You’ve spent days searching through job ads and crafting the perfect resumes and cover letters˳ Now you have a job interview scheduled˳ You’re just steps away from your dream job, and in that interview, you’re going to wow them˳
You 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 job interview and pre-interview mistakes could kill your chances of being hired˳
Being Unprepared
Research the company beforehand, on its website and elsewhere˳ Read reviews about them on Glassdoor and Yelp˳
Study job ads 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’re applying for˳ Search local job boards as well as the large aggregator sites like Monster and Indeed˳
Avoid being embarrassed˳ Examine your own online presence well before the interview˳ Potential employers often do online searches of job candidates, including their social profiles˳ Unprofessional screen names, posts bad-mouthing an employer, and inappropriate photos could all lower your standing or eliminate you from the running˳ Clean up your profiles˳
Bring several copies of your resume to the interview – you never know who might want one˳ Bring your list of references, neatly formatted˳ Bring directions to the interview and your contact person’s name and phone number˳
If you might be late for a reason beyond your control, a call to that person could salvage the interview for you˳ Bring your ID and anything else that the interviewer requests that you bring˳
Appearing Disengaged
Your words may indicate that you’re the one to hire, but your body language might contradict your words˳ Crossed arms, leaning too far back or forward, poor eye contact, distracting movements, and other body language can make you appear detached˳ To learn more, see Body Language Tips for Your Next Job Interview˳
Your demeanor beyond your body language also creates positive or negative impressions˳ Slouching in the waiting area or appearing lethargic detracts from the impression you want to make˳ Be poised, confident, and organized starting when you enter the reception area˳ Smile at the receptionist as well as the interviewer – but don’t smile too much˳ Be enthusiastic˳ Let your demeanor show that you’re ready to do the job˳
Not having questions to ask also suggests detachment˳ Questions show that you’ve researched the position and are interested in it˳ Specific questions about job responsibilities and company culture demonstrate interest˳ Don’t ask about salary or benefits; let the interviewer bring those up˳
Complaining about Your Old Jobs
Your interviewer is probably going to have questions about your current and past jobs˳ You might be looking for a new job because you can’t stand your current job and you detest your boss˳ But telling that to the interviewer will probably eliminate you as a candidate for this job˳
Keep those negative experiences to yourself˳ A job interview is not the place to talk about them˳
Instead, stay positive, and focus on the future˳ Talk about how you’re 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 assigning blame˳
For 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 needed to be done˳
Acting Inappropriately
Interviewers are for assessing your personality and manners as well as your skills and experience˳ Acting inappropriately can be just as deadly to your job chances as the other interview mistakes described here˳
Getting a little personal during the interview can help you or hurt you˳ If the interviewer leads the conversation to a personal level, finding common interests or hobbies can be a plus˳
Be enthusiastic about them and use them to show that you’re a well-rounded person˳ On the other hand, talking about medical or family problems, for example, is unprofessional˳ More likely than not, such details will contribute to a negative view of you˳
Watch your language as well˳ A job interview is not the place to swear˳
While interviews and first dates have a lot in common, flirting should be left to dates˳ It may get you positive attention in other situations, but it may make the interviewer uncomfortable˳ Be friendly, listen, and take part in the conversation on a professional level˳
Not Setting the Path Forward
The 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 disappear˳
When the interview is finishing, ask the interviewer about the hiring time frame˳ Also ask the interviewer for his or her business card, and send a handwritten thank-you note the next day˳
Hand-written notes aren’t common, which makes writing them a great way for you to stand out˳ If your handwriting is terrible, though, type the note instead but sign it yourself˳ Avoid generic notes˳ Use the interviewer’s name and mention the specific interview˳
Later, a follow-up call to show that you’re still interested could help tip the scales 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 you look like a nuisance˳ As with all steps, be professional˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Deadly-Job-Interview-Mistakes-and-How-to-Avoid-Them&id=9978562
