You only get one chance to make a good impression in your interview. Don’t waste it by making a mistake you could have easily avoided.
Below, we listed 13 job interview mistakes. While some may seem obvious or insignificant, they can still come back to haunt you right away, or even months into your employment!
LYING DURING YOUR INTERVIEW
I can’t emphasize this one enough. Do not lie during the interview or on your resume. This should go without saying, but I can’t tell you how many times we’ve interviewed candidates and later found out they were lying to us.
For example, we interviewed a candidate who didn’t disclose their last place of employment because they had only worked there for a short period of time. After they were hired and had been working with the company for a few months, another person was hired who had worked with the first candidate in their last position.
It soon came out that the two had worked together, however, the candidate had previously lied about working there. Even though the candidate had been a good employee, the company now had to fire him because he had lied.
So, before you think about lying during an interview, just remember the truth will always come out in the end.
NOT HAVING A RESUME
Don’t assume that the interviewer is going to have a copy of your resume handy during the interview. Many hiring managers are busy and may not have time to print out a copy for both of you.
If you want to cover all your bases, you should always bring a copy of your resume for yourself and for anyone you’re expected to interview with that day. Not only will it help the interview run smoothly, but it will also show that you’re prepared and take initiative.
CHEWING GUM
One of the most distracting things a candidate can do during an interview is to chew gum. Not only is it distracting but it’s also extremely unprofessional. Also, don’t think you can just hide the gum in your mouth by flipping it to the side. The interviewer will still be able to see it.
So to be on the safe side, remove the gum before your interview or pop in a mint before you meet with anyone and make sure it’s gone before the interview begins.
ARRIVING LATE TO THE INTERVIEW
This is another interview faux pas that should go without saying, but do not arrive late for your scheduled interview. It is unprofessional and is an immediate red flag for interviewers.
Instead, if you’re unsure about how to get to the interview location or are worried about the parking situation, then make sure to ask for clarification when you’re scheduling the interview. If you’re working with a recruiter, then they should be able to provide all the details you will need to get there and may even provide a map for parking.
Also, use the map and GPS apps on your phone to predict how long it will take you to get to the interview. If your interview is at 9 am, then make sure to look up how long it will take you to get there during rush hour versus the middle of the day.
Now, if for some reason you are late, don’t panic or even worse, try to lie about why you were late. Most likely the hiring manager has heard every excuse in the book from candidates about they were late. The best thing you can do is acknowledge that you were late, give a sincere apology, and do your best during the interview. You can even call the office and let them know how late you will be so they can possibly rearrange the interview schedule.
BONUS TIP
If you have to pay for parking, don’t just assume the company will pay for it. We worked with a client who has located downtown and you had to pay to park in their parking garage. The client agreed to reimburse the candidates later, but one candidate refused to leave without the company paying for parking first. It caused quite the scene and left a very bad taste in our client’s mouth.
ARRIVING TOO EARLY
While many of us know not to be late to an interview, arriving too early can also annoy a hiring manager. It’s important to arrive at least ten minutes early for an interview, but anything earlier than fifteen minutes can cause disruptions to the hiring manager’s schedule.
If you arrive very early for the interview, then you should wait before entering the building. Consider waiting in your car or a nearby coffee shop until fifteen minutes before the scheduled interview time.
DRESSING INAPPROPRIATELY
When dressing for an interview, you should always dress professionally, no matter what the company. If you’re interviewing at a small startup or small business, you may be able to wear business casual attire versus a suit and tie, but you still want to appear polished.
Make sure your hair is neat and tidy, wear minimal jewelry, and dress conservatively. If you need to see more examples of professional interview attire, check out our Interview Toolbox.
NOT RESEARCHING THE COMPANY
You don’t want to seem unprepared when going to an interview. Do all the research you can to find out more about the company and position before the interview. Background information including company history, locations, products, and services can all be found on the company’s website, generally under the About Us section.
You can also perform a quick Google search to see if the company has been in the news lately, won any awards, or is involved in the community. You don’t want to be at a loss for words if the hiring manager asks what you know about the company.
TALKING TOO MUCH
When people are nervous, they tend to overcompensate by talking a lot and now knowing when to stop. An interview should feel natural and be a two-way conversation. Even though the interviewer will be asking most of the questions, don’t forget to pause and let the interviewer ask follow up questions or comments.
You should answer the interviewer’s questions succinctly and efficiently. Don’t get off-topic or delve too far into your personal life.
LOW ENERGY
There’s nothing worse than interviewing someone who seems like they don’t want to be there. This can look like slumped over shoulders, lack of eye contact, or slow to respond to questions.
So if you want the position, make sure to show it. Be personable, engaging, and show real enthusiasm when talking about the position. No one is going to want to hire someone if they think they’re not truly interested in working for their company.
SPEAKING NEGATIVELY
We see candidates make this mistake all the time and it is definitely one that will come back to haunt you. Don’t speak negatively about ANYTHING, whether it’s about their current employer, colleagues, boss, a certain song — ANYTHING.
Candidates especially tend to bad mouth past employers, which is one of the worst things you can do. If you’re asked about why you’re looking to leave your current position or a time where you didn’t get along with your supervisor, then you should always try to spin things in a positive light versus revealing blaming everything on a bad employer.
BLOWING OFF STEAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Technically, this next mistake happens after an interview, but it can be just as damaging. Many candidates will take to social media to vent about a bad interview or experience they had with the hiring manager.
Remember, employers and hiring managers often check a candidate’s social media accounts when vetting potential hires. They’re not going to be very happy to see you bad-mouthing their company on social media, even if you were just venting. Instead, stay clear of posting anything about the company on social media and make sure that all of your recent posts are positive and your accounts are private.
NOT HAVING ANY QUESTIONS
Many interviewers will leave time in the end for you to ask questions. The questions you ask will signal to the employer the research you’ve done and what’s most important to you.
For example, if your only question is about how much paid time off you will receive, then you may be sending the wrong message. And if you don’t have any questions at all, the interviewer may think you’re unprepared or don’t care about the position.
Make sure to think of thoughtful questions before the interview and ask about things that are important to you. If career growth is high on your list, then make sure to ask about potential growth opportunities at the company.
USING YOUR PHONE
Again this should go without saying, but many candidates will forget to turn their phones on silent or even respond to text messages or phone calls during an interview. If you know you will be tempted to use your phone during an interview, leave it at home or in your car.
This also goes for smartwatches and any other tech you have with you that could be a distraction. Either don’t wear it or don’t bring it into the interview.
FORGETTING TO FOLLOW UP
Finally, it’s important to always follow up within 24 hours after your interview. This will help convey your interest in the position. If you don’t follow up, the interviewer may think you’re not really interested in the position.
Don’t make these mistakes during your next interview! And if you want more great interview advice, check out our Interview Toolbox today.
