Interview Tip# 4365.8 - Avoid the Excuse Zone!

In an interview, your questions can help clarify some very important issues regarding the opportunity:
-How the employer trains new staff
-What his/her expectations are
-Opportunity for growth
-Why the job is open

All good topics you may wish to bring up.

However, be certain to avoid "The Excuse Zone."
Let's discuss what's there:
-Vacation Time
-Sick Time
-Break Times
-Lunch Hour
-# of days you can be late
-# of personal calls you could make

EVERY issue you raise there is about you NOT working. What you are doing is putting a thought into an employer's head that you are looking for ways to get out of work. That's why I called this "The Excuse Zone" in Career Services training I used to do. Any interview questions you ask about time off give the employer the impression that you may not want to work, and can give the employer the EXCUSE not to hire you!

So, during the interview stay away from the "Excuse Zone." Ask NONE of those type of questions. Clearly, those type of questions aren't going to help you get the opportunity.

Are issues like "time off" or "lunch hour" important? Absolutely. However, they don't matter until you actually WORK there, right?

Therefore, here's what you can do to get that info! When an employer offers you a job, that's the time to say something like "Wonder if you could clarify how time off is accrued" or "How do you configure sick and vacation time?" Since they are offering you the job, they aren't going to mind telling you what HR will likely tell you when you fill out paperwork.

As they are calling you to make you an offer, they are usually quite happy to answer questions about time off, benefits, etc. They want you to be there, so it's a good time for you to ask those questions! That way, you can decide whether or not to accept the offer with most of the possible information you need available to you.

Most importantly, you GET to an offer stage.

During an interview, all that EXCUSE ZONE questions can offer is a chance for employers to pass on you as a candidate.