3 Things That Make Hiring Managers CRINGE In A Job Interview

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It's already hard enough to land a job interview, don't blow it by making one of these rookie mistakes.

On a job interview, think of yourself as a business-of-one. You're trying to earn the trust and respect of your potential client. This means you should consciously think through the way you ask and answer questions to ensure what you're saying is taken the right way. The following are three things I've heard candidates say in job interviews that cost them the job.

1. Their very first question was, "How much does it pay?"

In HR and recruiting, we're taught the first question a job seeker asks when we ask,

"Do you have any questions for me?"

is the most telling. It's the thing that is foremost in their minds. Anyone who starts off by asking about compensation has clearly missed the point of the interview. We're there to see if your skills and interests make you a good match for the corporate culture. We want you to fit in and excel in our environment. If money is your most important concern, then we know you don't care enough about how you'll use your strengths and preferences to be successful long-term, because you are too short-term focused on the pay.

2. They're leaving their jobs because, "I don't like the people I work with."

We get paid to do a job, not like everyone we work with. Blaming your boss or coworkers as the primary reason you want to leave makes you sound like you have a superiority complex. Are you better than those you currently work with? Because that's the impression you're giving. It's better to discuss how the job is not fulfilling your career growth goals. Avoid discussing the fact that you don't want to socialize with your current coworkers, or think your boss is a loser. While it might be true, it doesn't earn trust and respect from your future employer when they hear you bad-mouthing the people you work with. The assumption is, whatever you say in the job interview, multiply it by ten and that's what you'll be like in the job. So, trash talking (even if you think you are doing it politely), backfires on you. You lose points for it.

3. When asked why they want the job, they start with, "I heard your office perks and benefits are amazing..."

Telling a company you want the job because they have great benefits shows where you priorities lie. You don't want them to be your partner, you want them to be your sugar daddy. Good employees know to be successful, they need to match their skills and career goals to the position. If you want to convince hiring managers to choose you AND pay you thousands of dollars to do the job, they need to feel confident you understand how you will save or make them enough money to justify the cost of hiring you. You do this by explaining how the job will play to your strengths and give you a chance to grow so you can provide more value down the line.

This shows the employer exactly how they will get a return on their investment in you.

In fact, this is such an important question to get right, I did a Youtube video tutorial on the subject which breaks down how to craft the right response.

P.S. - Interested in working with me and my team of career coaches privately?

The video below explains what a "Career Growth Club" is and why I founded one for talented professionals like you!