Pretty decent article. Here is a little sample of it:
How to Avoid IT Interview Flubs
** Late to the interview means late on projects and deadlines **
You'd think in this day and age that something as simple as showing up to the right place on time would be a no-brainer, and yet, hiring managers said that candidates arrive tardy all the time.
Brian Gabrielson, national practice director for Robert Half Technology, a provider of IT professional services in Mountain View, Calif., said that interviewees sometimes forget that when the competition is tough, it often comes down to the little things like punctuality.
"All things being equal, I'm going to pick the person who showed up on time, looked me in the eye and had manners," said Gabrielson.
** Lack of enthusiasm means you don't care about your work **
One of the most aggravating interview gaffes noted by IT recruiters was a lack of enthusiasm for the job.
"One of them actually said, 'I don't want to work with people. I just want to be left alone to do my job,'" Gabrielson told eWEEK. "Can you imagine the impression that left?"
This lack of interest in the job also applies to individuals too eager to move up the ladder; even if a company has high hopes for you, they still need you to start with the task at hand.
** Little to no company knowledge means you lack research skills **
Do your homework, hiring professionals told eWEEK, or risk embarrassment.
"I've seen guys who said 'I really want to work here and what you guys do is great' and then when asked what we do that interests them, they can't answer. They haven't read your Web site and they don't know your product and then they're shocked that someone tried to quiz them on it," Josh Coates, founder and CEO of software company Berkeley Data Systems, based in American Fork, Utah, told eWEEK.
** Inappropriate dress translates to inappropriate work **
Dressing inappropriately for an interview goes both ways: A candidate, either overly-scrubbed or not neat enough, loses points.
"I see a lot of people way overdressed for interviews, wearing a three-piece suit or even strong cologne. It's important that you dress for the culture where you are interviewing," said Coates.
** Too negative is too much: Spells P-R-O-B-L-E-M **
No matter how rough you had it after the dot-com bust; no matter how inefficient your current department is, and no matter how bitter you are that your career may not be where you imagined it would be, do everything in your power to shut your yap about it in an interview.
"Negativity is not going to get you a job?at all. Even if you've been laid off, bitterness is never going to make you seem like an appealing candidate," said Galler.
Simply put, complaining and negativity sets off alarms in the minds of hiring managers, and signifies the type of problem employee nobody wants on their team.
** Arrogance or dominating the interview signals conflict on teams **
While confidence in your work and skills is near-universally desired in the workplace?what better to assure your future employers that you can get the job done?arrogance, confidence's extreme cousin, is a repellant.
"Let's not forget that you are interviewing for a job?you're not entitled to it. Maintaining a professional composure is very important," said Gabrielson.
** Too quiet means you lack confidence in your work **
Nobody expects all techies to be extroverts, but the days of working in a dark room in the end of the hall are over. Companies want their IT professionals to be able to speak up and offer solutions in meetings, and appearing too shy and mumbling in an interview will not land you that job.
** Misstating qualifications means, well, you're a liar **
Dishonestly stating qualifications on IT resumes came up as a frequent mistake, even fibs of the white lie variety.
** Speaking only tech-ese means you won't work well with others **
If you think it will impress interviewers to speak in all "ones and zeroes," consider the way you felt that last time someone spoke to you in a language they knew you didn't understand. Very likely, you felt condescended to, and this will be the effect you will have on that HR hiring manager.
"In order to have a successful interview, you need to be able to style flex-speak to your audience," said Galler.
** Not saying thank you is not welcome **
While the once-rigueur sending of a formal thank you note after every interview may have been replaced these days by e-mails, every hiring manager mentioned the importance of this step.
"The thank you is very important. It's one of those things that could show that you're different from other candidates with the same qualifications. And don't forget to use that grammar and spelling checker," said Gabrielson.
The thank you note is also a chance to win bonus points, or correct errors made in the interview.
How to Avoid IT Interview Flubs
** Late to the interview means late on projects and deadlines **
You'd think in this day and age that something as simple as showing up to the right place on time would be a no-brainer, and yet, hiring managers said that candidates arrive tardy all the time.
Brian Gabrielson, national practice director for Robert Half Technology, a provider of IT professional services in Mountain View, Calif., said that interviewees sometimes forget that when the competition is tough, it often comes down to the little things like punctuality.
"All things being equal, I'm going to pick the person who showed up on time, looked me in the eye and had manners," said Gabrielson.
** Lack of enthusiasm means you don't care about your work **
One of the most aggravating interview gaffes noted by IT recruiters was a lack of enthusiasm for the job.
"One of them actually said, 'I don't want to work with people. I just want to be left alone to do my job,'" Gabrielson told eWEEK. "Can you imagine the impression that left?"
This lack of interest in the job also applies to individuals too eager to move up the ladder; even if a company has high hopes for you, they still need you to start with the task at hand.
** Little to no company knowledge means you lack research skills **
Do your homework, hiring professionals told eWEEK, or risk embarrassment.
"I've seen guys who said 'I really want to work here and what you guys do is great' and then when asked what we do that interests them, they can't answer. They haven't read your Web site and they don't know your product and then they're shocked that someone tried to quiz them on it," Josh Coates, founder and CEO of software company Berkeley Data Systems, based in American Fork, Utah, told eWEEK.
** Inappropriate dress translates to inappropriate work **
Dressing inappropriately for an interview goes both ways: A candidate, either overly-scrubbed or not neat enough, loses points.
"I see a lot of people way overdressed for interviews, wearing a three-piece suit or even strong cologne. It's important that you dress for the culture where you are interviewing," said Coates.
** Too negative is too much: Spells P-R-O-B-L-E-M **
No matter how rough you had it after the dot-com bust; no matter how inefficient your current department is, and no matter how bitter you are that your career may not be where you imagined it would be, do everything in your power to shut your yap about it in an interview.
"Negativity is not going to get you a job?at all. Even if you've been laid off, bitterness is never going to make you seem like an appealing candidate," said Galler.
Simply put, complaining and negativity sets off alarms in the minds of hiring managers, and signifies the type of problem employee nobody wants on their team.
** Arrogance or dominating the interview signals conflict on teams **
While confidence in your work and skills is near-universally desired in the workplace?what better to assure your future employers that you can get the job done?arrogance, confidence's extreme cousin, is a repellant.
"Let's not forget that you are interviewing for a job?you're not entitled to it. Maintaining a professional composure is very important," said Gabrielson.
** Too quiet means you lack confidence in your work **
Nobody expects all techies to be extroverts, but the days of working in a dark room in the end of the hall are over. Companies want their IT professionals to be able to speak up and offer solutions in meetings, and appearing too shy and mumbling in an interview will not land you that job.
** Misstating qualifications means, well, you're a liar **
Dishonestly stating qualifications on IT resumes came up as a frequent mistake, even fibs of the white lie variety.
** Speaking only tech-ese means you won't work well with others **
If you think it will impress interviewers to speak in all "ones and zeroes," consider the way you felt that last time someone spoke to you in a language they knew you didn't understand. Very likely, you felt condescended to, and this will be the effect you will have on that HR hiring manager.
"In order to have a successful interview, you need to be able to style flex-speak to your audience," said Galler.
** Not saying thank you is not welcome **
While the once-rigueur sending of a formal thank you note after every interview may have been replaced these days by e-mails, every hiring manager mentioned the importance of this step.
"The thank you is very important. It's one of those things that could show that you're different from other candidates with the same qualifications. And don't forget to use that grammar and spelling checker," said Gabrielson.
The thank you note is also a chance to win bonus points, or correct errors made in the interview.
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