I was en route to a big interview, stuck in traffic and cursing at every car around me, as I knew I was going to be late for my interview.
I had prepared so much for the job interview, I was smartly dressed, done my research, prepared questions and yet somehow forgot about traffic and I was never going to make it in time.
I was 15 minutes late, and even though I thought I had an excellent interview I did not get the job, but one silly mistake cost me dearly.
There is so much more to an interview that meets the eye and showing up late may seem like a pretty obvious mistake but when I talk to other managers, I couldn’t believe some of the mistakes I heard people making.
Below is a list of mistakes to avoid at job interview and believe it all not they are all true. Don’t make the same mistakes these people made!
Trashing a Boss or Old Job – We get it you had a bad experience, you maybe bitter and angry but don’t let that unhinge you in a professional manner, show that you can learn from tough experiences with your head held up high.
Drinking a Beer – I couldn’t believe it, on a Skype interview, a candidate who was great on paper moistened his lips with a beer before starting to talk and continued during the interview.
Over-selling yourself – Job interviews can be nerve racking and its normal to want to sell yourself but don’t forget to ask questions to learn if the job is right for you and if you are a good fit.
Under-dressing – One time a potential hire called and asked the dress code, we said casual, they came later that day wearing a t-shirt, shorts and sandals. First impressions are everything and the fact they didn’t dress smart for the interview showed they are not a good fit.
Not Preparing Anecdotes – It is all about the evidence, saying you have a certain skill or experience isn’t enough, give examples and really show you have that expertise. Without stories and numbers, an interview isn’t as memorable or effective as it could be.
Crying – Yes, believe it or not, tough interview questions can make some people cry. When tears flow, the interview is over, no one wants to hire people who can’t control their emotions on the job.
Focusing on the Benefits over the value – I’ve had people ask about benefits such as vacation time and paid time off right at the beginning of the interview. While its important to have a clear understanding of the incentives don’t make it stand out as gives off a bad impression.
Lacking Company Research – The worst mistake is not researching the company beforehand. It is so easy to tell that someone hasn’t and doing only an hours research can really make a difference.
Confusing us with our competitor – I once had an applicant forget which company he was speaking with during our interview.
Asking what the company does – Every now and then, there are candidates who may have applied to several companies and are in the process of interviewing with many of them. They show up to an interview asking what our company does without having done any homework on the organization, this is a big NO-NO.
Not having any questions – at the end of most interviews, the interviewer says “Ok, so do you have any questions for me?” Never say NO, this is a big mistake, as instantly says you are not passionate and not interested.
Wearing a costume – During a one-way video interview, an applicant wore a jedi robe, the worst part was that the candidate made no reference to the costume at all.
Some of these mistakes may seem silly or obvious, but they are all worth thinking about when applying for a job. So have a real think so you can truly shine at every interview.