A few things not to say during an interview

I was lucky enough to go into an interview this past week at an amazing place and was reminded of how my mouth can run away from me faster than a speeding locomotive.

When I discussed how I thought I did this past weekend with my boyfriend, he explained that perhaps I was a bit too personal, or even too forward, with my responses to my interviewer.

Over brunch we created a list of things not to do during interviews and the following emerged:

1.) Do not bring up your day to day life if it does not apply directly to the job you're interviewing for- I made the mistake of bringing up my family a bit. No one really needs to know what your dad thinks about Twitter, or your mother's quest to find you a job. What they do care about is you and what you think. I know that to me my family is a big part of my life and who I am, but my thoughts are not always directly linked to theirs.

2.) When asking about salary, do not just ask "how much am I getting?"- My friend Scott mentioned that the best way to ask without seeming all about the cash is to say "Will there be a stipend?" and then they can tell you, or respond with "It will be full-time pay". With the market the way it is, occasionally job posts will neglect to mention if there will be salary; I've been on a few interviews where they will only respond with "unpaid" if you ask them if there will be compensation. Everyone looking for a job is looking for money, even when they fail to ask how much.

3.) Don't ramble- I am a nervous interviewer. My brain works quickly and can run to any tangent. I find that even bringing a notebook to an interview and keep tabs on what your current job entails, or previous things you've done in correlation to the job you're interviewing for helps to hold the focus in the here and now, rather than discussing what you had for lunch as it pertains to the quantum theory of relativity.

4.) Be personable, but not overly friendly- I have a tendency to want to be everyone's friend. I will openly tell someone my social security number if I like them enough on the spot. The interviewer is not your best friend, but someone scrutinizing your every move. This is not to say they are not kind or understanding or equally friendly, but everything you say or do can be interpreted differently by someone who has yet to get to know you. Be kind, be thorough in explainations of what you do, but it's probably best to keep your brother's hygiene habits or your sister's boyfriend's Honda Civic breakdowns to yourself.

5.) Keep Relaxed- What always manages to get me through, no matter how nervous I am, is the image of my mom and dad and how proud they are of me. My mother may look up jobs for me and then call me at 11pm while I'm sleeping to tell me to apply ASAP, but even if I was loafing on the couch, trying, she'd be proud of me. The thought keeps me balanced, knowing I'll always have a home to come to even if my interview/job/life has botched so completely.

I'm hoping these tips will be a bit helpful. My wording may be a bit off as I am desperately holding onto the plotline of Mad Men for dear life (Those Drapers... Also, bring back Joan!)

Maybe my life isn't exciting. Maybe my family makes up more of my day to day conversations than corporate jargon. Someday someone will see my potential. If only I could remain positive...