Resumes may get you an interview, but it’s your interview that will land you the job. Here are some big, and for some reason often made, interview mistakes to avoid:
Never bad mouth your old boss or an old co-worker. Not only does this look poorly upon you, your interviewer could know or be related to the person you are bad mouthing… that can get really awkward, so save yourself the trouble.
Don’t be late. It seems like this shouldn’t be a problem, but it often is. Show up at least 15 minutes early to any job interview. If you’re late, your interviewer will begin the interview with a negative impression of you.
Watch your language. Be polite and politically correct. Cursing is a definite no, no when it comes to interview vocabulary. Also, think about what you say before you say it. If it has potential to be inappropriate or offensive, then just don’t say it. Think back to Boiler Gold Rush and keep a FreeZone state of mind.
Turn off your cell phone. If your phone does go off in an interview, quickly turn it off and apologize to your interviewer for the disturbance.
Don’t embellish your skills or experience. Do display confidence, but don’t exaggerate what you’ve done. If your interviewer decides to follow up with previous employers, or you get the job, it will look poorly upon you if you lied in your interview.
Don’t dress down just because the job is a laid back company. Unless you’ve spoken with the interviewer about dress code, dress professionally for the interview. If you want to be taken seriously, then you need to act serious about the position. Being overdressed is always preferable to being underdressed.
Spit out your gum. This way you can speak clearly, and you won’t distract your interviewer with chewing in the down time.
No one is perfect, and things happen that can cause disasters in interviews. Don’t stress about it, just relax and try to keep a level head.
