10 Awesome Interview Tips from Actual Hiring Managers

10 Awesome Interview Tips from Actual Hiring Managers When you’re aggressively searching for a job, don’t you wish you had some insight into what the interviewer really wants from you â€" and doesn’t want? We’ve found pure, unadulterated comments, complaints, and advice from actual recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals that they wish job seekers knew. Take a look at what they had to say, and pay attention. What you see may help you land that job! Caveat: all hiring managers are different, and what works for one may not work for another. If you can learn from their LinkedIn profile about the person you’ll be meeting with, you may be able to judge which of these tips may work best for them. 1) Know when to be quiet! “It’s OK to stop talking. Ive interviewed far too many people who just dont know when to shut up. Some people are nervous. Some people are unsure. Some people dont think for a second before they start blabbing, and theyre STILL trying to talk over the interviewer as they try to steer them towards the next question.” Reddit One recruiter concurred, saying an otherwise-qualified candidate may dash their chances by being too long-winded during an interview as it may indicate he or she may not be good at picking up on conversational cues and may raise doubts ability the candidate’s ability to organize their thoughts.   US News Another recruiter said that a candidate who kept silent after being asked a difficult question scored bonus points for not answering too quickly. The interviewer said that the silence indicated that the candidate was mature and confident enough to deal with the pressure appropriately. Silence may indeed be golden. Pongo Resume 2) Write a unique, well-prepared cover letter! “Cover letters really are important. Oh, my god, they are so important. Yes, you are repeating much of the same information as your resume, but it’s your chance to show me why it’s relevant to this opportunity. Selling yourself in this manner is a great skill. And so much easier to read than a list. And so much easier to dismiss you if you call the company or the job by the wrong name.” Reddit   A recruiter stated that a small fraction of applicants take the time to produce a unique cover letter, allowing that candidate to stand out and worthy of consideration even when the resume may not be the best.   US News Another was blunt in saying that most cover letter “stink,” and that candidates should endeavor to create a brilliant one. When a great cover letter crosses this recruiter’s desk, it influences his or her interest in the author. The Muse 3) Yes, good manners count! “Dont interrupt the question being asked, by trying to finish it off yourself as if you and I are on the same wavelength. Its rude, downright annoying, and honestly, its pretty cheesy thinking that you are finishing my sentences.” Reddit “Always be nice to the receptionist/anyone you come in contact with when you show up for the interview. If youre a jerk to the person at the front desk, theres a good chance theyll say something to the person youre there to see. Plus, its never too early to start making friends with support staff.” Reddit   4) Be punctual â€" but don’t arrive too early! One recruiter suggests that a candidate arrive no more than five or ten minutes early. Showing up too long before a scheduled appointment may make an interviewer feel rushed, creating an unfavorable impression even before they’ve set eyes on each other. US News “Dont be late either. And if you are, ‘I couldnt find the building’ or ‘I didnt think it would take so long to get here’ are terrible excuses. Makes me think you have no research skills and cant plan ahead.”   Reddit 5) Be prepared! “For goodness sake, do a little research beforehand and have a few questions about the job and or employer lined up. At the end of an interview, if I ask the candidate if they have any questions for me (which I  always  do) and they just sit there slack-jawed, it really feels like they dont want the job. The interview process is your opportunity to figure out if the job is right for you, use it.” Reddit   6) Prove you’re unique! “The most important thing to remember in an interview is that you are competing with other applicants and want to set yourself apart from them. Everyone is qualified for the position, the entire point of the interview is to find out if you can present yourself in real life as well as you do on paper. (And to see if your personality is a good fit for the office.) Your entire job is making them remember you.”   Reddit 7) Be honest! “Dont liejust dont do it. You will be found out. It might not happen immediately but the truth will come out and what might seem like a small lie will snowball into something out of control.” Reddit Another recruiter recommended avoiding using “perfectionism” as the answer to the question, “what’s your greatest weakness?” You may come off as disingenuous and may even look like you’re avoiding the question. Not being realistic may make the interviewer think you can’t or won’t come up with a realistic assessment of areas for improvement.  US News 8) Speak up! “It seems so basic, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people â€" even at senior level â€" don’t bother to do their homework properly about the companies and people they are being interviewed by. There is no excuse for it in the age of the internet, and it makes us think ‘why should we employ you when you can’t even be bothered to find out how we work?’”  Career Structure 9) Follow up! An interviewer stated that a thank-you note sent as a follow-up to a meeting isn’t just good manners. More than one in five hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder  say they are less likely to hire a candidate who didn’t send a thank-you note. Career Builder “Follow up is huge, in my experience. I dont see this enough from candidates I interview. Getting an email or a letter from someone I interviewed would make them stand out from the other people applying for the job both because its rare, and because it shows they are actually interested in the position. The follow-up shows youre interested in the employer, and that theyre not just one of a hundred employers youre sending resumes to.”   Reddit   Even if you think an offer is in the bag, you can always improve your chances of getting the job if you send a thank-you letter. Fast Company   10) But be patient! “Please dont follow up every day. It doesnt show that youre more dedicated or enthusiastic. At best it will come off as annoying, at worst it will feel like you dont respect the persons time. You have to remember that the hiring managers/interview team are making these decisions on top of their regular responsibilities, so dont get too discouraged if you dont hear back right away.” Reddit   “My advice? Send thank you emails after each interview and then wait. If you get another offer in the interim and are going to accept, inform the recruiter. I think every recruiter on the planet wants to give their candidates a first-class experience, but we have limited resources. If you’re too aggressive or unpolished during the interview process, companies will think, ‘Wow, this person is going to be really high maintenance if we do hire them. Pass!’” Brazen   Again, every interviewer is different, and not all will agree with every single one of the above tips. But we found many hiring professionals each of whom expressed the same opinion on the above topics. Paying attention to these tips may very well help distinguish you from your competitors and help you get the job. Author: Lewis Lustman; I’m a recovering UCLA English major who loves communicating using today’s variety of media. As Content Marketing Manager for HireRight, I have the privilege and opportunity to discover and share new perspectives on the background check process.