However, you should always only ask banal questions about parking spaces or canteen food once you have already received an offer. In the first conversation, your questions should only relate to the job and the organization of the company.
5. Taboos in job interviews
Make sure the conversation flows smoothly. Don’t answer questions too briefly, but get to the point and never stray from the topic. Always maintain eye contact with everyone you are talking to and smile appropriately from time to time. If you are asked to briefly outline your CV, do not start with your birth, but highlight highlights that describe your motivation and that relate to your qualifications for the advertised position. Your conversation partners will definitely ask if you would like some points to be presented in more detail.
Openly address gaps in your CV or sticking points, but do not emphasize them too much. Above all, don’t look for lengthy justifications for changing jobs during your probationary period or for changing jobs too frequently. State the reasons for the change briefly and objectively and focus your presentation on the future and your motivation.
A clear taboo is speaking negatively about previous employers, superiors or colleagues. It is easy for an experienced HR manager to lure you out of your reserve if the real reasons for changing jobs are based on insurmountable conflicts. So don’t fall into the trap of talking out of the box. Always answer questions about the reason for the job change objectively and steer the conversation back towards the future. If you can’t answer technical questions, say openly that you don’t have any experience here, instead of beating around the bush or even guessing.
6. Personal life is not a topic for the interview
Your private life is also none of the HR decision makers’ business. You do not have to come out about private matters during the interview and should not do so. However, some jobs also require that, for example, the family agrees that the partner is willing to travel. However, the sole point here is that such points have already been discussed with the family or will now be discussed after the conversation. Talking extensively about your family situation or very private matters have no place in the interview.
7. Pay attention to confidentiality
Taking work samples with you to the interview is a good opportunity to show the company what you have already developed or designed in the past. However, you must be careful not to present confidential documents or mention customer names without their consent. Official references from your current employer, in which you have played a key role, are not critical here and provide a good insight into the added value you bring to the company.
