Qu
uick Tips
s: Top 10
1 Interview Mistakes
M
s
BASIC TIPS:
xperts will tell
t you tha
at the job in
nterview offers
o
you the
t
best op
pportunity to
t
Most ex
sell yourself to a company.
c
I
It’s
an old adage,
a
butt it still ring
gs true: you don’t gett a
st impressiion. A cand
didate can make any number off
second chance to make a firs
interview mistakes
s that can cost them the job, bu
ut if you av
void the To
op 10
ew Mistakes
s listed bellow, you will
w likely be
e on your way
w
to interrviews thatt
Intervie
will yield
d successfu
ul results.
1 Arriving
1)
g Late
Get directio
G
ons from th
he interview
wer or com
mpany webs
site ahead of time and
double chec
ck them with an onlin
ne map serrvice. Leave
e home early to give
enty of time
e to arrive for the interview. If you
y
are running late,, call
yourself ple
he interviewer to let him/her kn
now and se
ee if they want
w
to reschedule.
th
A
Arriving
late
e can show
w disrespec
ct for the in
nterviewer,, lack of preparation, or
la
ack of interrest in the position.
2 Dress Wrong
2)
W
Candidates make an impression on the inte
C
erviewer litterally with
hin seconds
s
after meetin
ng him/herr. You wantt to be sure that you make the best
mpression possible.
im
Dress neatly
D
y in a cons
servative su
uit that is neutral
n
in color
c
(tan, navy blue,, or
gray for exa
ample). Wo
omen shou
uld wear sim
mple jewelry that com
mplements
s the
eels and men
outfit and doesn’t disttract. Women should wear polished low he
ess shoes. Make sure
e your hair is cleaned, combed and
a
worn in
na
polished dre
Y
teeth should be brushed, and you sh
hould wearr a
professional manner. Your
w
a mild scent. Arrrive several minutes early
e
for th
he interview
w,
deodorant with
o you can take time to
t check yo
our appearrance in the restroom
m before the
so
in
nterview.
3 Bad Mo
3)
outh Othe
er Employers
Even if you can’t stand
E
d your form
mer boss, a job interv
view is nott the time to
t
“ttrash talk” or complain about yo
our formerr employer. Avoid any
y negative
re
eferences to
t your former boss. If you werre laid off or
o fired from
m a previous
position, be
e prepared to give a simple
s
expllanation that puts a positive
p
spiin
ppened. A potential new
n
employ
yer may fig
gure that they could be
on what hap
th
he next tarrget of your negative feedback, if this pos
sition doesn
n’t work ou
ut!
1| Page To
op 10 Interv
view Mistakes Cont.d
d
4 Appear Disintere
4)
ested or Arrogant
Make sure you
M
y
are fam
miliar with the positio
on that you
u are interv
viewing for,
and practice
e talking ab
bout your experience
e
e, strengths
s, educatio
on, and
d how they
y directly re
elate to the
e position and
a
the com
mpany. Do
o not
abilities and
ust sit therre like a zombie, waitting for the
e interviewe
er to draw informatio
on
ju
out of you. Worse yet, do not brrag endless
sly about how amazin
ng you are!!
S
Smile,
sit up straight, answer the questions appropriately and ask
a your ow
wn.
B engaged
Be
d in the inte
erview and
d show your enthusias
sm for the position.
Finally, than
nk the interviewer forr taking tim
me with you.
5 Lack of Research
5)
h
Prepare ahe
ead of time
e for the intterview; th
he interview
w is NOT th
he time to do
c
Know abou
ut the company’s products,
your researrch on the company.
ervices, clients, goals
s, annual sales,
s
and other
o
impo
ortant information tha
at
se
you can learn from the
e company
y’s website, other inte
ernet sourc
ces,
m
and current and form
mer
professional organizattions and magazines,
nstrating kn
nowledge of
o the comp
pany, you show
employees. By demon
osition and are more likely
l
to be
e taken serriously by the
t
enthusiasm for the po
nterviewer..
in
6 Insuffic
6)
cient Answ
wers/Not Prepared
P
PRACTICE
for the inte
erview ahe
ead of time; an interv
view is not the time to
o
“w
wing” it. Be
e familiar with
w
the job description of the position
p
and ready to
articulate yo
our strengtths, abilitie
es, and what you brin
ng to the jo
ob. The mo
ore
nnect your experience
e, educatio
on and stre
engths to th
he position
n,
you can con
he more lik
kely you arre to land the
t
job, by clearly sho
owcasing WHY
W
you
th
If the
should be hired for the
e position. Don’t ever lie in an interview.
i
onversation turns to a topic tha
at you are unfamiliar with, be honest with the
co
in
nterviewer and use th
he opportunity to sho
ow how you
u would find a solutio
on to
a particular problem fo
or example
e.
7 Failure to Ask Qu
7)
uestions
Use your re
U
esearch to prepare
p
a list
l
of 3 or 4 question
ns in advan
nce to ask the
t
in
nterviewer.. Your ques
stions will help you better unde
erstand if th
his is a
co
ompany th
hat you are
e interested
d in working for. Emp
ployers app
preciate
ca
andidates who ask in
nsightful, in
ntelligent questions
q
since it show
ws your
in
nterest in the
t
compan
ny and in the position
n. Not asking questions can sho
ow
an interview
wer that yo
ou don’t care or that you
y
came unprepared
u
d.
2| Page op 10 Interv
view Mistakes Cont.d
d
To
8 Talking Too Much
8)
h
Be careful not
B
n to talk too
t
much and
a
about topics thatt are of no interest to
o an
employer. Do
D not brin
ng up perso
onal matterrs about a divorce, fa
amily problem,
eful not to interrupt an
a interview
wer. Listen carefully and
a
etc. Be care
th
houghtfully
y answer an interview
wer’s questtions, feelin
ng free to take
t
a mom
ment
to
o think abo
out your re
esponse. Do
on’t let you
ur nerves cause
c
you to
t blather
endlessly. Instead pra
actice ahead of time so
s you give
e well thought out
esponses, to the poin
nt response
es to questtions.
re
9 Discuss
9)
s Salary To
oo Soon
Don’t talk about comp
D
pensation too soon in the interview proces
ss. Wait forr the
in
nterviewer to bring up the topic
c, after you
u have already discussed your
qualification
ns and the company’s
s needs. To
o focus on benefits, salary,
s
and
oyee perks early in th
he interview
w, may cau
use you to lose the
other emplo
alary will ce
ertainly com
me up in time but follow the em
mployer’s le
ead
position. Sa
she bring itt up when ready.
and let he/s
1
10)
Forget to Follo
ow Up
Follow up th
he interview
w with a ha
andwritten
n thank you
u note or an email,
eciation forr the time the
t
intervie
ewer share
ed with you
u. Be
expressing your appre
state your interest
i
in the positio
on and why
y you think
k you are an
sure to re-s
andidate for the job. Follow
F
up after
a
that, several days to a week
excellent ca
ater, with a phone call to the em
mployer to make sure
e you “stay
y in front of
la
th
hem.” Do not
n make a pest of yo
ourself though, by co
onstantly ca
alling and/o
or
emailing the
e employerr.
3| Page 4| Page