Making mistakes during an interview
Taking the time to learn about common interview blunders will help you avoid them and improve your chances of getting hired. Consider practicing ways to avoid interview mistakes during your interview preparation.
Job interview mistakes to avoid
Follow these steps to avoid common interviewing mistakes:
1. Mistake: Arriving late at the venue.
Reason to avoid: It makes a poor impression on the interviewer. They might think you are irresponsible and disrespectful of their time and that you would be late for work, too.
What to do instead: Plan your commute and cancel all events on the day of the interview. Leave your home early to avoid traffic jams and have time for security checks and last-minute interview preparation.
2. Mistake: Arriving early at the venue.
Reason to avoid: You don’t want to appear too desperate and you may also inconvenience the interviewer.
What to do instead: It is enough to arrive at the interview venue ten minutes before the scheduled time.
3. Mistake: Dressing inappropriately for the interview.
Reason to avoid: You want the employer to see that you are a good fit for the role and visual cues can help achieve that goal.
What to do instead: Take the time to be well-groomed and dress suitably for the role. Formal attire will work for a corporate job and business casual is best for many non-office jobs.
4. Mistake: Being rude to company staff.
Reason to avoid: A person’s rank does not necessarily determine their experience and influence. Being rude or condescending to the staff is unacceptable, unprofessional, and could cost you the job offer.
What to do instead: Be polite to everyone you meet.
5. Mistake: Taking along food or drink
Reason to avoid: It is unprofessional to eat and drink during an interview except for an occasional sip of water.
What to do instead: Maintain focus on the interviewer and respond appropriately to their questions. Sips of water during longer interviews are acceptable, but make sure to avoid lengthy distractions from the interview while doing so.
6. Mistake: Not bringing along a resume.
Reason to avoid: The interviewer may want to refer to your resume and ask related questions.
What to do instead: Be well-prepared and have several resume copies at hand.
7. Mistake: Giving inaccurate information on resume.
Reason to avoid: You won’t get hired if the employer discovers inaccuracies on your resume.
What to do instead: Be honest about your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments, and double-check all the details for accuracy.
8. Mistake: Using a casual or unprofessional tone.
Reason to avoid: It will make you seem unacquainted with business etiquette.
What to do instead: Be socially aware and tailor your behavior to suit the setting. If the interviewer is formal and reserved, follow their lead. If they take a laid back approach, you can be less formal while still maintaining a professional attitude.
9. Mistake: Being inattentive to the interviewer.
Reason to avoid: The interviewer might wonder if you could focus on your work if they hire you.
What to do instead: Get plenty of rest before the interview and go well-prepared. Make eye contact, listen carefully, and speak clearly.
10. Mistake: Having poor communication skills.
Reason to avoid: Good communication skills are crucial for thriving in almost every industry. Your inability to communicate well during an interview will reflect poorly on your abilities and could cost you the job.
What to do instead: Practice answers to commonly-asked interview questions, and establish a positive connection with the interviewer by being attentive.
11. Mistake: Having poor body language.
Reason to avoid: Slouching, avoiding eye contact, crossing arms, waving hands, shifting about, or sweating can convey a lack of confidence.
What to do instead: Try to remain calm, positive, and confident throughout the interview. Straighten up, breathe deeply, smile, make eye contact, and offer a firm handshake.
12. Mistake: Being overconfident and arrogant.
Reason to avoid: You could come across as someone who cannot deal well with criticism or instruction and who might be a problematic co-worker.
What to do instead: Avoid bragging about your achievements. Be open to feedback.
13. Mistake: Being over-energetic and excited
Reason to avoid: Appearing too energetic and excited during a job interview might make you seem immature and unprofessional.
What to do instead: Remain relaxed and composed before and during the interview. Be calm, thoughtful, and positive when responding to questions.
14. Mistake: Answering the phone during interview.
Reason to avoid: It is rude and disrespectful, and it conveys to the interviewer that you don’t value their time or the goals of the company.
What to do instead: Let the interview be your priority. Put your phone on silent mode, and don’t check it until later.
15. Mistake: Not researching the company beforehand.
Reason to avoid: The interviewer is bound to ask what you know about their company, and being uninformed can show that you haven’t researched whether your goals align with the company’s.
What to do instead: Gather relevant information from the company website, social media accounts, and other online content.
16. Mistake: Not preparing for commonly-asked questions.
Reason to avoid: Practice is the key to interview success and will ensure your answers convey your intended message.
What to do instead: Review commonly-asked questions and answers, prepare your answers, and practice them until they feel natural. Rather than memorizing them, understand their gist. That will help you make adjustments according to variations in the questions.
17. Mistake: Getting sidetracked and talking excessively
Reason to avoid: You will make a better impression if you can stay focussed on work-related matters.
What to do instead: Make to-the-point replies to the questions the interviewer asks. You can offer to elaborate if you have more background information to share.
18. Mistake: Mentioning salary and benefits early-on
Reason to avoid: It will make you appear more interested in money than in understanding the job responsibilities.
What to do instead: Wait for the interviewer to bring up the topic. If they don’t and ask if you have any questions, use that opportunity to inquire about money matters.
19. Mistake: Engaging in inappropriate behavior.
Reason to avoid: It is unprofessional to make tasteless jokes, flirt, or ask about personal matters during a job interview.
What to do instead: Remind yourself that you are in a professional setting to avoid getting too friendly or personal.
20. Mistake: Referring to illegal activities.
Reason to avoid: Informing the employer about your illegal activities could cost you the job. There would be too many business and legal risks in employing you.
What to do instead: Avoid illegal activities.
21. Mistake: Badmouthing past employers.
Reason to avoid: It is unprofessional to air past grievances during a job interview. Rather than get the same hostile treatment in the future, the employer will decide not to offer you the job.
What to do instead: Find something positive to say about your experiences with your previous employers.
22. Mistake: Failing to provide relevant information.
Reason to avoid: Being self-effacing won’t help you get the job.
What to do instead: Take a realistic stock of your skills, expertise, and achievements, and be confident about talking about them.
23. Mistake: Not asking any company-related questions
Reason to avoid: The interviewer might think you are not interested in working with them.
What to do instead: Ahead of the interview, prepare a list of questions about the job and the company. You could ask what the next step is in the hiring process or who you would be working with if hired. You can also ask about daily duties and any new skills you can learn on the job. Just make sure that the questions are about things that the interviewer hasn’t already mentioned.
24. Mistake: Focusing on personal job benefits
Reason to avoid: The interviewer is more interested in the value you will bring to their company.
What to do instead: Align your career goals with those of the company’s. Try to convince the interviewer that what you want in the long-term can benefit the company too.
25. Mistake: Not following-up after the interview
Reason to avoid: Interviewers see many job candidates and might not remember you without a follow-up.
What to do instead: Increase your chances of getting hired by sending a follow-up email after the interview. Thank the interviewer and inquire about the next step. Don’t be aggressive about it, though. Be patient and respectful.
By avoiding these common interview mistakes, you will stand a better chance at making a good impression on the interviewer and getting a job offers. To get interview help and practice up for the big day, check out some real interview questions asked for thousands of job titles.