What To Say or not to say in Interview!!!

Date: 28-Oct-2009

Do you have any idea why, despite being one of the most suitable candidates for a particular post, some job seekers get eliminated in the first round of interview itself? Though there may be numerous reasons for the elimination of a candidate, usually most relate to the job seeker’s conduct and attitude, like being unable to control one’s emotions or simply sounding over-confident.

“An interview is a vital process for the recruiter to eliminate doubts/mistakes before hiring. Recruitment errors can be quite expensive and can cost the company a fortune. A good recruiter, therefore, will probe to hunt for signs of diffidence, arrogance, lies etc to eliminate,” says Raj Louis, chief human resources officer, Knight Frank India Pvt Ltd.

In the light of this, it’s very important for the candidate that he/she projects himself/herself on the K-S-A – Knowledge, Skill and Attitude.

Here we take a look at some important things which a candidate must avoid doing or saying at a job interview:

Never argue                                                                          

Stating facts as you know best is good, but you should always try to avoid a debate with the recruiter.

“I have seen candidates getting into an argument about facts which the recruiters know best. There is no use of proving a point over the recruiter,” informs Louis.

Never lie

If you do not know something – say it, because honesty is usually more appreciated than guess work.

Never sound over-confident

Sometimes interviewees tend to be what they are not in interviews with a view to impress the interviewer which is not right.

“An interviewee must avoid being dishonest in an interview and also avoid exaggerating about himself or his accomplishments. He should also keep from over exposing himself,” says Prafullachandra Bhamare, HR manager - Neev group of companies.

Never belittle the recruiting company or former employer

Always avoid saying wrong things about the recruiting company or your former employer, as this may put off the recruiter and also reduce your chances of getting a job in that company. “I have seen candidates from competitor companies blowing their trumpet and belittling the recruiting company. The question then is ‘Why did you come here?’” asks Louis.

This also holds true for your former employer or team members. “Some of the candidates criticize their former employer or team members. This comes across as displaying negative team skills and showcasing a lack of professionalism and ethics,” says Jacob Jacob, executive vice president, HRD, Oberoi Constructions.

Vinit Durve, VP - corporate human affairs, Zicom Electronic Security Systems Ltd, is also of the view that you should never criticize your current employer or the current manager who you report to. “This gives an impression of you not being adaptable and suggests that you have strong ideas,” he says.

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