What Not to Say in a Job Interview

From the Wall Street Journal http://www.fins.com/Finance/Articles/SB130313870461006621/What-Not-to-Say-in-a-Job-Interview?Type=4&reflink=djm_emailfinshouse_may1911_wsjfr
What Not to Say in a Job Interview
By Kelly Eggers
It's not all that difficult to completely blow a job interview.
Showing up late, wearing inappropriate clothing and answering your cell phone are a few good ways to kill your chances. But sticking your foot in your mouth will do the job as well.
Many hiring managers say that on occasion, candidates that seem perfect at first get crossed off the list by saying something senseless when asked a routine interview question.
Here are a few responses to some of those frequently asked questions that will be sure to kill the conversation and send you straight out the door.


1: So, tell me a little about yourself.
If your answer begins with anything remotely related to your place of birth, experiences in grade school, or your bad relationship with your parents, you can pretty much consider the interview over. And remember, this is often the first question you'll face.
It's hard to know what exactly an interviewer is looking for you to say to this question, but it's safe to assume they want you to give a bit of background on your professional history. "Ask them where they'd like you to begin," says Carolyn Thompson, an executive recruiter and author of 10 Steps to Finding the Perfect Job. Are they looking for your entire professional background, or just your most recent work experience? "It gives you a point to work forward or backward from," Thompson explains.


2: Why do you want to leave your current job?
First and foremost, you should actually want to leave your job if you're going on interviews. If you meet that qualification, you shouldn't say you are just looking for a change and you definitely shouldn't badmouth your employer.
"It's ok to bring up a problem with your current employer," says J. Patrick Gorman, co-founder of the iFind group, an executive recruiter based in New York, "but you have to show how you attempted to solve it so you don't sound like a whiner."
Rita Boyle, a senior executive search consultant with New Jersey-based Cornerstone Search Group, suggests explaining how the change is the next logical step for your career path.
"Explain why you're running to their company instead of why you're running away from your current one," Boyle says
Other no-nos? Noting that you want to leave your company (or join a new one) because of anything relating to location, pay, or benefits.


3. What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
The worst way to answer this question is without the slightest pinch of modesty.
"'Weaknesses? I don't have any weaknesses,' is the worst thing possible to say," says Gorman. A less-obvious-but-still-awful answer? Identifying a weakness, but not explaining how you got through it, he says. It's important to acknowledge your downfalls, but explain how you've been able to work around them as well.
When it comes to discussing strengths, don't give yourself an endlessly glowing review -- but don't go with a one-size-fits-all answer, either.
Mark Herschberg, a career skills professor at the Levin Institute in New York City, says almost every candidate trots out a platitude about being smart or hard-working.
"In those cases, I respond, '95% of the candidates gave me that same answer, can you tell me anything that distinguishes you from them?'" he says.


4. How would your current or former colleagues describe you?
This is not an opportunity to simply re-frame your strengths. "There's a difference between how you and everyone you work with would describe you," says Thompson.
You should also steer clear of responses like "the only employee who did things right," or "a great guy to hang out with after work," says Lynne Sarikas, director of the MBA career center at Northeastern University's College of Business Administration.
Think about what people at each level of the workforce look to you for, says Thompson. Your subordinates, for example, might say you're fair, and are always looking to pass along useful knowledge and opportunities to gain experience.


5. What is your goal for the short term?
Never imply that you'll be leaving in short order to start your own business, go back to school, or that you see yourself in the interviewer's job. Another gaffe? Not knowing what your interviewer means by "short term."
You might define short-term as the next six months, and your interviewer might be thinking in terms of the next 18 to 24 months, so it's important to clarify the timeframe upfront. "A lot of people think 'I know what my short-term goal is,' but if you don't know their definition of 'short term,' your answer may or may not be appropriate," says Thompson.


6. Are there certain tasks or types of people you don't like?
This is a particularly loaded question, according to Steven Raz, co-founder of Cornerstone Search Group, so make sure to tread carefully. Steer clear of any answer that is abrasive to authority figures, he counsels.
At the same time, Bruce Hurwitz of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, a New York City executive recruiting firm, advises not to feign a universally agreeable demeanor. Be honest here, and note the things you tend to avoid -- whether it's people who are overly chatty, or jobs that require endless data input -- as long as the tasks or personalities aren't going to be an inherent part of the role.


7. Do you have any questions?
If there's a question that's a guaranteed game-changer, it's this one. Coming up blank is a good way to show that you aren't thoughtful or interested in the job, says Raz.
And not just any questions in return are appropriate. No-nos include asking about compensation for the job, what the company does, if you can work from home, how much vacation time you'll get, or if the drug and background testing are really mandatory. Ask queries that will help "match up your skills, experiences and accomplishments with what they're looking for," says Raz.
Instead of fumbling in the final minutes of the interview, be prepared with a few great questions that show you're interested in both the company and the job.

