A big part of a successful interview is avoiding simple mistakes. Mistakes are deadly to the job seeker and easy to avoid if you are prepared.
Here are ten of the most common mistakes people make during job interviews:
Arriving Late. One of the worst job interview mistakes is to not be on time for the interview. Collect all the necessary details beforehand to ensure that you arrive on time. Get directions from the interviewer or a map. Leave home early. If you cannot make it on time, call the interviewer, and arrange to reschedule.
Not Being Prepared. There is no excuse with today’s technology to go into an interview without doing basic research on the company interviewing you, their executives, products, customers, and competitors.
You also should prepare answers on the most common interview questions such as, “What are you strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in ten years? What can you bring to the company that nobody else can? What brought you to this part of your career?” You will be more than likely asked these questions.
Dressing Inappropriately. When hiring managers were asked to name the most common and damaging interview mistakes a candidate can make, 51% listed dressing inappropriately. You make your greatest impact on the interviewer in the first 10-17 seconds, an impression you want to make powerfully positive. It’s therefore important to carefully consider what you should wear to impress your interviewer.
Talking too much and saying too little. There is a misconception that the length of your response to an interview question is as important as the quality of your answer. The interviewer really doesn’t need to know your whole life story. Answering to a simple question with a fifteen-minute reply can be avoided if you practiced what you want to communicate. Good answers are succinct, to the point and focused when demonstrating your knowledge, expertise, and value. The best way to do this is to prepare and practice your interview answers beforehand.
Being too modest. Don’t be afraid to talk up everything that you’ve accomplished, whether in school or in previous companies. This is your time to shine. It’s really hard to communicate with someone who answers a question with a word or two.
Speaking Negatively About Previous Employers. Your previous boss was an idiot? Everyone in the company was a jerk? You hated your job and couldn’t wait to leave? Even if it’s completely true, you don’t want to be labeled a troublemaker or someone who isn’t a team player and you do not want to look like a complainer. You also don’t want the interviewer to think that you might speak that way about his or her company if you leave on terms that aren’t the best. Complaining about former employers and colleagues creates a negative impression. Focus on the positive - that you are looking for opportunities to grow professionally and be a part of an organization where you can make a difference.
Failing to Ask Questions. Interviewers are unimpressed when they ask the candidate if they have any questions and the candidate does not! Prepare at least 3 or 4 questions in advance to ask the interviewer. Interviews are an exchange of information, and having no questions indicates that you are not sufficiently interested and have not thought much about the position.
Not Displaying a Positive Attitude. This is your first and sometimes only chance to showcase your personality. Managers want to hire people who are enthusiastic. Put a positive spin on the situation and your job search. This is particularly important for people who have been in the job hunt for a long time or who left their past employers under strained circumstances. Show your enthusiasm for both the job and the opportunity to interview for it. And don’t forget to thank the person at the end of the interview!
Asking about Salary too early. Don’t ask about salary at a job interview. Wait for the interviewer to bring up these issues. The interviewer will inevitably tell you what salary and benefits come with the job. There are so many people looking for jobs, so if the company sees you as someone who just wants the money and does not necessarily care about the job, it will work against you in the long run.
Allowing Distractions. While you will probably be nervous prior to and during your job interview, try not to fidget. Think about what you are doing with your hands to keep them under control. Fiddling with your clothing, your notebook, your hair, tapping your pen, etc are all distracting and irritating. No employer wants a fidgety co-worker in the building.
When a candidate asks a question or a series of questions and the interviewer, either HR or the hiring manager, states the information pertaining to the question is proprietary, what should the candidate say or do?
I recently had such an issue. It was my 4th phone interview with the company and my questions were referred to the 4th interviewer, the hiring manager. Here’s what I did. Thanked him for his time, sent a short follow up email, thanking him for his time and sent the HR Director a note withdrawing my candidacy. I pointed out that an interview is for me to gain as much info about the company and the position as it is for them to gauge my background and experience. I stated that if the company changed its policy I would reconsider.
