You sent out a "million" resumes for that ideal healthcare position—and you finally got that first interview. You’re face to face with the HR manager and he or she asks you if you have any questions. If you want to kill your chances of being hired, respond with these sure-fire no-no nuggets:
What does the job pay and when can I expect a bonus?
Remember, it’s not what they can do for you; it’s what you can do for them. Stay clear of these questions and save them for the final and last interview. Besides, if you did your homework on the company, perhaps even communicated with someone already working there via social business networks like LinkedIn, you should have a fairly good idea about pay, vacation time and bonuses.
Use slang to appear “simpatico” with the interviewer
Stick to the King’s English. Avoid any overly casual idioms, “popspeak” or street phrases. Even if the interviewer slips and uses a slang term or two, don’t follow his or her lead and descend into casual speak. Keep it formal on your end. Above all, never use any profane or sexually suggestive words or phrases. Avoid using words like pissed off, hell, damn, babe, hos or fox, and don’t say anything about the interviewer’s appearance—like, “You’re lookin’ fine today.” Finally, don’t use slang terms for sexual orientations, nationalities, ethnicities, races or religions.
Bad mouth your former employer or company
Even if your previous boss was an egotistical tyrant, don’t say anything bad about him or her. You don’t have to praise your old boss either. Just stay neutral. If pressed on the subject, simply admit that you didn’t see eye to eye on certain aspects of the job and how to achieve certain objectives. Leave the impression that you just agreed to disagree on occasion. If you can, segue to another topic.
Go into your life story
The first interview is no place to mention your age, race, gender orientation, religious beliefs, medical conditions, or other personal information. Don’t go into your marital status, how many children you have, where your exes live, alimony, child support, etc. These questions shouldn’t asked in the first place. Questions about your age should be answered after you are hired.
For an added perspective, check out this video:
If you have any thoughts or suggestions about asking questions during a job interview, feel free to share them in the comments section.
Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients. Please see more of his blogs and view additional job postings on Beyond.com.
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