Want to Nail Your Interview and Get Hired? Here Are the Mistakes That You Need to Avoid
The interview is a crucial part in getting a job. You might have the best knowledge or skills for the role but the employers will not know it immediately unless you show it; and that can only happen if you get hired. This is why it’s crucial that you impress them on your interview. Failure to do so may cost you the job that could have been perfect for you, and more importantly, that job that could pay the bills. If you want to get a better chance of nailing the interview and getting hired, here are some of the common mistakes that you should avoid.
Dressing Too Casual
It would be nice to be comfortable during the interview but this doesn’t mean that you should wear your favorite jeans. Dress to impress as your appearance would have a huge effect on the impression that you would like to give the interviewer. Wear business attire that would make you look more professional.
Showing Up Late
Getting on time for your interview is one way of show the potential employers that you are disciplined and responsible. This is also one way of showing them respect by valuing their time. It’s best to get off your house earlier so that you’ll still be able to make it in case of heavy traffic or if an unexpected incident happens. If you really can’t make it on time or not make it all for some reason, make sure to notify that interviewers and let them know the reason. You might just have a shot of getting rescheduled for an interview instead of not showing up at all or still proceeding with the interview without any explanation or apologies on why you were late.
Answering or Checking Phone
Your only focus should be on the interview to show that it’s very important for you. Checking or answering your phone could be a sign of disrespect since this could interrupt the interview process. Let your family or whoever it is that could potentially call you that you would be having an interview and you couldn’t answer any calls or messages at that time. It’s best to turn off the phone once you enter the company premises to prevent being tempted to continue using it when inside.
Unprepared for the Things Needed
Some employers request applicants to bring specific documents during the interview and not bringing them could cost you the opportunity to land the job. To avoid this, it’s best to prepare the documents days prior to the interview. In case you encounter a problem with the printer or file, you still have time to work things out. It could be stressful to try to complete the requirements a few hours before you go to your interview as you could easily miss something.
Bad Mouthing Former Employer
Complaining about your previous company or employer and saying something negative about them may not be taken positively by interviewers. Aside from being unprofessional, it could also create an impression that you are difficult to deal with or they might think of what would you say about them in case you get hired and move to another company in the future. That being said, bad mouthing ex-employers is a big no.
Giving Incorrect Information
You may want to impress the interviewer but this doesn’t mean that you can change the facts or provide incorrect information. Never lie as you’ll never know what they might find out or what they already know about you. They could have made their research prior to the interview and may have already talked to your previous employers.
Remember these deal breakers and make sure to avoid them to have a successful interview.
Photo Attribution:
Featured and 1st image by bpsusf (http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfbps/4607149870/) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) or CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Joe Haupt from USA [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
3rd image by blinry (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
