If there is one piece of advice you need to follow in your job interview it is to avoid the thought of what is in it for you and concentrate on informing the Interviewer what is in it for them.   

If you’ve made it to the job interview, you have successfully sold yourself in your resume, impressing upon a potential employer that you are a valuable candidate worth interviewing. So don’t stop there! You could just as easily be eliminated in the interview process as in the resume process. Both systems are based on elimination and the goal to find the right candidate is no less important than finding a reason to eliminate you to establish a manageable number of candidates for consideration.

Every aspect of your job interview must be taken into consideration and taken seriously right down to your arrival time! Don’t be too early, as the Interviewer may not welcome the interruption especially if they scheduled a task to complete prior to beginning interviews. Of course if you are late and keep the Interviewer waiting you will probably put yourself at the top of the elimination list. Your appearance and your handshake will create the first impression. If you do not look professional or are unable to put forth a confident handshake, how will you represent their organization? Prepare yourself well. The more knowledge you have about the organization the more confident you will feel. It will also show the Interviewer that you have done your homework and will lend credibility to your assertion that given the opportunity you will exceed their expectations as their new Senior Sales Manager!

What is in it for you does require your consideration but if you want to be considered by the employer, you must convince the interviewer what is in it for them!

Whether you are in a job interview or composing your resume,  Do Not Offer Personal Information! There are those who would like to believe otherwise, wanting to believe the decision maker actually cares but the professional advice offered by experts and decision makers confirms, be professional not personal. 

Jessica Holbrook, a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast has an excellent article posted on the Happen Blog sitecourtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, So Tell Me About Yourself – STOP! It’s a Trick Question. Included are many reasons you do not offer personal information in a job interview.

A Hiring Professional has a long list of requirements necessary to fill a position and you can be assured that their list will not include sexual orientation, how many children you have, if you are single, married or divorced, which sports interest you or if you prefer red or white wine. And everyone knows to avoid religious and political affiliations! While reviewing professional resumes, the objective is to look for any reason to reject it in an effort to reduce the list of resumes from potential candidates to a manageable number of qualified individuals. A reference to irrelevant, personal information may be reason enough to discard your resume. Beyond lacking professionalism, the potential employer may have some concerns regarding your inclination to take days off work to go to the golf course because you have said you are an avid golfer.

A professional resume and job interview should include your qualifications and notable accomplishments throughout your work history. The HR Manager has a responsibility to hire a professional with the ability to fulfill the needs of the company and those needs will not include your personal interests! Offering personal information will likely leave the same impression as showing up for an job interview in blue jeans and running shoes.