7 Questions Job Seekers Ask That Can Stop A Job Interview Cold

iStockphoto.com (ALLVISIONN)

The job interview is a minefield. You’re being judged intensely, it’s almost like being on trial – interviewers analyze and scrutinize your every answer. They even assess your personality to decide whether they'd enjoy spending eight hours a day in your company.

You know the drill - your interviewers have run out of questions for you. Now, they ask you if you have any questions for them.

Home free, right?

Many interviews go south at this point. Asking careless questions of your interviewers (like any of the seven below) can kill your chances of landing the job, and stop your interview cold.

Question 1: "What is the salary range for this position?"
Why it’s so dangerous: This is the atom bomb of candidate questions, guaranteed to derail just about any interview. It’s considered presumptuous for a candidate to bring up salary, and most interviewers find it distasteful and tactless. True, employers ask candidates for their salary history and expectations – but that’s the way they like it.
Do this instead: Avoid bringing up the topic. It’s radioactive. Salary will come up in due time, then you'll have more leeway to probe the issue.


Question 2: "Will I be required to carry a cell phone?"
Why it’s so dangerous: The question carries a strong negative implication. Some interviewers may infer that you're unwilling to work after standard office hours.
Do this instead: Ask, "What would a typical week in this role look like?" You'll get a sense of the hours involved. If it starts to sound like a 24/7 job, presume the cell phone will be essential.


Question 3: "When does the company conduct its salary reviews?"
Why it’s so dangerous: This conveys that you may already looking ahead to getting a raise you haven’t yet earned, or may be bracing for a distastefully low offer.
Do this instead: Once you receive an actual offer, then it's okay to start asking about questions about the compensation process. At that point you're negotiating, and the topic becomes fair game.


Question 4: "Does this position offer the opportunity to work from home?"
Why it’s so dangerous: Consider this – the interviewer would probably prefer to be working from home right now, but can’t because the job requires her to be in the office. Interviewing you.
Do this instead: Proceed at your own risk. If you will only consider work-at-home positions, by all means ask away. Just realize that if it wasn't indicated in the job advertisement, then it probably isn't an option.


Question 5: "What is the company’s maternity / paternity leave policy?"
Why it’s so dangerous: You may have intended to explore the company's benefits, but inadvertently planted a seed in your interviewer’s mind that you already plan to be absent for a substantial period of time from the job you haven’t even been offered yet. Never mind what the Family Medical Leave Act says – the interviewer will be thinking about the deadlines they’ll miss if they hire you.
Do this instead: Ask Human Resources about maternity and paternity policies after you get an offer. Better yet, see if it's listed in the company's benefits brochure.

Question 6: "What can you tell me about the company?"
Why it’s so dangerous: Did you bother to do any research before coming to this interview? It’s expected that you'll know something about the organization before walking through the door. You'll look lazy and unprepared by asking this.
Do this instead: Ask targeted questions about the culture, the role, and the company strategy.

Question 7: "Are you seeing anybody?"
Why it’s so dangerous: Yes, in my days as a recruiter I’ve had misguided candidates ask interviewers on dates. You won't get the job. You probably won’t get the date, either.
Do this instead: Don't. Just... don't. Regardless of whether you think you had "a moment" in that interview room, put out of your mind the possibility that this is a potential dating opportunity.

---

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

6 Important Questions To Ask Before Quitting Your Nightmare Job

That's the third laptop this week... | iStockphoto.com (RomoloTavani)

We spend more than a third of our lives at work. What do you do if that portion of your life feels like a living hell?

Here are some nightmare scenarios you may be encountering:

Toxic Work Environment. The company sold you a bill of goods on the interview. Morale is bad, your coworkers are worse, and expectations are shifting and unrealistic. A 40-hour workweek is a pipe dream compared to the 70+ hours you’re currently logging.

Your skills no longer meet the company’s needs. Sometimes a major internal shift occurs that makes you vulnerable. For example, maybe you’re an IT manager who’s been working on 20-year-old technology that’s being sunsetted at the end of the year, and there’s no plans or budget to train you up on the new platform. This kind of thing can also happen with soft skills, too – maybe the CEO is rolling out a new service model and it’s clear you’re having difficulty adapting.

Your boss has it in for you. Perhaps you and your manager have different philosophies. Maybe he wants to replace you with somebody he worked with at his last company. Or, maybe, he’s just evil. Either way, you have a bulls-eye on your back, and when things go south you will be blamed.

You’ve burned out. Sometimes it feels like you have nothing left to offer – no passion, no interest, no energy, and no motivation.

Or, maybe, your situation is a combination of all the above. In any event, you have a knot in your stomach just thinking about work, and you’re popping Rolaids like candy in order to battle back chronic acid reflux.

A thought crosses your mind: “This job is horrible, I should just quit. I can find another job.”

Acting on this is another matter. We depend on our job in order to eat and to put a roof over our head. Here are six important questions to ask yourself before deciding to quit your nightmare job.

