Things that should be obvious when on a job search.

Nah. You turned a response on an application form into a rant about education in general.

Nah, I didn't.

see what you want. I made one observation, you're the one dragging it out.

my responses to your segway stop here.

Yes I agree 110% - do you know how many resumes I have seen that have misspellings. Now granted I am a horrible speller myself, but a huge part of my department is attention to detail! How the H*ll do you think you come across with misspellings?

I've gotten that as well - I had some one calling (after they are late) for directions. Scary.

I've seen both where I work. Not sure which is acceptable - obviously overdressing in my opinion is better than underdressing.

Be able to express yourself with a conherent complete thought. I once sat through an interview with some one - some one with several years past experience - and did not hear one coherent answer. I could not even follow what this person was saying. It was as if he was putting together words randomly. It was the most painful interview in my life.

Keep in mind that many people have difficulty with the interviewing/job seeking process. Unless you're a natural salesman, you will struggle to walk the fine line between expressing what you need from an employer and sending the right messages to them about what you offer. You will be nervous, will forget words and names, may even laugh inappropriately. As someone who has always sucked at interviewing and job seeking but who is very good at my job, let me just say that you, the interviewer, can do a lot to communicate your expectations and set the tone so that you are able to truly evaluate whether someone is a good fit for your organization or just a good interviewer. I might even go so far as to say that those who are really good at interviewing are good because they've had a lot of practice -- i.e. they've been looking for work more than they've been working. (No offense Jespah.)

I think it's easy to get off on the power you have as an interviewer. I've been on interview teams with guys who wanted to play psychological intimidation games and quiz the applicant on inane and irrelevant technical trivia. For every sucky candidate I'd wager there are at least two sucky interviewers. That's my 2 cents.

I have to laugh because I realize how many misspellings and incorrect words I've already put in this thread.
But, if I needed to hand this in as work, it would be corrected beforehand.

Word.

I interviewed with a major computer manufacturer in Austin, once. Initial contact was with HR folks, who were friendly and seemed genuine. Then I had a phone interview with a technical person. He was incredibly rude.

I agree with some of what you way, and disagree with other parts.

I don't believe you have to be a natural salesman to get your point across, and walk a fine line. Just be your natural self.
On the other hand, I do think that some people could "get off" on the power of being the interveiwer. That however is very foolish.
I think it's important to get the candidate to feel at ease, and not like this is some life or death situation.
If someone laughed inappropriately out of nervousness when I was talking with them, I'd very likely make a comment that was intended as humorous, and laugh too, so the other person could recover, laugh naturally, and realize they are talking with another human being.

I know people get nervous. I think it's a shame when the other person preys on that and makes it worse.

If however, I determine that you're handing me a line, I'll let you talk yourself into a corner. I don't see that as a power thing, just letting you be accountable for yourself.

Oh, here's another one.... If I ask a question, and you evade it, I notice. I'm not going to forget the question either, and I'll circle back around to it while making conversation.

Ha! I realized I must sometimes sound like Columbo.
You don't respond in what I consider a complete or honest manner, I'll listen closely to see if you're going to answer it in some other way later. Some people aren't holding back, they just tell things in a different way. If however, I don't get what I need I'll get back to it.

"Oh, just one more thing...."

"You know, I'm not clear on something you were saying earlier...."

Actually I've given many an interviewee the benefit of the doubt - like the nervous laughter, etc. I had one person say at the end - thank you for at least speaking with me - made it sound as if he didn't expect to get the job...and he was actually a good candidate besides that comment - I let it go as nervousness.

This one person above though was beyond anything I've experienced. He couldn't complete a thought. It wasn't mumbling, it was the words made no sense. Stuff came out that were words but not any thoughts. Like saying .."I know red spreadsheets spell words." It was really really odd - I couldn't understand a thing he was trying to say. Not the actual words, but what he meant at all. And he was currently in a professional job directly related to what we were looking for, but he was incapable of explaining it. He could talk, but what he said made no sense.

linkat, would this guy have to interact much with people?

That's the difference if you were corresponding in something that matter - because of course we don't matter - you do you due dilligence.

Funny on spelling - we received an email regarding one of the buildings and an issue with no water. In it, (knowing you cannot use the toliets without water) it said, sorry for the incontinence (instead of inconvenience).

on your entire post.

