INTERVIEW PREPARATION & TIPS: Questions Often Asked - Before the Interview - Why Didn't I Get the Job? - Be Prepared

Why didn't you get the job?

Before you even said a word, did you…

• arrive late?
• smoke while waiting, or possibly smell heavily of smoke?
• appear disinterested when introduced or during interview, i.e., look at your watch during the interview?
• fail to be pleasant to receptionist/secretary or talked too much?
• chew gum, mints, etc.?
• lean forward with elbows on desk or slouch in chair?
• appear annoyed when phone rings or someone enters the office with a question?
• ask to borrow Kleenex?
• fail to bring an extra copy of your resume?

Once you began to talk, did you...

• drop names? Knowing someone the interviewer knows will not convince them that you can do the job, and that is what you’re there to do.
• speak rapidly or too slowly?
• give too much personal information? Don’t talk about divorces, personal problems or anything that isn’t pertinent to the questions asked.
• ask personal questions of the interviewer or look closely at written material on the interviewer’s desk?
• answer the question asked? Make sure you answer the actual question…no more. Listen carefully.
• fudge the facts? Don’t say anything about your time at a job, experience with a skill, or degrees or certifications that aren’t true.
• act too friendly? Do not assume a first-name basis unless the manager tells you to use her first name. And other than a handshake, do not touch the other person.