No job interview is flawless. One of good techniques preparing for your upcoming job interview is learning from others’ mistakes and knowing how to avoid these common mistakes.
This article reviews and discusses common mistakes made in an interview and provides tips on how to avoid these interviewing mistakes.
After reading this article, you may be interested in reading the article: what to say and what not to say in an interview.
You’ve worked hard to get to that job interview.
You passed many obstacles and now it is your time for the face to face interaction with this potential employer. You don’t want to miss this opportunity and screw it up.
20 Common interview mistakes to avoid – the biggest job interview mistakes
The following are the most common mistakes people make in interviews – the biggest make or break interviewing mistakes:
1. Lack of a good preparation: A research failure and lack of knowledge are the first mistakes one want to avoid. One has to prepare himself making a good research on the company, the position and for every related questions that may be asked. Therefore, refine your answers to the technical questions, the hard questions and to the frequently asked interview questions. The more you practice, the more professional answers you deliver.
2. Failure to highlight your achievements: you should provide good examples of your background and skills against the position. Why you are good fit for the position? Sell yourself. Take the opportunity to talk about your past experience and achievements - sell yourself to the said position.
3. Few words answers or talking too much: uttering unexpected answers like saying the wrong things, wrong ideas, too-short-answers or at the opposite too-long-answers are the guaranteed ways to get eliminated from consideration.
4. Arriving late: avoid arriving late to job interviews. Though it may happen because of many good reasons, you should apologize first for recovering from this first interaction failure.
5. Dressing inappropriately: you should dress for an interview success as your job interview dress code is the first impression you make. So, show up like one who really wants the job.
6. Body language failures: a poor eye contact, bad handshake, sitting inappropriately and not smiling naturally are the best recipes for losing a job interview. Don’t let nerves get the better of you – relax before an interview. Smile when it seems the right time and keep an eye contact with the interviewer as these little things make a difference.
7. Lack of integrity – un-loyal – a complainer: avoid negative speeches and complain – don’t say bad things about previous jobs and employers as this reflects back to you. The first impression you create when you’re negative about someone is that your loyalty and integrity is questionable. How you speak about your previous employers gives an idea of how you’ll speak about the next employers.
8. Interrupting the interviewer: you should firstly listen carefully to the interviewer questions before answering. You want your answers to be precise and professional. Therefore, respond only after you fully understand the question.
9. Rambling the answer to weaknesses and strengths: refer to the article how to answer weakness and strength question.
10. Bringing up personal details: when answering the questions “tell me about yourself” candidates sometimes think the interviewer wants personal stories – sadly this is not the case. In fact, this is one of the most common interview mistakes. Be sure you have a set clear story about – who you are, what you are about this career and most importantly what you want to achieve from this position. Therefore, avoid offering irrelevant personal details unless you are asked. Refer to the article interview question tell us about yourself.
11. Failure to ask good questions: when it is your turn to ask questions, you should show your interest about the job by asking intelligent questions about the job opportunities and the position duties. Asking questions clearly indicates that you have done your homework about the organization. However, do not ask too many questions for the sake of asking questions – connect yourself to the job and take the initiative to ask technical questions and other questions that present your ambitious to advance your career.
12. Asking about salary: you should avoid asking about salary during an interview unless and until the interviewer mention this issue. You don’t want the employer think that all you are interested in is how much they pay. Many interviewers want have some details about your salary expectations so let them make the first move. You may ask about salary range only after several interview interactions And at the very end of an interview as a ‘curious’ question.
13. Being unprofessional: do not forget why you are there – keep it professional and be serious. Though some interviews are set in a comfortable atmosphere that may trick you, remember to focus on your objectives and the said job description.
14. Not asking about the next interviewing process: once the interview has concluded, you should state that you are interested in the job and like to know about the next interview stage. Let the interviewer know your thoughts don’t let him guess that the job is in your best interests.
15. Smoking before the interview: it smells and draws a negative impression before you even start the interview.
16. Answering cell phone calls in an interview: this is one of the biggest interview mistakes and one of the worse manners. You don’t want the interviewer wait for you to hang up the cell-phone during the job interview. Needless to say that answering a call during an interview is the worse thing you can do.
17. Failure to show an interest and motivation about the said job: and about the company and the profession. Your answers as well as your questions as an interviewee should reflect your enthusiasm about the industry that you are applying for. The attitude is one of the ‘must have’ interactions between two professionals. Therefore, lack of passion and failure to show ambition is one of these job interview mistakes you want to avoid.
