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Is it Professional to Offer Advice to Your Interviewer?

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interview feedback

Throughout your career, it’s not uncommon to experience dozens of different interviewing processes. After all, the average Baby Boomer holds roughly 12 different jobs throughout their career. And for Millennials, the average worker holds six different positions by the age of 26. As a result, most candidates have experienced a handful of turndowns throughout their job search.

When faced with a turndown, it’s wise to ask for advice from the interviewer or hiring manager on how you can improve in the future. However, what if the shoe is on the other foot? Is it professional to offer advice to an employer you interviewed with when you do not accept the job offer?

Is it professional or appropriate?

As a candidate, you have every right to provide interview feedback to a prospective employer. However, it can be challenging to provide honest feedback after a job interview. It is difficult to offer constructive criticism without worrying about offending someone or possibly even burning a bridge. But how does an employer know there is an issue or speedbump in their interview process if nobody tells them? They may be utterly unaware that part of their process is turning away great candidates, like yourself.

Whether the interviewing process is slow, or they have poor communication, an employer may not know there is an issue if they don’t receive feedback. In today’s tight labor market, employers must streamline their interviewing process and ensure everything goes smoothly. If you offer professional, honest feedback, many employers will be thankful for your input in today’s environment.

How to do it correctly

So, now that you know it is appropriate to provide feedback after an interview, how do you do it professionally? Here are a few tips for delivering your feedback the right way:

Provide feedback in a timely manner

If you want to share your thoughts on how the employer could improve their hiring process, do so promptly. Whether you get the job or not, you must wait for a decision to be made. However, don’t wait for weeks or even a month to give them feedback. Do so shortly after they made a decision. Hiring managers are busy, and to be honest, if you wait too long, they may not remember you or how your interview went. So, if you decide to share your experience, do so shortly after the conclusion of the entire process.

Be precise and clear

With your feedback, be direct and concise. You do not need to sugar coat your thoughts, yet you want to keep your input professional and positive. For example, if you declined a job offer because the employer took too long to decide and you accepted another opportunity, let them know. As long as your feedback is honest, beneficial to the employer, and delivered professionally, you should feel confident in sharing your experience. Never single anyone out or berate the company. Remember, the goal here is to provide advice, not to leave a bad taste in the mouth of a hiring manager.

Overall, delivering feedback to an interviewer is just as tricky as it is for a hiring manager to give to a prospective candidate that failed to receive an offer. But if you genuinely believe that you can share your experience to help an employer improve their process in the future, go for it. If you want to provide feedback but are still uncomfortable with doing so directly to your interviewers, there are sites like Glassdoor that allow you to anonymously share your interview feedback. Just be sure to follow these guidelines, to ensure you deliver your message in an appropriate, professional way!

5 Phrases to Never Say in an Interview

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Interview

Interviews can make or break your chance of getting a job offer. And when you’re interviewing for a company, it’s important to know what you should and shouldn’t do in certain scenarios. So here are five things you should never say during a job interview.

“So what does your company do exactly?”

First off, this is one of the worst things to ask or say in an interview because it shows you didn’t do your homework. Before every interview, you need to be researching the company and know as many facts as possible. If you walk into an interview not knowing what the company does, how are you supposed to demonstrate that you’re a good fit?

If you don’t show initiative and you expect those interviewing you to be “pitching” their company to you, you’re going to be cut from the running of the position. They’re the ones interviewing you. And if you think that not doing your research before coming into an interview will help land you the job, you’re sadly mistaken.

“I hated working for my last company.”

Even if this is 100 percent true, you shouldn’t say this in an interview. It will just give the hiring manager a bad taste in their mouth. Everyone knows there are obvious reasons you’re looking for a new job. But bashing your old company makes you look pessimistic and that you think you’re too good for people. This is obviously not the impression you want to be giving off in an interview.

So, instead of focusing on the negative that has happened in your past work history, focus on all the skills you learned that have prepared you for this new position. Maybe explain how the difficult working conditions helped you advance your leadership skills. This way the interviewees know that even in adversity, you take the high road and do the best you can.

“I need to be paid X amount”

When it comes to discussing salary and benefits, it’s a huge part of negotiating a new job. But if you are in the first rounds of interviews, it can show that you’re a little too eager and expecting to be hired. Which can be seen in a very negative light.

Don’t bring up salary expectations until it is prompted by the interviewee. This way you don’t make the mistake of hiring yourself before the company does.

“I’ll do anything”

The last thing you want to do in an interview is set yourself up for failure. When saying this phrase, it makes you look desperate and that you might be easily taken advantage of. Every company wants employees that will go over and beyond. But they want each person to know they can’t do everything. And it’s impossible to expect someone to do that.

When you say this in an interview, it looks like you just get walked on in a working environment. The last thing you want a new company to think about is that you’ll get burned out quickly and leave.

“I don’t have any bad qualities.”

First, we all have bad qualities. But not being able to spot them is an even bigger red flag for a future company. Of course, no one wants to talk about these weaknesses, but there is a way to make them sound positive instead of negative. With this answer, you’re coming across as someone who doesn’t want to work on themselves. And someone who might not be much of a team player. In an interview, this isn’t the way you want to come across.

So, instead of saying you don’t have bad qualities, just be honest. Make sure you tell them how working on these characteristics has helped you become a better employee. And more willing to work on yourself to get better so that you can help the company become more successful.

Overall, avoiding these statements in an interview will help you tremendously. Interviews can be hard and stressful, but if you’re prepared on what not to do, you’ll be more successful and could even get that job offer you’ve been waiting for.

