Mel felt frustrated in his job search. He had moved from the East to a metropolitan area in the Rocky Mountains two years before for family reasons. He had worked for Fortune 500 companies previously and felt he had a lot to offer potential employers. His phone calls generated interviews with the right people who either owned the business or ran it. They frequently reported that he was overqualified. We met with him and helped him stop saying stupid stuff. He accepted a very good paying and satisfying job within 3 weeks.
Stupid Stuff People Say in Interviews
You may say stupid stuff at a time you want to impress hiring authorities the most. For example, you may say:
- “What medical benefits do you offer? We’re having a baby soon. How soon can we start benefits?”
- “I increased sales to $400 million in 2 years” to a company doing $5 million
- “What does this job do anyway?”
Reasons People Say Stupid Stuff in Interviews
When you understand why you say stupid stuff in interviews, you can stop it. I will present reasons you may say stupid stuff and present solutions to prevent saying stupid stuff.
- Reason: You focus on what you want as a job seeker
- Solution: Recognize that you are looking for someone whose goals or challenges will be achieved with the help of someone with your skills
- Reason: You want to overcome your sense of rejection and low self-esteem by impressing them with your greatest achievements. Instead you raise the red flag that you are overqualified.
- Solution: Share only the information that will convince them you
- Can do the job they want done
- Will fit into their team
- Will provide a good (not exorbitant) return on investment
- Reason: You failed to prepare adequately for the interview by gaining information
- Solution: Always prepare for interviews by gathering information about what they really want before you go to the meeting
Wednesday we review how to stop saying stupid stuff when reconnecting after job interviews
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