1. Is the situation temporary? Let’s say your manager is the primary source of your aggravation ­– is he filling in as the boss while the company has a vacancy, or is he settled into the role for the long term? If he’s an equity partner, then he’s clearly not going to move on anytime soon.
    

2. Can you fix the situation? It’s not always possible for the boss to know everything that’s going on in the organization. If a process is broken, sometimes your manager has the power to remedy it, and by telling her she can address it. If the issue is skills related, perhaps you can take a class on your own time. And if you’re having a major personality clash with a coworker that’s causing your pain, sometimes a direct conversation can resolve it. But, sometimes not.
    

3. Can you afford a break in employment? True, you’ll have time available to interview for jobs, but finding a new job takes time, and you won’t be collecting a paycheck while you’re on the hunt. Incidentally, if you quit you won’t qualify for unemployment pay.
    

4. Will my employer pay me to leave? Many senior executives negotiate a severance package prior to accepting a job – if you’re lucky enough to fall into this category, you’ll have an idea of what your financial safety net will look like. But even if you’re not a member of the executive suite, there may still be the potential of a severance package. Some companies are image conscious, and may be willing to discuss some sort of severance in order to maintain their image and provide you with a soft landing – but don’t count on this, as it’s usually the exception, rather than the rule. Severance packages tend to be offered when it’s the company’s decision to part ways, not yours.
    

5. Will my reputation take a hit? As a general rule, candidates who are currently employed tend to be more desirable, whereas candidates who are unemployed tend to generate questions and doubts by potential employers. Trust me, they’ll dig at this during the interview to see if they can uncover your flaws that contributed to your unemployment – fairly or unfairly. Also, you will damage your position during salary negotiations; instead of negotiating a package from a position of strength where the company needs to put together an attractive compensation package to entice you to leave your current opportunity, you’re in the less desirable position of negotiating with minimal leverage.
    

6. Are my skills in demand? Take a serious look at your job market. If your skills are in high demand, employers may be more ready and willing to take a chance on you. If the market for your line of work is flooded with unemployed professionals, prepare for a slow, painful ride.

---

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

The 6 Traits Hiring Managers Really Want

iStockphoto.com | Monkeybusinessimages

While every hiring manager tends to look for something a little different in a candidate for their open job, here are the six traits I've consistently seen managers look for as they conduct interviews.

TRAIT #1: Job Skills and Qualifications
REASON: Seems like a no-brainer, right? But when an employee doesn't work out because they don't possess the basic requirements of the job, it can be painful (and costly) for the organization to either coach the individual up or replace them. Since hiring can be risky, hiring managers often fall back to passing on an individual if they aren't sure they have the technical and people skills.
HOW TO SHINE: Read the job description before the interview; it will give you a very clear idea of the hard and soft skills the employer needs for the role. Eliminate the hiring manager's doubt by preparing and providing concrete examples of how you have used these skills in the past.

TRAIT #2: Likeability
REASON: No secret here. People like to work with people they like, who fit into the culture of the organization. Since a hiring manager will be spending more than a third of their life with anyone they hire and team chemistry matters, they may prioritize personality as highly as they do technical skills.
HOW TO SHINE: Use the manners your mother and father gave you. Smile. Be polite. Dress nicely for the interview. Send thank you notes. Come armed with great job references from former managers and coworkers who can gush at length about what a pleasure it was to work with you. And do your research about the culture of the company, so that you can talk about how well you'll fit in.

TRAIT #3: Team Orientation
REASON: Does the candidate know how to work well with others? In this age of cross-functional collaboration, teamwork isn't just a nice-to-have, it's essential.
HOW TO SHINE: Demonstrate that you've been able to move seamlessly into different working relationships based upon the needs of the situation. Talk about the times you've led,  the times you've been led, and how you've partnered successfully with your peers to get the job done.

TRAIT #4: Energy
REASON: The workplace tends to be a fast paced environment with heavy expectations, and a low-energy interview may work against a candidate. A calm and measured demeanor may be great for some roles (librarians and brain surgeons come to mind), but positions with rapid-fire deadlines require a bit more pizazz.
HOW TO SHINE: Convey a sense of excitement and animation during the interview. Sit forward in your chair. Provide examples of how you dealt with tight deadlines, adapted to fast-moving work environments, and successfully brought programs to conclusion.

TRAIT #5: Adaptability
REASON: Companies change priorities – often – and they need employees who can change right along with them. If hired, how will the candidate deal with frequent reorganizations, new assignments, and shifting deadlines?
HOW TO SHINE: Talk about the times you've had to adjust to shifting responsibilities and expectations, and how you managed to succeed in spite of these.

TRAIT #6: Growth Potential
REASON: In other words, is the candidate promotable, or will they spend the rest of their life in the role for which they get hired? Managers are often judged for their ability to identify and groom the next superstar.
HOW TO SHINE: Provide examples of people you've managed, mentored, and coached. Make sure your resume shows career progression, with added responsibility over a period of time. Were you an individual contributor (i.e., non-manager)? Talk about projects you've managed.

---

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and career coaching services, including a free resume review. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.