How to Avoid
Common Job Interview Mistakes

Common job interview mistakes can easily be avoided using some practical interview skills guidelines. Set yourself up for success by ensuring you come across as the most professional and best prepared candidate for the job opportunity!

Not Preparing for the Interview

Not doing your homework and preparing adequately for the interview beforehand shows you up as a disinterested and unprofessional candidate. The best way to impress your interviewer is to demonstrate your interest and commitment by referring to your company background research in both your interview answers and questions.

For comprehensive information on conducting company research go to Preparing for a Job Interview

Stumbling over Interview Answers

Being unable to clearly articulate responses to the questions you face is a candidate's worst nightmare. Avoid this job interview mistake by preparing and practicing your answers to typical interview questions beforehand. This will ensure that you are ready with the information you are asked for and you are able to present it confidently to the interviewer. Go to Job Interview Questions with sample answers to prepare properly.

Failing to Ask Questions

Interviewers are unimpressed when they ask the candidate if they have any questions and the candidate does not! Having no questions indicates that you are not sufficiently interested and have not thought much about the position. You should arrive with a list of several prepared questions that you can use when necessary.

You will want to find out certain details about the position as well as show the interviewer that you have done some serious thinking about the job and the company. Go to the sample Questions to Ask the Interviewer to prepare a list of your own winning interview questions to ask. Avoid making one of the most damaging job interview mistakes.

Talking Too Much

Rambling on and telling the interviewer more than they want to know can quickly lose their interest. Make sure your answers are relevant and focused. The best way to do this is to prepare and practice your interview answers beforehand.

Confirm you have understood what information the interviewer wants by asking a clarifying question, such as, "Should I focus on ...". Listen actively to what the interviewer is saying to make sure you get the right message. This takes concentration and focus.

Often nervousness leads to candidates talking too much. Good interview preparation increases confidence and reduces nervousness. Go through the Tips for Interview Success to find out how to reduce interview anxiety.

Not Displaying a Positive Attitude

Complaining about former employers and colleagues creates a negative impression. Disclosing inappropriate details such as the problems you had with a former manager and seeming defensive when responding to difficult questions, such as reasons for leaving previous jobs, also conveys a negative attitude. Focus on positive topics and achievements. Be enthusiastic about what you have learned from previous challenges and how overcoming problems has developed you positively as a person.

View practical guidelines on how to prepare Job Interview Answers to difficult questions.

Allowing Distractions

Avoid fiddling with anything while you are talking or listening to the interviewer. We interviewed a candidate who tried to balance his pencil on his fingers, it kept falling off and, unbelievable as it seems, at one point he was scrabbling on the floor for it!

Think about what you are doing with your hands to keep them under control. Fiddling with your clothing, your hair, your notebook, tapping your pen, your foot etc are all distracting and irritating. Wild gesticulations are also disconcerting.

Read through the expert tips on Interview Body Language to avoid this common job interview mistake.

Go through the essential Interview Checklist to make sure you have everything ready before your job interview.

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By avoiding these common job interview mistakes you create the right impression during your interview and come across as a professional and confident job candidate.

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