The really sad thing is when I followed up with the recruiter that set this all up, she replied “oh they do that”. Needless to say that recruiter is out of my contact list…
warner
Nice notes! I live now in France, and regretfully, the French Headhunters are less know for their professionalism. Of course there are exceptions, generally offering jobs at better companies. But most HH fail to even pass you a standard note to say they have well received your application, one click on the pc, or to inform you that they will not continue with your application, also a klick on the pc... Besides that, they seem totally disorganised; you hear nothing for 2 months and then they phone you to come for an interview the next day (urgently), somewhere the other side of France. They presented you a very nice job, asking for a serious CV of some 15 years relevant working experience, with "a competitive" salary. During a so-called 'intake' the magic question is popped: what is the salary package like? They then throw at you a salary roughly half what you earned. You look surprised, and they seriously tell you that there is a crisis ongoing, I should be blessed to be offered a job, cos there are so many other good candidates... Complete and utter rudeness mixed with amateurism. OK right now, I learned, and I am more carefull before jumping into the local HH adventures, by asking first. What I want to say, is that a professional HH in front of you will bring the professional "you" alive, and vise versa. So be selectfull with who you want te deal for your next job.
Melanie Scopa
I also think that an additional mistake should be added: "Not writing a thank you note." I was told upon my arrival at my current position that I was considered above the rest of the candidates because I was the only one who sent a thank you note. I made sure to collect business cards from each person interviewing me and then handwrote individual notes to them. Because my job is so customer-service oriented, it showed that I possessed that quality that they were looking for in a candidate. Also, from an interviewer standpoint, it ALWAYS impresses me to receive a thank you note and that candidate does get extra consideration because of that additional effort. I think this extra step should be considered part of the interviewing and landing the job process. And showing appreciation can never hurt! Unless you misspell words or have grammatical errors, but that's a different topic entirely!
I would also add to this list "Not reaffirming interest in the position". At the end of the interview, the candidate should let the interviewer know that s/he is still very much interested in moving forward with the interview process and would like to know about next steps. I've had clients come back to me and let me know they were going to pass on candidates because they felt like they didn't seem all that interested in the position or moving forward. It may seem like common sense given that you've already applied and accepted an interview, but the client needs to make sure you're as excited about the position and the company as they are about you.
Edris Afghanzada
Is it bad to ask about growth opportunities in an interview?
I interviewed with a major film production company for a project coordinator role asking about advancement opportunities into project management.
They acted as if it might be disingenuous to come in an ask for advancement right away. It threw me off a bit because at Genentech our managers forced us to always be thinking about our career and advancement.
I suppose the culture of the company does matter, but isn't every company interested in the advancement of their project leaders and coordinators?
Tim O'Dougherty
I have also experienced the "personal space" invader candidate. During the interview the candidate moved the chair up to the desk and was leaning so far over the desk it became distracting. Eye contact and a genuine smile are essential!
George I. Martin
Regarding arriving late: I had an interview at Educational Testing Services here in Princeton (I did get the job) but when driving to the company, found a bridge was out for repairs. Fortunately, I had the telephone number of the recruiter and called him. He was understanding, and rerouted me. So an eleventh piece of advice might be to have with you the telephone number of whoever will be in the office in case there is an unforseen circumstance.
Great article! With regards to "Allowing Distractions" one thing a candidate can do is consume something with sugar in it (Like a can of cola) which is found to ease the nerves prior to an Interview.
I just recently interviewed a candidate and she moved her chair close to my desk, leaned over, and tried to read my comments and remarks I made on her documents. Talking about too close in my comfort zone. Keep your distance, try to stay calm, and don't invade my privacy.
A big part of a successful interview is avoiding simple mistakes. Mistakes are deadly to the job seeker and easy to avoid if you are prepared.
