Get The Interview Right

You want to be seen as smart in a job interview. But it better not come at the expense of your future boss or teammates.

Suppose you're interviewing for a dream job that calls for both intellectual chops and attention to detail. Naturally, you're eager to impress. But while preparing - because you always do your homework before an interview, right? - you found a mistake in something created by the team you're interviewing for.

You might have spotted it in a research report, a page from the company's Web site, or a blog post your interviewer wrote. Do you find a way to mention it - to show how much you're on the ball?

No!
No matter how diplomatic you try to be, the risks simply outweigh any possible benefits. Appearing arrogant or egotistical is the kiss of death for any job candidate. And that's exactly what you'd risk if you cited a mistake in your interviewer's work.

Remember: Your goal is get the job. Once you've joined the company, don't hesitate to head off errors to improve your team's work. An interview is not the place to bring up a mistake that was made by your prospective boss.

Besides, showing you're smart at someone else's expense is simply bad politics - in any interview situation. Even when you're talking about former supervisors and colleagues, you should always praise. Whether you believe it or not, remember: Your boss was never wrong.

The bottom line: Find some other way to show you're smart.