Applying for jobs can be a high-stress activity. You might be in desperate need of a job quickly or have found your dream job and don’t want to miss out. The stress can be debilitating, to the point where you start making mistakes that might destroy any chance of success in an interview. However, if you knew the most common interview mistakes, you might be in a great position to avoid them. We’ve included some of these below.
Not Researching Common Interview Questions
If you’ve never been in a job interview, you likely don’t know what the interviewing platform will ask. As a result, you won’t have prepared answers or ideas that can help you make an excellent first impression.
For example, if someone asks about your primary career goals in life, you may not know that you should tie your answer to the role and company while touching on both short-term and long-term goals.
You also may not be aware that speaking about money-oriented goals and those that indicate short-term employment with the company may put you on the back foot with the interviewers. Research common interview questions and pre-prepare your answers. You might then feel more confident and ready for any upcoming interviews.
Not Researching the Company
You might be in such a rush to get a job that you apply with multiple companies with job roles you believe could suit your skills. There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but your haste can sometimes create issues and cause you to miss necessary steps like researching the companies you might end up working for. If you don’t research a company before your interview, you risk being asked questions about them that you won’t be able to answer. This might see you being unsuccessful in your job bid.
Using Poor Body Language
It’s easy to assume that interviewers are only focused on what you’re saying so they can see whether you’re the right fit for their company. They certainly are, but they’re also looking at your body language.
If you have nervous habits, slouch, or avoid eye contact, this body language can be more noticeable than anything you’re saying. Try to show how professional you are by maintaining good eye contact and posture, leaning forward when someone is speaking, and using animated facial expressions. This body language can show both professionalism and engagement.
Being Negative About Past Experiences
You might have left your past employer for a negative reason, but a job interview is not the time to share that with your potential new boss. Avoid speaking negatively about former workplaces, managers, and colleagues. If you’ve been asked about past negative career experiences, frame them as learning experiences you’ve learned from and speak about challenges you’ve overcome.
Wearing Inappropriate Clothing
Dressing for a job interview can be challenging when you don’t know the company culture. However, just as you would research the company to learn more about it, you can also analyze it to learn about its culture and dress code to determine the most appropriate interview outfit. Avoid wearing anything too casual or too formal. Instead, aim for a balance of comfort and professionalism.
We all make mistakes, but a job interview is one of the last places you want to make them. Now that you know these common job interview mistakes, you might be better positioned to avoid them and make a positive impression.
