What Hiring Managers Want

Going to a job interview has to rank rather high on the scariest things you'll ever do list. It doesn't matter how much you read about etiquette, your sure to come away wondering if you did and said the right thing.

A report from the Society for Human Resource Management offers the following advice to job seekers.

• Don't say things like "this is my dream job". According to the report, hiring managers hate that. Maybe they're afraid they won't live up to your dreams, more likely they'll think you're just a suck up.
• Don't skip the thank you follow up. Be sure to get a business card from everyone involved in the interview, then send a simple thank-you email--that's the preferred (and faster) method.
• Don't bug them with phone calls, but it's acceptable to call once. If you're the anxious type, try not to call more than once a week.
• Be sure to clean up your Facebook and Twitter posts. It's becoming normal procedure to lookup candidates, even before granting an interview.

When asked about expected hiring 26% of small companies (100 employers or less) and 24% of medium sized companies (100-449 employees) said their organization is likely to increase staff during the fourth quarter. Only 11% (500+ employees) said their employers are more likely to maintain staff levels. So your odds are better at finding a job with a smaller organization.