Top 10 Things People Do Wrong at Interviews, And How To Avoid Them


A face-to-face interview is the most stressful part of the job search for many individuals, but it is also a critical component of the recruiting process. Up until this point, you have been able to hide behind your resume and cover letter. As the selection process starts to draw to a close, though, it?s time to impress the hiring team. A large part of a successful interview is avoiding potential pitfalls that can undermine your ability to impress the hiring team.

The top ten critical mistakes that people make when interviewing for a position are:

Arriving late to the interview

Arriving late makes a strong negative first impression and will raise questions in the interviewer?s mind about your reliability and punctuality. Always ask for directions to the interview site and double-check a map so that you know where you are going. Don?t forget to allow extra time for traffic and other unforeseeable events.

Poor dress attire and grooming

Remember that professional companies are looking to hire professional individuals, not the beach bum who just shook the loose sand from his hair. Dress conservatively in a well-fitting suit and keep jewelry, makeup, and fragrances to a minimum. It?s also important to always take a shower, brush your teeth,and comb your hair before an interview as well to present to clean, polished image.

Failure to do research about the company prior to the interview

Show you are interested in the company for by doing some outside research before the interview. This attention to detail sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are serious about the position and are willing to go the extra mile. This research will also help you determine if the company?s industry, products/services,and culture are a god match for you.

Failure to give specific examples of your experience and measure your skills against the position

Interviewers want to know more than just the bare bones of your experience. They are interested in the specifics of task how you performed, challenges you have faced, and the methods you have used to overcome those challenges. This is especially true of behavioral interviewers. Take the time to give the interviewer specific examples of how you have performed and how these collaborate to the duties of the position. If you can draw a clear parallel between your work experience and the position you are interviewing for, you have a much higher chance of being successful in the interviewing process.