17 Interview Mistakes and Tips on How to Avoid Them

Interviews are a valuable part of the job application process for both the hiring manager and the interviewee. While best practices for a strong interview include time management, confidence and body language, some candidates make critical errors during their interviews. Avoid common interview mistakes to make an excellent first impression and receive a job offer. In this article, we explain why job interviews are important and provide a list of 17 interview mistakes with suggestions for how to avoid them. Related: 10 Things Not To Say in a Job Interview (and What To Say Instead)

Why interviews are important

Interviews are important because they're often the first time the interviewee goes to the workplace and meets anyone from the office. Interviews give the hiring manager the opportunity to see how the interviewee manages conversation and pressure, and they give the interviewee the chance to see if the position is the right fit for them. Often, interviews will involve several members of the company, giving the candidate a good sense of company culture and a chance to ask questions. Related: 21 Job Interview Tips: How To Make a Great First Impression

17 interview mistakes and how to avoid them

Whether you're new to interviewing or have attended many over the course of your career, it's wise to review the expectations for appearance, preparation and comportment during a job interview. Study this list of 17 common interview mistakes and consider the alternatives for a positive interview experience:

1. Failing to prepare

Avoid showing up to the interview without learning about the company or position. Hiring managers expect that you'll know something about the organization and the role prior to the interview. Instead, since you will almost always know about a job interview in advance, take the time in between the invitation and the actual interview to prepare by learning about the company, producing documents like a list of references and forming questions to ask.

2. Limiting research

Avoid neglecting to research the company, job or responsibilities of the position before the interview. Instead, come in knowing who the major players in the company are and with some idea of how the position for which you're interviewing fits into the organization as a whole.

3. Wearing an inappropriate outfit

Avoid underdressing or overdressing for the job interview. Wearing an outfit that's too casual, like jeans for an office position or too formal, like a suit to a camp counselor job, shows you don't understand the position. Instead, think about what you would wear to work in that job on a daily basis and dress that outfit up a little bit. For example, if you would normally wear slacks and a button-down shirt or blouse to work, consider adding a tie or professional jacket to the ensemble for the interview.

4. Arriving late

Avoid showing up after the appointed interview time. Instead, arrive several minutes early. Getting to the interview 10 minutes before the meeting should give you time to park and find the appropriate office before your interview is slated to begin. Related: Everything You Need To Know About Job Interview Etiquette

5. Using your phone

Avoid checking your phone during the interview. This could show that you don't care about the conversation and have more important matters to give your attention to. Instead, turn your phone off or put it on do-not-disturb mode. Wear a watch if you want to know what time it is.

6. Asking obvious questions

Avoid asking questions that are obvious or that the interviewer has already addressed in the conversation as this implies that you're not paying attention. Instead, ask original questions related to the intricacies of the job or company. If the hiring manager has already answered one of your pre-planned questions, there's no need to ask it a second time.

7. Speaking negatively

Avoid speaking negatively about past jobs, companies, supervisors or colleagues. Instead, even if you faced challenges in past positions, keep your tone and language about those jobs positive and upbeat.

8. Oversharing

Avoid sharing personal details that the interviewer did not ask for or are unrelated to the position or job. Instead, share anecdotes or facts about your life if they're requested or relevant to the conversation.

9. Neglecting salary preparation

Avoid bringing up compensation before the hiring manager but also avoid arriving to the interview totally unprepared to discuss salary and benefits. Instead, prepare a salary range to share if asked and be ready to negotiate if requested.

10. Using poor nonverbal communication

Avoid looking down, hiding your hands and fidgeting as the hiring manager could interpret these actions as signs of discomfort or dishonesty. Instead, smile, make eye contact and keep your hands visible to show the hiring manager you're confident and honest.

11. Lying

Avoid embellishing your resume or telling a lie about your past work experience, education or any other aspect of your life. Instead, be honest with the hiring manager about your past. If you know the hiring manager will have questions for you about parts of your work history that may be difficult to answer, prepare responses in advance.

12. Displaying low confidence

Avoid fidgeting, giving credit to others for your work and hostility when asked a question. These behaviors can show you're not confident in your work. Instead, focus on your strengths and the skills you have that make you a great fit for the position. Take deep breaths and keep your body still to display confidence.

13. Asking no questions

Avoid saying you have no questions to ask at the end of the interview when prompted. Instead, have a few questions prepared about the company or position to ask. This shows the interviewer you're interested in the job and want to learn more about it.

14. Going on tangents

Avoid discussing unrelated, personal topics when answering a question from the hiring manager. Instead, stay on topic. Keep your answers focused on the question asked.

15. Challenging to schedule

Avoid being inflexible when the hiring manager calls to schedule the interview. Instead, clear your schedule as best you can to accommodate the company. Meet during the company's hours of operations, even if you have to cancel another event to make it work.

16. Appearing disorganized

Avoid not having your papers organized, searching for a pen or not knowing where to find digital documents. Instead, organize your things before you go into the interview. Prepare a folder or briefcase with your application documents and any work samples within easy reach. If you'll be sharing digital work, pull it up on your laptop ahead of time so all you have to do is open the screen to view it.

17. Neglecting to update social media

Avoid leaving unflattering and unprofessional photos and posts on your public social media profile. Many companies look at candidates' social media profiles before making a job offer. Instead, strengthen your privacy settings. When in doubt, remove any content that the company could misconstrue as unprofessional.