression you make on the interviewer is your presence. If you arrive late, you make a very bad impression which will negatively affect the rest of the interview. If you can't arrive on time for the interview --regardless of any legitimate excuse -- what will you do when you work for the employer? As part of your preparation, you must review the location of the interview site and determine where you will park. Arrive in the interviewer's building at least 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled interview time. It is always a good idea to reconfirm the time by calling the interviewer the day before - just in case the interviewer's schedule has changed.
Remember, the interview begins when you arrive - not when you meet the interviewer.
MYTH 9: While waiting in the office for the interviewer, I should just sit and wait to be called.
REALITY: Your job interview begins as soon as you walk through the office door. Since you will be under observation, do some positive things that can be observed and reported.
For example, if the secretary or receptionist is not too busy, ask some friendly and interesting questions about the organization. You may get some important information that will help you in the interview. If the waiting area has some magazines or literature on the organization displayed, pick up and browse through the more organization-relevant and serious literature. Keep in mind the interviewer may ask the secretary or receptionist's opinion about you. If you appeared cold or unfriendly, just sat there like a bump on a log, and appeared disinterested in the organization by reading People Magazine rather than the annual report, these behaviors may be reported to the interviewer.
The Interview
MYTH 10: It's best to show I am an individual by not conforming to standard expectations of how to dress for an interview.
REALITY: Unless you are interviewing for an artistic or creative job, interviewers expect to see conventional dressers. However, you need not dress in the traditional navy blue three-piece suit interview garb of the 1960s and 1970s. Keep your dress conservative, conventional, and appropriate. Your dress should not distract from your capabilities in the interview.
MYTH 11: I should not wear jewelry or other expensive looking items and clothing to the interview.
REALITY: The best choices of jewelry, accessories, and clothes will vary from one interview situation to another. In general it is okay to wear jewelry and accessories. But do not over do it with excessive amounts or big and flashy designs. You should wear good quality clothes which need not be expensive.
MYTH 12: I soon as I enter the interviewer's office, I should sit down, relax, and initiate some small talk about the office, weather, or my trip to the office.
REALITY: As soon as you enter the office, you should go over to the interviewer, shake hands firmly, stay standing until invited to sit down where the interviewer indicates a seating preference, and wait for the inter viewer to initiate a conversation. Maintain good eye contact, do a moderate amount of smiling, and sit with a very slight forward lean toward the interviewer.
MYTH 13: I should wait for the interviewer to take the initiative in asking questions.
REALITY: Let the interviewer initiate the first question, but you must also take initiative in asking questions of the interviewer. This is a two-way communication situation in which both parties are attempting to exchange useful information. If you take no initiative, you will be seen as someone lacking initiative.
MYTH 14: The most important time of the interview is during the final five minutes, when I'll be discussing salary, asking about the hiring decision, and closing the interview.
REALITY: It is how you begin -- not how you end -- that is most important in the job interview. While the final five minutes are important, the most important time is at the very beginning of the interview -- the first five minutes. It is during this time you must make a good impression on the interviewer. During these critical minutes you are greeting the interviewer and getting started with the interview. How you look, smell, and sit will be just as important as what you say. This initial impression will set the tone for the remainder of the interview during which time the interviewer will be reconfirming what he or she already knows and feels about you from the first five minutes.
MYTH 15: If the interviewer asks if I have any negatives or weaknesses, I should indicate I have none.
REALITY: You should be honest -- but don't be stupid. Everyone has negatives. If you indicate you have none, the interviewer knows you are being less than candid. But neither should you blurt out your negatives. Be tactful by turning this possible negative situation into a positive. Talk about a negative that can also be seen as a positive. For example, if asked "Do you have any weaknesses?", talk about a weakness that is also a job strength: "Yes, I often work too late and thus neglect my family. I'm trying to better balance my work and home life."
MYTH 16: If I'm asked an illegal question, I should let the interviewer know it's illegal and that he or she should not be asking me such a question.
REALITY: Yes, you can be perfectly up-front and let the interviewer know you have the law on your side. In fact, you could go so far as to threaten to sue the interviewer for such stupidity.
However, this action is not likely to win the job. You might want to handle such a situation with a little tact and humor. For example, if you are asked about your age - an illegal question - point out that "Since that question is no longer supposed to arise in interviews, do you still want me to answer it? I'm a little reluctant to answer it since it could present some future problems for you. I do want to give you all the information you need for determining my qualifications for this position. Let me answer it this way so we will be okay. I won't be ready to retire for another 25 years; I've had my driver's license for more than 10 years; and I'm feeling like I'm not a day over 21. I hope my age won't disqualify me for this position." At the same time, the interviewer may be well aware this is an illegal question and thus he or she wants to see how well you will handle a potentially stressful situation.
