Looking for a new job and going on interview after interview can leave many of us screaming in frustration and stressed out. The problem is that after doing your research, practicing your elevator pitch and doing everything you can to prepare, you end up meeting with an interviewer who not only doesn't seem to know who you are but makes it glaringly obvious that they haven't even taken the time to look over your resume before the interview.
And granted, in a perfect world, interviewers would be seasoned professionals who have done their research prior to meeting with you. They would be just as prepared as you are, if not more so. For a job seeker, it can be difficult to have faith in a company that has such a seemingly clueless interviewer. But you have to understand that many times the interviewer is an overworked manager who is dealing with problems that come with being short staffed and are so pressed for time that they haven't gotten around to even thinking about the interview until you are already in their office.
It can be difficult to let go of some of the things we think we know about interview and the people who conduct them. Here are some of the big myths about interviews:
- The interviewer is always prepared – If you think that your interviewer isn't prepared and hasn't read your resume, make it easy for them. Tell them who you are, why you are a good fit for the job and give them a recap of your skills and experience. This will allow them to get an idea about what is on your resume and it will give them the information they need to ask follow up questions.
- The person who interviews you is well trained in hiring staff – While it is true that human resource managers do get a great deal of training in interview techniques, many companies rely on the managers or even assistant managers to handle interviews. These interviewers may just be winging it. If you suspect this is the case, be as specific as you can when they ask you questions. Give them examples of your particular talents and skill that in order to highlight the reason why you are the best choice for the job.
- You should keep your answers short – You don't want to be the one doing all the talking, but if you have done your research on the company and the job opening, you shouldn't feel that talking about it at length is a bad thing. The more you know about the job before you go into the interview, the better you will be able to tell them exactly why you are the right choice.
- The most qualified candidate always gets the job – Although experience and training count for a lot, the biggest thing that employers look for is attitude and how you would fit in with the corporate culture. The truth is that most employers know that they can train someone with less than spectacular experience easier than they can improve someone's attitude. And, if you aren't a good fit for their corporate culture, odds are that you won't be happy in the job for very long.
When interviewers aren't perfect, the best thing you can do is try to help them as much as you can. The goal is to make yourself easy to hire. But, many time job applicants get offended and upset when faced with an unprepared interviewer. They feel that the company isn't showing respect for them and the time and trouble they went through in order to be prepared. And, you know what, they would be right. But, the goal of an interview isn't to be right. The end goal is to get a spot on the interviewers team. So, show them that you can roll with the punches and be a great team player. If you still feel offended, just ask yourself if you want to be right or if you want to be hired.
Are you looking for a job in Manufacturing? Be sure to visit ManufacturingWorkers.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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