Deadly mistakes in a job interview and how to avoid them

Website design By BotEap.comYou’ve spent days searching through job postings and crafting the perfect resumes and cover letters. You now have a job interview scheduled. You are just steps away from your dream job and, in that interview, you will surprise them.

Website design By BotEap.comYou may know what to do during an interview. Do you know what not to do? No matter how much you impress your interviewer in other ways, these deadly pre-interview and job interview mistakes could kill your chances of getting hired.

Website design By BotEap.comTo be unprepared

Website design By BotEap.comResearch the company beforehand, on its website and elsewhere. Read reviews of them on Glassdoor and Yelp.

Website design By BotEap.comStudy the job postings the company has posted. You can learn a lot about the company from job descriptions and requirements for other jobs, not just the job you are applying for. Look at local job boards, as well as big aggregation sites like Monster and Indeed.

Website design By BotEap.comAvoid feeling embarrassed. Examine your own online presence well in advance of the interview. Potential employers often search online for job candidates, including their social profiles. Unprofessional screen names, posts that speak ill of an employer, and inappropriate photos can lower your position or remove you from the career. Clean your profiles.

Website design By BotEap.comBring multiple copies of your resume to the interview; you never know who will want one. Bring your reference list, carefully formatted. Bring the interview instructions and the name and phone number of your contact person.

Website design By BotEap.comIf you can be late for a reason beyond your control, a call to that person could save your interview. Bring your identification and anything else the interviewer requests.

Website design By BotEap.comAppearing offline

Website design By BotEap.comYour words may indicate that you are the one to hire, but your body language may contradict your words. Crossed arms, leaning too far back or forward, poor eye contact, distracting movements, and other types of body language can make you appear detached. For more information, see Body Language Tips for Your Next Job Interview.

Website design By BotEap.comYour behavior beyond your body language also creates positive or negative impressions. Slouching in the waiting room or looking lethargic detracts from the impression you want to make. Be calm, confident and organized from the moment you enter the reception area. Smile at both the receptionist and the interviewer, but don’t smile too much. Be enthusiastic. Let your behavior show that you are ready to do the job.

Website design By BotEap.comHaving no questions to ask also suggests detachment. The questions show that you have researched the position and are interested in it. Specific questions about job responsibilities and company culture show interest. Don’t ask about salary or benefits; let the interviewer mention them.

Website design By BotEap.comComplain about your previous jobs

Website design By BotEap.comYour interviewer will likely have questions about your current and past jobs. You may be looking for a new job because you can’t stand your current job and you hate your boss. But telling the interviewer that will likely eliminate you as a candidate for this job.

Website design By BotEap.comKeep those negative experiences to yourself. A job interview is not the place to talk about them.

Website design By BotEap.comInstead, stay positive and focus on the future. Talk about how you are looking for new challenges and new ways to use and develop your skills. If you have to talk about work problems, talk about them as challenges and what you learned from them, without blaming.

Website design By BotEap.comFor example, if your current boss has poor communication skills, talk about how you learned to ask questions and do your own research to clarify what needs to be done.

Website design By BotEap.comAct inappropriately

Website design By BotEap.comInterviewers are to assess your personality and manners, as well as your skills and experience. Acting inappropriately can be just as deadly to your job opportunities as the other interview mistakes described here.

Website design By BotEap.comGetting a little personal during the interview can help or hurt you. If the interviewer takes the conversation to a personal level, finding common interests or hobbies can be an advantage.

Website design By BotEap.comBe enthusiastic about them and use them to show that you are a whole person. On the other hand, talking about medical or family problems, for example, is unprofessional. Most likely, those details contribute to a negative view of you.

Website design By BotEap.comTake care of your language too. A job interview is not the place to curse.

Website design By BotEap.comWhile interviews and first dates have a lot in common, flirting should be left for dates. You may pay positive attention to you in other situations, but it can make the interviewer uncomfortable. Be polite, listen, and participate in the conversation on a professional level.

Website design By BotEap.comNot setting the way forward

Website design By BotEap.comThe end of the interview is the beginning of the next steps. Neglect these steps or take the wrong ones, and that job you almost had could be gone.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen the interview is over, ask the interviewer about the hiring deadline. Also ask the interviewer for their business card and send a handwritten thank you note the next day.

Website design By BotEap.comHandwritten notes aren’t common, which makes writing them a great way to stand out. However, if your handwriting is terrible, write the note instead, but sign it yourself. Avoid generic notes. Use the name of the interviewer and mention the specific interview.

Website design By BotEap.comLater, a follow-up call to show that you’re still interested could help tip the balance in your favor. Don’t call more than once, even if you had to leave a message the first time. Too many calls can make it seem like a nuisance. As with all steps, be professional.

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