Are You Scaring the Hiring Manager During the Interview?

You practice your job interview skills for a week leading up to your big chance to land the perfect job. You've already proven yourself thanks to your experience, great references and your qualifications. Now it's time to bring your "A" game and wow the hiring manager with your personality and soft skills.

What you may not realize is that you could scare away the person responsible for hiring you. Although it's great that you are honest, well-spoken and eager to land the job, you need to strike a balance among your interview techniques. This way, you come across as well-rounded and able to handle any high-pressure situations. Find out five ways you may frighten away your dream opportunity before the interview.

The Panic

Try not to sound too panicky or desperate with an attitude of taking anything that comes your way. This is where a well-crafted resume and dynamite network come into play. Use your network to find high-quality positions weeks before you need to take anything to pay the mortgage and utilities. Reassure yourself that you're not a one-hit wonder and that you can do this again if you have to. Psyche yourself up during the ride to the interview to obviate any feelings of panic that could scare the hiring manager in a job interview.

Talking Too Much or Too Little

Your nerves may come out in the way you answer interview questions. A short "yes" or "no" response is never the way to go, but you cannot go on for five minutes with the answer to "tell me about yourself." Keep your responses to about one minute long, and divide each answer into neat little sections. Start with the circumstance, then move to the action you took to alleviate the situation, the result of your action and the benefit this experience gives your employer.

Not "Me" Time

Although the job interview does shine the spotlight on you and only you, this is not the time to make it all about you. The first order of business is to communicate how you deliver a return on investment to the employer — not how much money you can make per year. Talk about salary and benefits after someone offers you the position.

Too Much Honesty

Avoid negativity completely and be as polite as possible, even if your previous managers were horrible people or your workplace was toxic. At least one question during the job interview is designed to see if you have a negative response. Always be positive, no matter what, and put on a mental filter that strains the negativity out of your brain. Rehearsing beforehand helps.

Too Literal

Try to see the subtlety of each question. Every query from a job interview has a purpose beyond the obvious answer. Some questions ascertain your ability to be a team player, while others may test your tech savvy. As you prepare thoughtful responses, understand the underlying reason for the question first before giving an answer.

A job interview is the perfect arena to show off your rapport with those around you. Don't scare away the people on the other side of the table; take into account these ways you might seem odd to the interviewers. Your next position may depend on it.

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