18. Over confidence: an inflated ego drives bad reactions and antagonism. Do not exaggerate your achievements – be honest and humble. Many employers follow up asking your references about every aspect you have provided them.
19. Lying: lies have short legs. If the interview goes to delicate topics, the best way is being honest and mature enough to handle these questions properly. The employers may call your references and other colleges to verify your answers.
20. Not following up after the interview: if you don’t follow up with a thank you email/note or a letter after an interview, you may miss a good opportunity to present your interest about the said job.
What to say in an interview & What not to say in an interview
Job interviews are short, crisp, and very important parts of your career.
A good interview can make your career and a bad interview can either offer you progress at best and seriously hamper your progress at worst.
Therefore, it is very important to be completely ready, and know what to say when you attend an interview.
In addition, whatever the post may be, or whatever the job position may be, you should clearly know what not to say in an interview.
What to Say in a Job Interview
1. The art of listening
One of the first skills of a conversation, let alone an interview, is the art of listening. There is a major difference between hearing and listening. We hear music, an action in which we may miss some lyrics or some part of the music, but we hear what is important to us and what we should pay attention to. During an interview, one should remind oneself to hear, understand and keep in mind what the interviewer is saying.
2. When to speak
Also, during an interview, one should keep in mind when to speak and when not to. People who speak when not required stand a high risk of being branded a talkative person, or a person who does not think properly before he or she speaks out. Therefore, take the time to keep silent and listen to what the interviewers have to say. This is doubly important when you are facing more than one interviewer.
3. The information you provide
During an interview, how much information you give out is as important as how much information you retain. Also, try to remain as calm and confident as possible. Make sure that you do not fidget while answering any of the questions. Fidgeting will only make the interviewer think that you are bluffing the interview. Concentration and focus are quite important in a job interview.
4. Provide Facts
Make sure that you have a short fact to share about whatever you tell the interviewer. This will only add to your resume later. However, the fact should not be too long and boring. Remember, the interview is of a very short time span. Give such facts only if the interviewer asks you about it.
5. Relevancy
Additionally, make sure that your job interview focuses on relevancy. You should share any information relevant to your career, or the job profile in general, or even relevant to the interview. If the job requires certain abilities that you possess, make sure that your interview concentrates on those.
6. A team player
Make sure that you give the interviewers an idea that you are a team player. Being a team player means a lot in today’s corporate world. Also, once you have proven that you are a team player, you should try to put across the idea that you like to interact with your team members as well as other individuals on a general basis.
7. Motivation
Another important aspect to put across is that you like to know more about the companies that you work for, so that you better understand the workings of the company and hence contribute to the values of the company.
8. Future plans
Also, make sure that you tell them about any concrete ambition that you have.
9. Honest answers
Lastly, remember that an interview is just the beginning of the job and hiring process. There are several steps along the way where anything that you say will be checked and cross checked. Therefore make sure that you are completely honest about your answers.
What NOT to Say in a Job Interview
Here are some of the ‘don’t’s about appearing for an interview:
1. Private information
One of the biggest mistakes that people commit in an interview is giving out private information when it is not needed, or even when it is simply not asked.
2. Your weaknesses
Do not confess to any weaknesses that may put you in a bad light. If it were so bad, the interviewer would have already noticed it and not called you for an interview.
3. Past problems
Another major problem is created when people speak about the problems that they encountered while they were in their previous jobs. Also, do not try to tell them about any personal likes or dislikes that you may have. Make sure that you do not talk to them about your past disappointments, or anything negative that you have to tell about your previous organization you worked with.
4. The salary
Never discuss the salary unless and until you are asked about it. Salary negotiations are always carried out after receiving a job offer.
Therefore, saying the wrong things during the interview might cost you the job, while saying the right things might get you the job.
Additionally,
You might be thinking of some tricky questions asked during your job interview and how to handle these questions.
What to Bring to an Interview
When it comes to getting ready for the interview, make sure that you have the following at hand:
1. Folders for holding all documents, from education to job profile.
2. You should also carry at least two pens.
3. Make sure that you have at least two copies of your resume.
4. If you are using any references, make sure that you have their contact details with you. Try to create a document that simplifies the connection between the company and your references.
Interview Questions
