Most Common Interviewing Mistake

Ping! Buzz! Ring! It’s so exciting when the phone alerts us with a prospective employer wanting to chat about a new opportunity.

An interview – even a phone interview – brings us one step closer to finding our next job.

When this happens, clients will immediately contact me for advice. They know the importance of the first interview; a stellar performance may secure a second interview.

The most common interviewing mistake I’ve noticed across all clients? There’s too much focus on “me” and not enough on the company.

Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s wide out in the open. Either way, the focus is misdirected.

I see this when we are doing mock interviews or when I’m reviewing written answers to potential questions that might be asked. And I stop to redirect my clients’ response.

Yet they look at me like I’ve sprouted a second head.

“But I’m trying to show them what I’m about”
“I need to figure out if the company is right for me”
“I want to explain why I’m leaving my last company”

The list goes on and on.

My open and honest feedback? Honestly, the hiring manager doesn’t care. Truly, he or she doesn’t.

Here’s what the hiring manager is thinking: “I’ve got a problem and I’m wondering if you are the person who can help me solve the problem. Are you that person?”

The hiring manager doesn’t need to know that you want a place to “learn and grow” – they probably don’t have time to teach you. They need someone to solve a problem.

If you spend too much time talking about why you are leaving your current job or why it was not a good fit, you are wasting precious time that could be spent convincing the hiring manager why you have the right skills for the job.

Think about how you answer their questions: Are you telling them more about what “you want” from the job or more about how “you can contribute” to the success of the team/organization? Big difference.

This is a hard concept for many to grasp. They think the focus of the interview process is entirely on the candidate.

It’s a two-way street, really. The company is looking for the best hire and you are looking for a good fit as well.

If it were a dance, it would be a Tango, with both parties moving back and forth in sort of give and take until a decision is made.

In this dance, remember to focus on the company and your strengths. Position your responses to show you are the answer to their problems and watch as a smile appears on the hiring manager’s face.

By doing this you are dancing your way to an offer.