MYTH 17: I'll be at a disadvantage because the interviewer will feel confident and I'll be nervous.
REALITY: If you practice some stress reduction techniques, such as taking deep breaths and focusing attention on the questions, you should be able to get through the interview with more confidence. In addition, many interviewers are as nervous as the interviewees -- they are under pressure to get accurate information and make the right decision.
MYTH 18: I should keep my answers as short as possible so the interviewer will have time to ask me more questions.
REALITY: You should try to answer the questions as thoroughly as possible. Remember, the inter viewer is looking for thoughtful answers that indicate some depth on your part. Don't get carried away with lengthy answers but do go from general responses to specifics that indicate your depth.
MYTH 19: I should avoid talking about anything that would raise questions about my qualifications or abilities to do the job.
REALITY: You should anticipate possible objections employer would have to hiring you - your age, sex, experience, employment record, grade point average, etc. Since questioning in many of these areas is illegal for employers, you may wish to address them head-on by raising what you believe would be negative concerns on the part of the employer. But be sure to treat these objections as potential positives rather than negatives. For example, you might say "I know you might think being female and married will present problems for this job. However, my family is very supportive of my career. I enjoy this kind of work. I'm willing to travel, and my family life has never interfered with my getting the job done. In fact, my stable family life has been a real asset on the job. I stay with my employers and am a very responsible person."
MYTH 20: My major goal in the interview is to get the job.
REALITY: Your major goal should be the same as the interviewer -- gain useful information from which you can make a decision about joining this organization. If you make this your goal, the interview will become more like a friendly two-way dialogue rather than a stressful inquisition. Both you and the interviewer will go away with the information the two of you need to make the right decisions.
Negotiating Salaries and Benefits
MYTH 21: I should state my salary requirements on my resume or early in the interview.
REALITY: You should never state your salary requirement on your resume. State them at the very end of the interview -- after you enter into the salary negotiation stage. Up until that point everything you have done in relation to this position should be aimed at communicating your value to the employer. It is difficult to talk about salary when you have yet to determine duties of the position or demonstrate your value. Only after you have completed the interview are you ready to talk about money. If the interviewer tries to bring up the money question early in the interview, try to delay your answer until the end of the interview. For example, you might say, "If you don't mind, I would rather address the salary question after I've had a chance to learn more about this position."
MYTH 22: To get the Job, I should settle for a lower salary than I and the job are worth. I can negotiate better terms at my first performance review.
REALITY: You should go after the highest possible figure both you and job are worth. Employers are willing to pay for good performance. If you have to settle for less than what both you and the job are worth, seriously consider looking for another job. You will probably be unhappy knowing you are underpaid. And the performance review may not be translated into a higher salary. Your initial base salary will largely determine your future salaries.
MYTH 23: Once I'm offered the job, I should immediately let the employer know whether or not I'll accept it.
REALITY: Don't rush into such a decision. While it is flattering to receive an offer, take your time to decide whether this job is right for you. It is perfectly acceptable to ask to consider the offer over a 48-hour period. During that time you should assess the offer in relation to your career goals as well as any alternative jobs you are considering. If, for example, you are considering another job, inform the other employer that you have a job offer and would appreciate knowing where you stand since you must make a decision within the next 48 hours. Such an approach may hasten another hiring decision and thus provide you two offers to compare as well as bargain employment terms.
Close and Follow-UP
MYTH 24: The interviewer is the one who closes the interview and lets me know if and when he or she will contact me.
REALITY: You must also take the initiative in dosing the interview. One the best approaches is to summarize your understanding of the job and your strengths. In addition, ask the interviewer when he or she expects to make the hiring decision. This closing question will let you know how long you should expect to wait before hearing from the employer. It is perfectly acceptable to follow the hiring decision question with this question: "If I've not heard from you by Friday, may I give you a call?" Assuming the answer is "yes" and you indeed follow-up, you will either eliminate or include this employer for future consideration. And this is exactly what you want to do. The sooner you can eliminate employers from consideration, the sooner you can move on to other potential employers.
MYTH 25: Once I've completed the interview, all I can do is to wait for the employer to contact me as to whether I have been selected for the position.
REALITY: Again, waiting is not a positive job search strategy. You must take initiative at this point. Within 24 hours you should send a thank-you letter to the interviewer emphasizing: (1) the professional manner in which the interview took place, (2) your continuing interest in the company and position, and (3) why you feel you are ideal for this position.
Since few interviewers receive thank-you letters following an interview, your letter should stand out. This can become one of the most powerful approaches to getting the job.
If you overcome these myths by following our realities, you will be well prepared for the interview to be successful. You will impress upon employers that you should be offered the job.
