Have you ever found yourself in a one-sided conversation? You find
yourself listening to the other person ramble on, refusing to let you
interject whether they are aware of it or not. Not only is this habit
annoying, it is also extremely rude. Believe it or not, some interviewers
find themselves in the same position when meeting a job applicant, but
chances are the applicant is unaware of it! When job applicants try to
dominate the conversation, chances are they lose the opportunity for a job.
Here's a real life example a job interview gone awry as a result of the
applicant talking too much:
A man walks into an employment agency looking for a job. First of all,
his appearance is not appropriately dressed for an interview. His
clothing consists of jeans, tennis shoes, a casual plaid shirt
(untucked) and a windbreaker. The receptionist asks him to take a seat
and wait for the interviewer to meet with him. But, he seems to have a
problem with “selective hearing” and proceeds to follow the
receptionist up to the interviewer's desk. Almost immediately he has
ruined his chances of landing a job. Not only does he refuse to follow
requests to wait, but he comes off as too pushy and rude. When it is
time for the interview to start, the employer asks simple questions,
for instance "Are you employed?" And "tell me about your
responsibilities at your last job." Instead of answering the questions
asked, the applicant proceeds to ramble on in full detail about every
aspect of his resume. He insults the employer by questioning their
own knowledge about a specific (and well-known) computer program. The
employer grudgingly implies that they are indeed familiar with the
program, but the potential employee is unconvinced and continues to
ask more questions about the employer's own knowledge about various
jobs and computer skills. Not only was the applicant loud, rude and
obnoxious; but he also spoke to the employer as if they were ignorant.
Needless to say, the man left without a job offer.
Being in a job interview is sort of like being a student, you only
speak when spoken to. That’s not to say that you should be mute, but
in order to answer the interviewer’s questions correctly, you must
listen. Never be afraid to ask them to repeat their question if you do
not fully understand it or didn’t quite catch it the first time. Like
the old Chinese proverb says: “He who asks a question is a fool for a
minute; he who does not remains a fool forever.”
Remember, you are the one under examination in an interview, but
you’re not the one running it. Save the “chatty Cathy” act for lunch
with a friend. Be mindful of the time it takes you to answer the
interviewer’s questions. Most interviews include the same questions,
regardless of what the position is. When was your last job? What were
your responsibilities there? Why did you leave your last job?
Familiarize yourself with typical interview questions such as these
and have your answers mentally prepared ahead of time. Keep them
short, but concise.
Above all, open your ears before opening your mouth.
