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Ten Ways to Annoy an Interviewer

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The Find: Of all the times it's a good idea to be likable, interviews probably top the list, so here are ten ways you can spoil your first impression.
The Source: A guest post by Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon, authors of I Hate People!, on blog Punk Rock HR.

The Takeaway: Littman and Hershon have received a lot of great buzz for their new book (including here on BNET1), which outlines how to deal with problem people at work without sapping your own energy. Now they're applying their knowledge of annoying office workers to aid job hunters by outlining ten simple ways to make sure an interviewer hates you – avoid.

Be a Smiley Face - Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is – nervousness and a lack of confidence. A Smiley Face exudes phoniness, which will quickly be picked up by the interviewer. (Was there was something to this seeming insanity after all?)
Be a Know-It-None - Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you’re interviewing.... Never feel you have to fill an interview with small talk. Find ways to talk about serious subjects related to the industry or company. Pockets of silence are better than padding an interview with random babble.
Sweat - You can lose a job by wearing an undershirt or simply a little too much clothing. Sweaty palms or beads on your forehead will not impress. You are not applying to be a personal trainer.
Raise a Stop Sign - Interviewers are seeking candidates eager to take on challenging projects and jobs. Hesitance and a nay saying mentality will be as visible as a red tie – and seen as a negative.
Be a Sheeple - Asking the location of the lunchroom or meeting room will clue the interviewer into your lack of preparation and initiative. Prepare. Don’t ask questions about routine elements or functions of a company: where stuff is, the size of your cube and company policy on coffee breaks.
Be a Liar Liar - Studies show that employees lie frequently in the workplace. Lying won’t get you one. In a job interview even a slight exaggeration is lying. Don’t.
Be a Bad Comedian - Humor tends to be very subjective and while it may be tempting to lead your interview with a joke you’ve got to be careful about your material.
Be High Maintenance - If you start talking about the ideal office temperature, the perfect chair for your tricky back, and how the water cooler needs to be filled with imported mineral water, chances are you’ll be shown a polite smile and the door, regardless of your qualifications.
Be A Minute Man - At every job interview, the prospective hire is given the chance to ask questions. Make yours intelligent, to the point and watch the person across the desk for visual cues whether you’ve asked enough. Ask too many questions about off-target matters and you’ll be thought of as a Minute Man, destined to waste the company’s resources with insignificant and time-wasting matters.
Be A Switchblade - In an interview setting, the Switchblade can’t help but “trash talk” his former employer. If you make it seem like your former workplace was hell on Earth, the person interviewing you might be tempted to call them to find out who was the real devil.

For more straight talking advice on all things HR, check out the always provocative Punk Rock HR. (No hate symbol by blakeemrys, CC 2.0)

posted by Jessica Stillman
July 17, 2009 @ 6:10 am

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