I always try to get the person being interviewed to be comfortable. Sometimes though they get too comfortable. The reason being is, I want them to be themself - I want them to feel they can honestly answer - in my opinion both parties should be interviewing - it is important that the position is a good fit both ways - you look for the win-win situation.

Making them comfortable, you tend to get a feel more for who they are. I can usually tell if someone can do the basics of a job by simply reading their resume - but to get a good candidate you really need to get at the other harder to read qualifications that putting some one on edge, you'd never find out. Unless of course you are looking for someone who can handle lots of pain and stress.

This does not excuse all the employers who say that they will get back to you either way,then dont do it. Laziness and lack of consideration is not as bad as dishonesty.

None taken. It took me a long, long time (and a lot of missed opportunities) before I became decent at interviewing. Some of that had to do with going for jobs I didn't really want (never really wanted to be a lawyer, but I did it for 3 years. Oof) and also not feeling I could toot my own horn. Felt dishonest and like I was grandstanding, neither of which were the case.

Oh, I don't know, jes. I had the opposite problem. I was so good at interviewing that I wound up getting a bunch of jobs I really didn't like.

It took me a long time to figure out that I should be interviewing THEM at the same time.

That was quite a rant, and that's fine if you have the luxury of finding work on your own timeframe, but for many I don't think that's sound advice. Employers these days can get hundreds of applications for relatively crappy jobs, and I'd wager scarce few run through all of them just to be thorough or fair. I sure as hell don't, rather, with prospective employees and client's alike I do some pre-qualifying, ask enough questions to get a general feel for whom I'm talking to, and then go straight to interviews. By the time many (most?) employers got around to a second wave of initial contacts; the position would likely be filled. In short; there is truth to the adage the early bird gets the worm.

I think job seekers today would fair far better, far faster, if they concentrated their efforts and used some common sales strategy. Pick a field that interests you, figure out who does the hiring in a couple dozen places at a clip by making phone calls in round one. In the next round of calls; ask for that person specifically. I wouldn't say, "may I speak to John Doe please?"... rather I'd say, "Hey ____, is John in? Bill Ward (Silence!)(answering the question of "who's calling before it's asked, and implying a familiarity and expectancy of compliance, that will greatly increase my chances of blowing right past the gate-keeper.) "Hey John, did I catch you at an okay time? (Listen) Bill Ward... I'm told you’re the man to talk to about ____and that’s what I aim to do for you."

Now this direct approach will be considered rude or at least too aggressive by some, but this is how I do business anyway and those who will want to employ me will usually appreciate the demonstration of efficiency (and I won't lose a second of sleep to those who don't appreciate it anyway.) If allowed to; I will conduct the pre-interview just as efficiently (as if it were my approval being sought), cover all the bases (except money) and lock down an interview that, "meets with both of our calendars", ASAP. There is an old adage that if you want something done; find someone who's busy... so it naturally follows that if you want someone to believe you can get something done; be busy in your pursuit.

I don't do the corporate thing, so in most cases the guy/gal I'm talking to has better things to do than interview another couple dozen people for a job I can fill right now... and I'm not afraid to point that out either.

I answer my phone most any time for important callers. If I'm truly busy; "Let me step outside (or call you back in __ minutes) so I can give you my undivided attention, okay?" If broke or hungry, I wouldn't want to miss a prospective employer’s call. I would treat every one with an expectation of a job offer, while making sure I had plenty of irons in the fire in an attempt to provide the luxury of choosing one that suits me.

Treat finding work like you would a job, take pride in it, and do it to the best of your ability just as efficiently as you can. <--If this is who you are at work; demonstrating it in the pursuit of same will likely benefit you.

Absolutely.

Sometimes, if I really like someone, but I've got a feeling that maybe they are feeling a little hesitant, I'll let now that at any stage of the process (and there's going to be at least 3 more interviews) to please let us know if you're no longer interested.

I'll say, and I mean this really sincerely, so it comes across as real, something to the effect of "We only want to bring on the best, and you've made it to this stage, so that says something. You know you'll be spending a lot of your time with us, like in a marriage. Right now we're just dating, and either one of us can decide we don't want to go further. We'll be honest and upfront with you if we don't think this will work out, and we ask the same of you.

That sounds kinda corny in writing, but I've had people say to me, "Well, thanks I appreciate that" It empowers them I think.