Five experiences the interviewer needs to know

Is it me, or is it a brutal job market has turned the interview advice into a sport? Every question seems to make the blogger bump into each other like the 300-pound American rugby league player.

First, when older workers start to raise charges of age discrimination, in reality, their children's unemployment rate is much higher. Then there is the question of whether or not a discriminatory question is illegal in a job interview. And now it's the whole Facebook code debate.

In fact, for all the exaggerated political correctness, everyone and the ACLU are ready to sue the employer for a simple question and all the bad advice from people who don't know what they're talking about, and I don't think there's anything more pleasing than putting me in the line of fire.

However, I think it is necessary to correct the misunderstanding of some of these crazy debates, if 30-year-old children do not have to sleep in their childhood bed, the wall hangs of star posters, and their parents asked them to voice a little bit more good.

I may not be a human resource or Gen Y personal brand, but let's assume I know more about labor laws, interviewing people and being interviewed than I really am. Here are some practical suggestions you can use.

Can the employer ask for your Facebook password?

Yes, they can, and a congressional amendment restricting this practice has recently been canceled. That said, Facebook doesn't think the company should ask you for a username or password, which I think is right. It's scary, I don't think you'll see a respected company like Microsoft (MSFT) or Apple do this kind of thing, it's a free country. Interviewers can ask, but you don't have to satisfy them. If this bothers you, politely decline and go elsewhere to find a job. Restrain your anger and go for a beer that night. If you desperately need a job, empty your account for them. You can choose how to answer, just as their choice is to ask you.

What is discrimination?

The interviewer can ask any questions they want, including your age, race, and sex. This is stupid, but the law does not limit questions. As the evil human resources Lady Susanna Lucas recently wrote, just by looking at you and your resume, the interviewer is generally able to understand all of these things. While it is illegal for them to use this information in making hiring decisions, it is hard to prove that they did. For example, older workers tend to be more expensive than their younger peers. Unfortunately, there is no law for hiring decisions based on remuneration.

Should you interview the interviewer?

Many people suggest that you should prepare a lot of questions to find out more about the company and the hiring manager, so you know what kind of environment you are in. One or two is a good question, but I think it's very risky to have too many problems, especially in this job market. Your single goal in the interview process is to get a job opportunity. Once you get a job offer, you can always ask more questions. Besides, I don't care how good your problem is, until you're in that environment and you don't know what you're going through. That's the way it is, whether you're a worker or a CEO. It's true.

What does the interviewer really value?

Most importantly, they are looking for a suitable person with the knowledge and experience to complete the work and the company culture. The job requirement details the conditions they are looking for. If there is no explanation or if they don't give you a description, study the company and its business online.

Depending on the information you know, consider a particular experience to show them that you can successfully do what they need to accomplish. That's the main thing. Then, consider playing a specific role and try to relax. Because you can't predict the future, and you don't know what they're asking, be as open and resourceful as possible. All other things will only interfere with the main aspect: you. So be yourself. You're the one they're going to hire, right?

Does personal branding help?

As I explained in the seven Myths of career advice, the short answer is no, personal branding won't help. Of course, you should be on the internet and the crowd with professional image and behavior. For example, clean up your social media image by keeping your public professional profile and your personal business password secret between your family and friends. Interview your company to see if you can handle the job and adapt. The best way to impress someone is to show that you can do it.