Checklist of Don'ts When Handling Yourself at the Interview of Data Processing Jobs

Assuming that you have prepared yourself properly by learning all you can about the company, and by practicing working in the points you wish to make during the interview and, of course, looking your best - it's now time to put everything into practice. Common sense plays a major role from this point forward, but the tension of a job interview sometimes causes us to lose some of it.

The following is a checklist of don'ts that not only make good common sense but have stood the test of time.

• Don't be late. My surveys show that job candidates who are late for an interview will probably hurt their chances of being hired 70 percent of the time.
  

There's another good reason for being on time, and that is your psychological mood once the interview starts. People who run in at the last minute tend to present a frazzled, anxious front that turns off an interviewer. I always suggest to people that they show up a half hour before the interview, at least arriving in the general vicinity that early. Better to have to kill a little time with a cup of coffee than to be going through the panic of wondering whether you're going to find the right building by the appointed time.



If, for some unforeseen reason, you see that you are going to be late for the interview, find a phone booth and call. If you are really running late, it's better to cancel the interview and ask for another one rather than to arrive way beyond the time of the appointment.

• Don't chew gum or smoke. Even if the interviewer lights up, it's preferable for you not to. Recent studies of mine show that the antismoking forces are seeing their impact felt in the workplace. If the interviewer smokes, it's okay for him or her to accidentally drop ashes on the rug or to have to squint through smoke. Having the same thing happen to you will not enhance your image, even to a smoker.
  

If you're nervous, decline the offer of coffee and a Danish pastry. The interview is no time to fumble or to demonstrate a slight tremor in your hands. Avoid anything that might be awkward.

• Don't drink. If you are involved in an interview that takes place in a social setting, such as lunch or dinner, avoid alcohol, even if the person who is interviewing you has a drink or two. Going through a job interview is a job in itself, and drinking, even moderate drinking, dulls your senses. You can always answer with "No thank you, not right now," which indicates that you are not averse to having a drink but choose not to at the moment.
  
  
• Don't bring someone else with you to the interview. It's unprofessional to bring a friend or family member. If someone does accompany you, have them wait outside the company's building.
  
  
• Don't tell jokes. You can never be sure that the joke you tell, as mild as it might be, won't offend the interviewer. Besides, a job interview is no place for joke telling, although demonstrating a sense of humor will be in your favor. But remember, there's a big difference between telling jokes and having a sense of humor. A sense of humor means responding easily to a humorous comment or situation. Leave the jokes to professional comedians.
  
  
• Don't drag everything you own with you to the interview. If you went shopping earlier, ask the receptionist if you can leave your things in the reception room. The same with your overcoat or raincoat. You don't want to be fumbling when it's time to shake hands. Carry only your briefcase or purse into the interview with you, and keep handy materials that bear upon the interview. Always carry some extra resumes in case the one that prompted the interview has been misplaced.
  
  
• Don't use technical jargon. This is especially important for data processors because so much of DPers' daily vocabulary involves technical terms. Here is the time to make a solid evaluation of the person interviewing you. If it's someone directly connected with the company's data processing department, you can certainly use more technical language. If, on the other hand, the interviewer is someone from the personnel department or from upper management who is not directly associated with data processing, avoid the temptation to show off your technical knowledge at that person. Rather than making a good impression, it will turn the interviewer off and make the point that you would not be the sort of employee who can evaluate the person with whom you are communicating and adjust your language accordingly.
  

To make the above point even stronger, let me cite the results of one of our commissioned studies that asked whether data processors are too language- and machine-oriented. Seventy-one percent of DP and top management agreed that data processors have tunnel vision concerning things other than hardware and software.

• Don't confuse ego with confidence. Every company likes to hire confident men and women, but egotistical bores are another matter. A good rule is to use the word "we" instead of "I." Instead of saying "I turned that data center into a winner," try "We all worked very hard to improve the data center and make it an efficient operation, and I think I played a significant role in it." Stress the positive about yourself, but avoid ego trips.
  
  
• Don't get into an argument. The old adage about avoiding conversations about politics and religion applies during job interviews. The same goes for any other subject that involves opinions that might set you at odds with the interviewer. Even if the inter viewer has made a statement about, let's say, an opera that you, an inveterate opera buff, know is wrong, let it go. Otherwise, you may win your point, but lose the job.