Are you in the market for a job? Job interviews can be intimidating to the unwary interviewee. Here are some tried and true ways to guarantee you never get a call-back. And speaking of unemployment, you might also want to check out these 32 businesses you can start in Kenya without capital
Leave your cell phone on.
I actually interviewed a young man who’s cell phone went off in the middle of the interview. His ring tone was some nasty rapper flinging the “F” word around. He answered the phone (it was his mom) and using a disrespectful tone, told her he was in a meeting and hung up. This mother showed him to the door post-haste.
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Talk about yourself ad nauseum.
Yeah. Put your potential employer to sleep. I guarantee you that he or she will be half-listening and wondering how much of your co-worker’s time will be wasted listening to your chattering.
Be desperate and insecure.
This one is hard to hide because you really might be desperate and insecure. You have to sell yourself but be cool, calm and collected. Business-like but genuine. That’s a tall order I know. Good luck.
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Have no idea about the company you are interviewing with; what they do, who they are.
You must must must at least check out their website and come to the interview a little informed. Know something about them. A young man I recently interviewed scored big points when he mentioned he read the blogs on this website. What? I said. Does anyone really read these blogs? He went above and beyond and it worked.
Be late to the interview.
No no no no no. I can’t say that enough. Be early.
Bad-mouth a previous employer.
OMG. Leave your sordid past in the dark. Chances are that your past employer is known by your potential one. Employers stick together. It’s like a little club.
Lie on your resume, or about your abilities.
Or just exaggerate. Grandma said “Cheaters never prosper” and “The cream rises to the surface” along with “you reap what you sow” and other applicable proverbs. Just don’t talk too much (see #2) and the chances are fewer that you’ll put your foot in your mouth. One mis-truth and you can kiss that job goodbye. Forever.