二十二

生日这天晚上在mse的lab和文博周冰一起自习，抽了一支烟。
查邮件，之前基本确定的一件事情得到了官方的确认，心情并没受多大影响，毕竟有了心理准备。
回家，回复facebook朋友们的生日祝福。
写日志。
二十二的第一天这样过未必是坏事情。
但愿在二十二岁这三百多天：
用自己的方式拥抱残酷的生活，
独立思考自己的出路，向随波逐流的俗人俗世说不；
珍惜自己的爱人，对爱人负责；
自己赚钱，训练自己体味生活的不易。

上twitter有感

twitter上关注了一些所谓“异议人士”，看他们批评批判社会的各种不公，看他们为改变现状做着各种努力，也看他们如何遭遇党国的限制乃至报复。同情他们的处境，佩服他们的行为，也为国家的现状扼腕叹息。
我想，一个社会从来都不能缺少另一种声音，另一种声音被压制失声的社会都是不健康的，中国是这样，新加坡也是这样。然而我们又不能尽信这另一种声音。诚然，自由平等民主是当今社会的一味苦口良药。但是，不耐心的改革会把中国带向何方，没有人能预见，没有人能掌握。东欧南美许多国家对民主制度的模仿甚至照搬，带来的社会倒退，都是我们的前车之鉴。实现适合中国的民主制度，需要一代甚至几代人的努力。所以我想，这些“异议人士”只能算是历史的弄潮儿，只能为改变社会的一些不公正现象做点努力，实现真正的改革，还需要更强大的内部动因。而这种历史潮流真正到来时，却也是躲不掉的，苏联，曾经的超级大国，存在了不过不到70年便分崩离析，而如今，新中国也61岁了。所以我们大可静等暴风雨的来临，怕到时也由不得我们静看花开花落去了。我更怕历史再跟我们开一次玩笑，一代伟人毛主席，肩负一个民族对民主共和的期盼，待入主中南海，不还是变了褂，开始做皇帝。这种历史变革的阵痛，还不如不通呢。悲哉世也啊！
最近总是感觉人在社会中的渺小。国家成立60多年，虽初现繁荣之景，但还是感觉拥有的一切可以在旦夕间失去。所以也崇拜“异议人士”，他们有更崇高的理想。而于我，不管是乱世还是盛世，但求苟活于今世。

带一本书本书去美国

今天把题目放在这儿，之后后有连载～
敬请期待！

恭贺老肖

这么个喜事儿，还是得发篇日志说一下。
老肖已拿到百度offer，将转战京城了。
起薪五位数，让我眼红的要命。
老肖的故事一句两句说不完，等他再牛逼点，就可以考虑给他立传了，呵呵。
江山代有才人出，各领风骚数百年。
很期待我们这批人能写出怎样的篇章。
妈的，写老肖，格调不自然就高起来了。。。
老肖，你快来东南亚骑你的车子！

继续叨咕

我想我可能真的很久没有为什么真正付出过努力了，我想以前很玩命学习也不算，因为其实那时候也不太知道为什么要学习，就是被家长一直诱导着傻傻地学而已。
于是最近我突然发现学习是件很快乐的事情，这是种久未有的感觉。当你读几遍讲义，觉得理解加深的时候；当你动动脑子，习题做的有了眉目的时候，都是很让人满足的。
但说真得现在一个人其实很难去享受学习了，学习的内容，学习地节奏，都不是你可以定的，都是别人定好的。所以坚持这种持续的学习，是需要一种定力的，而这种定力来自一种信念，我还没有这样一个信念。我想我现在不过是一种妥协，对生活的妥协，对既定的生活轨迹规则的妥协，主动的因素也有一个，为了家人，他们不欠我的，我欠他们，更重要的，我爱他们。
写到这里，我庆幸地发现，我不完全是一个懒惰懈怠逃离现实的孬种，我的骨子里是有对自己想要生活的描绘与向往的，虽然它现在还不甚清晰，但是我要捍卫我追求自己生活的权利。也许我终会发现，这不过是少年的天真愿景而已，如果有一天我承认了这一点，那只能说明少年已不再了。

叨咕

想了半天题目定成了叨咕，其实我猜这就是“碎碎念”的唐山话版本吧。
苑姐说不管年轻的时候做什么，不要做自己知道的以后一定要后悔的事情，比如说浪费时间，比如说不好好学习。这话被我奉我圣言。
一直在想为什么现在的自己是这样的自己，是什么塑造了我，以为这样能更好的了解自己从而更好的改变自己。但我却一直不知道自己想要变成什么样子，也从未迈出一步真正改变自己。我想也许是我怕什么，或者就是懒惰。大三以来受到各种冲击，二十一岁了，除了爸妈把咱当孩子，别人眼里你都是个男人了。而作为一个七尺男儿，用什么标准我都无法肯定自己。我过了放荡不羁的20年，是时候作一个严肃的人了。
但我想我还是缺少一种信念，以及那种信念带来的定力，以至于自己只是不断地给自己施压，导致一种很不畅快的精神状态，“改变”不能说没有，但与理想中的自己还相去很远。
每个人的成长过程绝对是独一无二的，我都不知道自己怎么就过了叛逆期，现在想家人想得越来越多，想为家人分忧，想给家里帮忙。有时真得觉得自己不是为自己而活，是为了这个家。
我不知道我现在是怎么种精神状态。
我想我可能最近确实是压力有点大。
算了。