Make sure you're understood
Don't leave any of your statements or answers open to the wrong interpretation. If you feel that your answer to a question could be misinterpreted, then by all means clear it up.
Once I asked a candidate to describe a typical workday for me. She told me that she started work at 9:00 A.M. and promptly left at 5:00. Earlier in the interview, she had told me that one of her key strengths was that she didn't work by the clock and that she usually worked as many hours as it took to get the job done. I interpreted her latter statement as a contradiction of her earlier one. I also assumed that once she left the office, she ceased working. The true situation was that she belonged to a car pool and had to adhere to the car pool schedule. She did, in fact, take work home with her, and she spent as many hours as were required to complete her work. The erroneous assumption on my part was due to my failure to probe deeper into her work habits. The burden was on her, however, to make certain that she communicated that vital bit of information in a manner that did not leave any room for a misunderstanding. If you're given the opportunity to say something positive about yourself, make sure that it's clear to your interviewer.
An interview is not a confessional
Don't under any circumstances tell the interviewer about your weaknesses, bad habits, poor health, past failures, or any other derogatory information. If you're asked about your weaknesses, you should provide an answer that describes them in such a manner that they can be construed as strengths. For example, one of your weaknesses might be a low tolerance for people who don't take their jobs seriously. You get annoyed when an employee fails to answer a telephone, or treats a customer poorly, or arrives at work late and leaves early. The interviewer will view this "weakness" as a strength. Any bad habits or past failures should remain in your own consciousness. The interview situation is your opportunity to show yourself off at your best. It's no time to lay your throbbing psyche out on the table.
Don't be a passive dependent
The interviewer knows that he or she is in the driver's seat.
After all, you're selling, and the interviewer is buying. If the interviewer takes advantage of this situation and tries to ride roughshod over you, don't let him or her do it. You can control the situation by asking a few questions. By making the interviewer respond, you balance the situation.
A good interviewer will respect you for the way in which you make him or her perform. It is an indication of confidence, aggressiveness, and intelligence.
How did I do, coach?
Don't ask the interviewer how you did after the interview. This could be interpreted as a lack of confidence on your part. No interviewer will tell you the straight story, anyway; so don't ask!
I really need this job
Don't appear overanxious or desperate for the job. Even if you haven't worked for some time, you must indicate that you're looking around for the best opportunity. If you give off signals that you're desperate, the interviewer will interpret them to mean that no one else is interested in you; so why should he or she be interested in you? In other words, what's wrong with this candidate? Do other personnel people know something I don't? On the other hand, if you appear to have several irons in the fire or even an offer or two in hand or on the way, the interviewer will view you as a hot commodity. He or she better act fast before someone else makes you an offer you can't refuse.
Integrity is important
Don't, under any circumstances, break the confidence of your past employer. If you do, you'll be viewed as lacking in integrity. If you're asked questions that involve proprietary information or other private company data, you must gracefully refuse to discuss it. Your refusal will enhance your position, and the interviewer will respect you all the more.
Character assassination is a no-no
Don't engage in any character assassination or demean any past supervisor, employer, or company official. Regardless of how you really feel, you should always speak well of others. If you speak ill of others, you'll be perceived as someone who may have interpersonal problems and who probably is a risk. By speaking well of everyone, you'll be judged as someone who possesses a healthy outlook in terms of others' strengths and weaknesses.
