5 Common Mistakes Made During Job Interviews

(1) Being late

It seems so obvious and basic but it is much better to be an hour early and wait, than to even be 1 minute late. There is zero reason to be late for such a critical meeting, and yet job applicants are often late. In many cases, even if you are on time at the interview location, there is the administrative need to register with security to get into a building then there may be the need to fill in some form, all of which takes time. You need to allocate enough time ahead of the appointment, to be able to go in immediately you are called. The recruiter can be late – that is unfortunately unfair and their prerogative, but you, as the applicant, cannot be. Never, never be late. It starts the whole event badly because it signals you don’t care, or that you are unable to get organized and think ahead, or both. All that makes you a poor choice of candidate.

(2) Dressing inappropriately

The days when everyone had to wear a suit (and tie) to an interview are gone. But there is a need to dress so that the interviewer feels that you at least, regard the event with respect. It’s not fashionable anymore (thank goodness!) but men with ‘bed hair’ (looking like they just got up from sleep) isn’t cool. Men and women: button up enough buttons on your shirt or blouse so that your chest isn’t on show. This is a business event not a club outing. These remarks are probably subjective and sound traditional and old-fashioned, but there is a simple test: take a selfie of you dressed for your interview and send it to a friend who has a full time, office job. And ask whether you look appropriately dressed for an interview at their company. It’s not the best test but it’s better that someone give an opinion, other than your mother who you probably think is too conservative anyway.

(3) Not knowing why you are there

This may seem obvious but the reason for going to an interview has to be that you want to get a job. That is the lowest level of achievement that you should aim for because the recruiter actually wants to meet someone who really desperately wants to work at that company! Not any other company but at that company! Your task for that interview then is to show the recruiter how that position at that company is your absolute ideal. That objective requires enthusiasm on your part, interest, engagement, commitment, all those things that will leave an impression on the recruiter like no other applicant will. With all that, you will at least get to the top of the short list if you don’t immediately get the job immediately.

(4) Not knowing the Interviewer’s name

When you meet the interviewer, he/she may not tell you their name or give you their business card. This is possibly an oversight because they are meeting so many people. It is rarely deliberate, either as a sign of rudeness or a test to see what you do. But to show you are fully engaged with the process, make absolutely sure that at the beginning of the interview, you have the interviewer’s name and then from that point on, use the name and always pronounce it correctly! It is a courtesy, and ‘courtesy’ is defined as ‘I care what you think’ so if you intend to make a good impression, you have to care what the interviewer thinks of you. The event also then becomes much more personal and you move from being a nameless-faceless forgettable candidate to someone they will have to think hard about not giving you a second chance.

(5) Being unprepared

Recruiters meet thousands of job applicants. Even if they meet dozens, it is very easy for them to become bored and knee-jerk an instant judgement about someone. It is therefore, vital that you stand out in your interview because you thought through the event beforehand and anticipated what they would ask you. And you had a sensible, persuasive answer for each probable question. This recommendation is not new and innovative, but it is vital to note that the worst thing that comes of this concept of preparation is robotic delivery or recitation of your answer. Preparation for an interviewer’s questions is not learning scripted lines as if you getting ready to act in a movie. Preparation means that you are ready and not surprised by anything asked of you. It is actually harder than it sounds because it requires time and effort.

Ultimately, assuming your qualifications meet the recruiter’s expectations, how badly you want to succeed will be proven by the amount of time and effort you put into preparation for the interview.

Good luck!