The Best Interview Advice On LinkedIn

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The Best Interview Advice On LinkedIn

Every Thursday, we do something fun on social media aptly named “Thursday Thoughts,” where we ask our followers to share their insights and advice on various career-related topics. Recently, we asked, “What is the best advice you like to give out before someone you know interviews?”

Here are some of our favorite answers:

“Start off with a firm handshake and eye contact when introducing yourself.”

First impressions are everything when it comes to interviews! You only get one chance to make a great first impression. A firm handshake and eye contact are a great way to start off on the right foot (and don’t forget a smile!).

“At Johnson Search Group, we like to coach our candidates on the due diligence prior to their interview. Doing this aids you in talking points throughout the interview process.”

Doing your research before an interview will boost your confidence and make a notable impact on your interviewer. Try to look for information beyond just the company website. Keep an eye out for social media updates on company culture, any recent news, and search for your interviewer on LinkedIn. Jot down a couple tidbits that you can sprinkle into your interview answers or that inspire a couple end-of-interview questions.

“If you are in the interview room before the interviewer, don’t be on your phone when they come in. I personally think it’s unprofessional and may not be the best first impression.”

Not only does phone scrolling tend to look unprofessional, it’s a waste of valuable time! If you’re waiting for your interviewer to arrive, it’s the perfect opportunity to review your pre-interview notes, get out copies of your resume, or even just to observe the environment around you (you never know what you might learn!).

“Ask questions. It’s not just you being right for the company, it’s if the company is also right for you.”

Asking great questions at the end of the interview will not only show how invested you are in this position, it will help you determine if this is the right company, culture fit, and job for you. (These are some of our favorites!)

And most importantly…

“Prepare, prepare, prepare…. Research the company, ask for the job description, look up your interviewers on LinkedIn. Think of examples to use that highlight your skills, write them down if you need to. Be confident and energetic when communicating the information you gained from this preparation.”

We think Christopher summed it up pretty nicely – never go into an interview unprepared! For more interview, resume, and job search tips, visit the JSG Blog.

Focus on These Five Things to Differentiate Yourself from the Competition

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Focus on these five things to differentiate yourself from the competition.

There are a variety of different things that employers look for when they are hiring new talent. One of them, which often goes overlooked by candidates, is soft skills. Although not known by many, soft skills have a chance to make or break your chance to move on in the job process.

Soft skills are qualities that are important for a well-rounded employee, and it’s important that you highlight them early and often throughout the hiring process. Whether it be conveying them through your resume or showcasing them in an interview, showing a company that you’re capable of more than just “data analytics” or “project management” is extremely important.

Soft skills can be a variety of things; and it’s important that you highlight the right ones that are necessary for the specific job you’re applying for. However, these five soft skills are universal and will definitely help you differentiate yourself from the other candidates no matter what the position is.

1.Leadership

Leadership is one of those soft skills that is easier to include in a resume than in an interview. In fact, many resumes feature a “Leadership” section specifically for highlighting this soft skill. Including leadership skills on your resume will show the company what you’re capable of and will allow you to easily elaborate on in your interview.

Leadership is something that every employer is looking for out of its employees. It’s a necessary skill for collaboration and it also shows the employer that the candidate has accountability. Being a leader means taking responsibility for your actions, and admitting when you have done wrong. When you share your great leadership skills, your interviewer will be able to see what kind of character you have and how you’ll fit in on a team.

2.Respect

Respect is a soft skill that is almost specifically designed for the interview. Now, there are some ways to show respect in a resume, but for the most part you want your respect to shine in the interview. Be polite, say please and thank you, and always make sure you talk in a tone of voice that conveys the respect you have for your interviewer.

If you show respect to those around you during (and before) your interview, you’ll definitely stand out to the company. Managers want respectful employees, and showing you’re respectful in an interview will go a long way.

3.Enthusiasm

Employers love enthusiasm, especially in the hiring process. No company wants to hire someone who isn’t excited about the position, so this one is crucial. This is easy to do during the interview as well as after the interview. All you have to do is show your passion for what you’re applying for. Enthusiasm isn’t anything extra you have to do – it should just come naturally, which makes it easy to convey.

By showing you have enthusiasm, you’re showing the company that you’re all in. You’re showing them that you’re ready to give it 110%. This can be conveyed in a variety of ways, but the easiest way is by saying it. Whether it’s at the end of the interview or in the thank you that you send after, let the company know that you’re excited about the future with them, and it’ll pay off in the end.

4.Confidence

As Willy Wonka said it best, “Well you do seem confident and confidence is key.” The last three words of that quote could not be more true. No matter what you do in life, it is important to be confident in your ability to complete any task. This can be conveyed through resume bullets, as well as in an interview.

When you show a future employer that you have confidence, you show them that you are fully competent for the job you have to complete. They will trust you to out your all into something if you are confident in your ability to perform. If you’re confident in yourself, then that makes it easier for a company to have confidence in you.

5.Work Ethic

This is your meat and potatoes right here, your catch-all. The best part about this one is that you can convey it in your resume AND in any interview setting. When writing bullets for past jobs, talk about how hard you worked and prove it with numbers. When asked about past projects, talked about how much you focused to get the job done. Because this is so important, highlight at every opportunity possible.

Your work ethic can go a very long way for you. After all, you would be getting hired for a job in which you will have to work. If you can explain your past work ethic and how those experiences will help you in the future, then any interviewer will know you are capable of doing what is listed on the job description (and more!)s