How to Destroy a Job Interview

Reader Comments
Back to blog

I hate job interviews.

Alastair JR 10:59AM January 19, 2009

Wow...guess you can tell I am from old school, this "news" just kind of sounds like common sense to me. It is a sad state of affairs we are in when someone needs to be told good listening skills is a newsflash when related to interviewing for a job. This just sums up what state we are in regarding the workforce. Course no one wants to hear what a lttle hard work and common sense would do these days...and look at the country, world for that matter..

J Paul London of PA 3:30PM September 22, 2008

True, true. Once you've made it to the interview stage, they've already decided you're probably qualified, so the trick is to be the most likeable of the qualified candidates... and nobody likes a person who can't shut up.

Julie O'Malley of MA 4:34PM September 18, 2008

Being concise is an incredibly underrated skill. I have disqualified otherwise good candidates because they rambled throughout the interview. I'm not talking about one overly long answer. I'm talking about people who take five minutes to answer every single question, questions that should have been answered in one minute. I need people who are inefficient and concise; rambling is truly the kiss of death.

Alison Green of DC 8:29PM September 17, 2008

Great advice! I always think the best approach in an interview is to keep your answer under a minute long (unless impossible) and make sure you answer the question they asked.
No tangent has ever gotten anyone a job! If you can answer a question in a concise way, chances are you'll appear to be the kind of person employers want to hire!

Erika with Qvisory of WA 8:14PM September 17, 2008

Another great post. And now I really WILL have to tell my plate-licking interviewee story!! Stay tuned...

almostgotit.com of TN 7:00PM September 17, 2008

I interviewed many prospective employees in my career, and I think the advice given in this column is exactly right. Any prospective interviewee would be well served by reading carefully and retaining.

A. Reader of 4:41PM September 17, 2008

I once worked with a woman who everyone thought was reflective and deep. She never said much. But when I got to know her better I realized that her reticence was concealing her utter lack of substance!

of 1:26PM September 17, 2008