10 Blunders that Mess Up a Job Interview
Don’t Blow the Interview With One of These Mistakes!
An interview can be a nerve wracking event. You want the job and yet here you are feeling that having to sell yourself while your knees are knocking.
With a little preparation, the interview will go smoothly. However, some words of advice so you don’t cut off your chances before you even get started. Here are my top ten mistakes candidates make during the interview and how to avoid them:
1 – Lack of Research – Once you have made the appointment for an interview, it is vitally important to research the company as much as possible. Visit their website and read the mission statement. This will provide a lot of information about where this company wants to go. Take a road trip and drive to the facility. The knowledge you gain will demonstrate to your interviewer that you are interested in becoming a part of the overall organization.
2 – Dressing inappropriately – First impressions do matter! Your appearance will speak volumes about you. Don’t damage your chances of being hired by showing up in clothing that is too casual. Even if you know that the firm allows employees to wear jeans, demonstrate your professionalism and dress in neat, professional clothing.
3 – Badmouthing anyone – Whether you are talking about a past employer, customers or competition, the fastest way to ruin your prospects is to state your ill feelings about someone. During the interview, your disrespect for others will only make you look bad because the interviewer will assume that you would speak badly of him or her. No matter how reasonable your complaints may be, always stand prepared to put a positive spin on all your experiences.
4 – Lying – Plain and simple, don’t do it. If you are lying about your abilities, it will be discovered all too easily. If the topic of discussion during the interview turns toward something you are not knowledgeable about, admit you don’t know the answer, but then explain how you would go about obtaining the information. This will demonstrate your abilities to come up with solutions and really think on your feet, not just cover up.
5 – Lacking enthusiasm – Interviewers want to hire someone with energy and enthusiasm for their work. No matter how boring your past position might have been, showing you are passionate about your work goes a long way to push you to the top of the list.
6 – Not knowing yourself – If everything else is right, but you are unsure of your own skills and talents, you could very well lose the position based on your own lack of this knowledge. It is never expected that someone would be able to jump into a new job knowing how to do everything, but knowing how you will respond and your best patterns of work are vital to learning and fitting in. Take the time to identify your abilities and be prepared to present them.
7 – Talking too much or too little – Everyone is nervous during and interview. However, a great deal of the decision is based on the impressions you leave. Taking too long answering a question implies that you can’t get to the point or make a decision. Not talking enough implies you may be covering up or are unable to step up and accomplish the necessary tasks. Practice answering questions by role playing before your interview.
8 – Failing to show why you are the best candidate – Gain information about the position you are being interviewed for, so you can let the interviewer know specifically how your skills, abilities, experience and attributes would make you the best candidate for the job.
9 – Failing to ask for the job – When the interview is completed, express your interest position and ask what the next step is.
10 – Not following up – Always send a letter of thanks to the interviewer, reiterate why you are the best candidate, and once again express your interest in the position.
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Lesley V. Ingves
Comments
Good advice, practical and easy to follow. All these tips are common sense but sometimes it is good to refresh ones memory as it is easy to become complacent. Mandy (blog http://spencerhuntconsulting.wordpress.com)
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