#7. Top Ten Interviewing Mistakes: Not ending the conversation
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You and the company representative are talking about sports, travel, and what your plans are for next Christmas. Things are looking up, and she hands you her business card so that you can keep in contact with her – the perfect connection. You take the card, put it in your resume binder, and continue asking her questions. You start to run out of interesting questions so you start to ask her general questions about the job. The people behind you in line are getting impatient but you don’t care because you want to show that you are passionate about the job. If this is you, then you are the Recruiter Hog.
Everyone hates the Recruiter Hog
Your peers hate the hog because he takes up all of the recruiter’s time. Recruiters hate the hog because he never stops asking questions; he doesn’t give the recruiter the chance to meet all of the qualified candidates at the recruiting event.
Chat for less than 10 minutes
As a general rule, you should be able to make a connection with the recruiter and build on it in less than 10 minutes. If you’re not able to make that connection in less than 10 minutes, then don’t waste your time and move onto the next company. Remember, one of the most important things is the culture fit. You want to be interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing you. If you can’t establish a connection with the people who work at the company, then maybe the company just isn’t the right place for you.
More importantly, if you’re able to make the connection in less than 10 minutes, then you want to leave on a positive note. Close by getting her business card and let her know that you’re eager to chat with her by email and hopefully meet for coffee sometime. Closing on a positive note leaves the interviewer with a positive feeling about you.
Talk to every representative
There is usually more than one company representative so make sure to reach out to each one. The first time you go to the company table, speak to one of the representatives and establish a connection. Leave at the right moment and say that you’ll be back before you leave the event. When you come back, ask the representative to introduce you to her colleague. This is an excellent strategy because an introduction is much more effective than just approaching a representative cold. It’s an instant ice breaker and you show that you have credibility because you have been introduced by her colleague.
It is great to show your passion for the company, but always respect the rules of engagement. There is a limit to the amount of time you can spend with the recruiter before she gets bored of you.
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