Top 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates and How to Fix Them

Top 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates and How to Fix ThemTop 6 Mistakes Made by Overeager Candidates - and How to Fix Them As in romantic relationships, hiring managers avoid an over-eager suitor. You know the type - after one date or one conversation, theyre calling, texting and wanting to see you every day in a constant attempt to convince you that theyre the one. Unfortunately, this only has the opposite effect. Desperation is relationship repellant, and thats true when it comes to hiring as well.If you want to avoid turning hiring managers off with an excessively keen attitude, make aya to fix these bad habits.Have you ever been to a department store where the salespeople keep trying to push the store credit card? With every No thanks the salesperson gets, the more they list benefits and tell you how great the card is and why youd be a fool to walk out without it. Interviews can go the same way. You have to sell your strengths without overselling . T he Fix Ask strategic questions, listen and treat the interview like a business meeting - which is what it is.If the interviewer says, Were looking for someone who can expand our product market to Canada, your response should consist of more than, Sure, I can do that Go deeper. Ask about their strategic plan and the biggest issues they face as they try to accomplish the expansion. You may elend have the job yet, but offer suggestions as if you do. Tie the topic to an example from your own career, where you overcame a business expansion challenge. Give them specifics about the results you got. By simply having a business conversation, youre able to sell yourself without overselling. Remember, its not about you - its about the companys needs. How can you solve their problem?When you give answers to questions you werent asked, or go on at length, you can ramble yourself right out of a job. Unfocused talk shows you dont listen well and cant answer a simple question. I get it One to pic often leads to another, and you get excited about the subject, but be careful. In addition to being rude, you can open yourself to questions you dont want to answer.The Fix Trim the fat by practicing your answers ahead of time. Your interview isnt a therapy session, and practice really does make perfect. With practice, you get your answers right and tight. Try to do a few mock interviews too, with a friend who will be honest with you when you get off track. Its one thing to perform in-depth research on a company or interviewer, but its another to list all the ways youve stalked them online. Dont get me wrong, Im in favor of Googling companies and interviewers, but you have to keep it professional. Be careful not to get into their personal life. The Fix Dont focus on personal pages during your interview prep. With Google, everything comes up, but in an interview, you have to avoid initiating topics that you found on non-business-related sites like personal social media pages. If the interviewer brings up a personal topic, dont respond with something like, Oh yes, I saw your facebook inc post about that Follow their lead.Well be in touch doesnt mean show up to the office unannounced to drop off materials and check in. Once the interview is over, the last thing recruiters or hiring managers want to see is a candidate returning when they werent invited.The Fix This comes back to preparation. If you have prepared properly, there should be no need for additional materials. Leave the ball in their court. In your post-interview thank-you email , say youre available if they need additional materials or information. Thats whats expected. Dont follow up multiple times, especially when you havent heard anything back the first time.The interviewer is not your friend and shouldnt be treated as such. The best interviewers have a way of making you relaxed and comfortable, but be careful not to get relaxed to the point where youre talking in a manner and tone thats unprofessional. No matter how casual the environment, or how much rapport you have with the interviewer, keep it businesslike.The Fix Always remember that an interview is a business meeting, and dont do or say anything that you wouldnt in that context. Simple, right?Its tempting to think that saying Yes to everything the interviewer says gives you an advantage, but it doesnt. When an employer is seeking new employees, theyre looking for fresh ideas, new insights and immediate impact . Theyre not looking for people to agree with everything they say or maintain the status quo. The Fix Remember that they want to hear your ideas, and theyre not looking for cookie-cutter answers. They decided to call you for an interview because YOU had something they were looking for. Be yourself, and give them something only you can giveInterviewing is hard enough. Dont give interviewers a reason to eliminate you from the process before youve even had a chance to showcase your skills. But if youv e got the right qualifications and can maintain a healthy balance between interested and overeager, youve got a great shot at scoring the job.Niya Allen-Vatel is a 3x-certified certified rsum writer, career coach, and brand strategist helping ambitious leaders build their brands to boost credibility, increase opportunities, and establish themselves as an expert in their niche. She is the owner of the ministerprsident career branding service, Career Global , based in New York City.