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The Interview: Info Better Not Shared

In these times, finding the right job can be difficult if not seemingly impossible. With constant company layoffs and closures, the amount of jobs available per the amount of people seeking jobs is more than a little competitive. This is why acing the interview is so crucial. From experience to skill sets, you’ve probably heard of all the things you need to include in a successful interview with a potential employer; however, do you know what you’re not supposed to share? Many people don’t and this is more often than not, the reason they don’t get the job. Let’s take a look at the most popular topics that you should not share with your interviewer while on an interview.

1.  Lifestyle- Though it may seem a healthy thing to want to share aspects of your lifestyle with a potential      employer in order to make small talk or get closer to them, but talking about your lifestyle is not advised.      What goes under the topic of lifestyle? Your relationships, political views, religion, etc. Any of these parts of      who you are could color their original perception of you, not to mention it isn’t professional.

2.  Health- Moreover, you should never start talking about any temporary or chronic health issues you may      have. Not only does this make you look like a hypochondriac but also a potentially expensive employee-as      far as health insurance is concerned. Moreover, the less healthy they think you are, the less apt you are to      make it into work.

                                                                  3.  Connections- Though you may feel tempted to drop a few names                                                                        of impressive people you may know in thefield, it is better to                                                                        avoid this altogether. First, just because youknow the same                                                                        people does not make you more attractive to them as far as your                                                                        personal merit. Second, it will seem obvious that youare trying to                                                                        impress them-no matter how sly you think you broachthe subject.                                                                        This will look underhanded and/or unattractive as apotential                                                                        candidate. Moreover, if you haven’t been in close contactwith                                                                        these mutual connections for some time, then you won’t beable                                                                        to know what they might have or might have not done recently.                                                                        For all you know, they could have become incarcerated for larceny                                                                        ormoney laundering in the past couple of months -meaning                                                                        yourconnection is no longer impressive. This makes you look like                                                                        a liarand also someone who might be the same type of person as                                                                        theone in jail.

                                                                  4.  Bosses- Lastly, among other things, it is not wise to start talking                                                                        about all your previous employers and why they were horrible to                                                                        work for. Though they may laugh at a reference to one or another, they will not look at you favorably for painting them in a negative light. They will think that you are that type ofemployee-that cannot work well with their bosses and has a problem with authority.

5.  Negativity- Lastly, no matter where your antecdotes or small talk takes you in your conversation with your      interviewer, always always refrain from any negativity in relation to anything you talk about. The very      worst trait that you can have as a potential employee is a negative attitude. Even if you are not a negative      person with a particularly negative attitude-how you talk about anything on your interview will be viewed      as signature of who you are. This said, speaking of anything in anything less than a rosy hued perspective      in your talk with your interviewer will make you look negative, and certainly not an asset to a profitable      company.