I never thought the day would come when seniors would have to brush up on their job interview skills! Back then, when you talk about senior workers, it would be the seniors doing the interview and the interviewee would be 20-something, nervous and perspiring guys. Now that the playing field got even and competition is now made stiffer than ever, it’s very common to see younger guys doing the interview with the senior on the hot seat. Even if roles have changed, some certain rules still apply. However, these are the things you need to avoid:
·    Sending an informal “thank you for your time” note. Your hiring manager won’t like it if you just drop him or her an informal email with letters too hard to understand or even a poke over Facebook. An extra effort goes a long way such as sending a written, formal letter expressing your gratitude for the time spent interviewing you.
·    Generalized resume. While it is convenient to just make a standard resume and cover letter for all your job interview needs, you still have to tweak it for every job you apply to. Bear in mind that most hiring managers go for targeted skills so it is important to consider what is needed for the job and adjust your resume and cover letters as such.
·    Showing up uninformed. Impress your hiring manager by knowing the facts you need to know about the company. You don’t go asking questions instead it should be the other way around since this is an interview. You only ask questions if there is something not clearly indicated on their job description.
·    Showing up distracted. Even if there are one hundred and one tasks waiting for you outside of an interview, you should turn off all distracting thoughts and focus on the interview now. It will only take a few minutes of your time anyway.
·    Trying to be someone else you’re not. Remember that interviews are meant to gauge if you are fit for the job they have in mind, not to mold you into someone they want to work with. Just give your best answers and try not to be too intimidated by what’s happening around you.
·    Too much stuff will bring you down. Just bring your resume, cover letter and yourself, nothing else. Unless of course, if requested by the company or the hiring manager. Take out coffee cups are not welcomed either.