1. Showing up Late OR Too Early
It’s a no-brainer: Obviously, punctuality is
important in an interview. But sometimes your Waze is way off, causing
you to arrive much too early or embarrassingly late. You may think
arriving early is a point in your favor. But you don’t want to show up
more than 15 minutes early because it can stress out your interviewers.
After all, they take responsibility for your waiting time, and they
don’t want to feel guilty if you’re stuck on a couch for what seems like
an eternity. So if you get to an interview more than 10 minutes early,
find a place to wait -- your car, Starbucks, etc. -- to avoid creating
any awkwardness. And regarding lateness. “Don’t be late. But if it’s
unavoidable, be sure to call.”
2. Be Afraid to Make Eye Contact
You know the old proverb “The eyes are the
windows to the soul?” Well, it isn’t just some hokey, poetic metaphor.
When it comes to job interviews, your eyes really do give the
interviewers an idea of your level of interest, professionalism and
confidence. That’s why eye contact is crucial. Melissa Logan, general
manager at Amoeba Music, recommends, “Avoid darting eyes. Instead, try
to keep eye contact throughout the interview.” Eye contact also shows
sincerity, honesty and respect -- all of which are imperative when you
first meet a prospective employer. And as far as first impressions and
eye contact go. “A
pleasant, confident greeting is important -- especially to a company
where customer-service skills are key.”
3. Checking Your Phone
Sure, it’s tempting to text a friend or scroll
through your Facebook feed when you’re in a quiet room, nervously
anticipating an interview. But just don’t. “Turn off your cellphone before entering the
building. Don’t use it even while waiting for your interview in the
reception area.” Because, she explains, “current employees may ‘check
out’ applicants. And if an applicant is excessively texting or using his
cellphone, it’s considered a danger signal. These current employees
will then pass this information on to the manager who is interviewing.”
You should really just ignore your phone completely throughout the
entire visit. “Don’t even glance at it during the interview.”
4. Wear Inappropriate Clothing
Clearly, you’re not going to saunter in to an
interview in gray sweatpants or a Kim Kardashian-esque beige bodycon
dress. But you do need to consider what you want your style to convey.
Laura Santos, senior recruiter at Revolve Clothing, advises, “You
definitely want to dress the part.” In order to come across as a
professional, you should always err on the side of slightly more
overdressed and conservative -- even if your job is in a more laid-back
environment. But all job fields aren’t created equal when it comes to
“dressing the part.” According to Ryan Kahn, founder of The Hired Group
and MTV’s “Hired” career coach, “It’s all about understanding the
company culture.” Just dress accordingly, whether the environment is
creative to tech to corporate to fashion to finance. Pay attention to
grooming and hygiene too. “avoid overloading on
fragrance.”
5. Forget to Do Research
Once you’ve landed a job interview, take a cue
from William Miller, the budding Rolling Stone journalist in “Almost
Famous”: Do your homework. Know who you’re talking to, what they’re
about and what they do. Show some genuine interest, even passion. Don’t
venture in and think you can fake it. “Research the company. Prepare a series of
intelligent questions that will highlight your curiosity about the
company and its function. Nothing makes me crazier than an applicant who
asks: So, what exactly do you do here?” Angela Priest, former hiring
manager for a Fortune 500 company adds, “I expect you to be assessing
whether or not this company is a good fit for you as much as we’re
assessing how well you fit with the company.”
6. Question the Perks
The adrenaline rush of a potential new job can
be exhilarating, almost to the point that you’re eager to know every
perk as if you already have the job. But before you rattle off a series
of questions -- “How many vacation days do I get? Does your company give
annual bonuses? What’s your retirement savings plan like?” -- slow down
and be patient. “While it’s good to have follow-up questions prepared
for your interviewer, don’t ask too many questions about benefits and
time off during an initial interview,” says Jordan. “It’s appropriate to
request more information -- especially that kind -- once you receive
the job offer.” So wait till that offer comes.
7. Misrepresent Yourself
Melissa Logan, general manager for Amoeba
Music, says it best: “Don’t under- or oversell yourself. Just be
yourself!” It sounds simple, yet so many people have a tough time doing
it. We all want to cruise into a job interview and convince the hiring
team that we’re everything they’ve ever wanted in a star employee. But
you don’t want to paint an over-the-top picture of your skills. As smart
and gifted as you are, you probably can’t defy gravity or herd
unicorns. Advocate for what you can do, and don’t doubt the value and
experience you bring. “Don’t lack confidence in your skills -- sell
yourself!” Santos advises.
8. Overshare
Of course you want your interviewers to like
you, so it’s a good idea to share a few details that highlight your
interests and personality. Angela Priest, former hiring manager for a
Fortune 500 company, explains, “This helps me understand a bit more
about you as a person and how you might fit into the company culture.”
But you don’t want to turn your interview into a therapy session.
Melissa Logan says, “You should definitely avoid divulging too much
personal info.” For example, you may think that recounting a touching,
personal story in an interview will tug at your hiring team’s
heartstrings. But it could end up leaving a Debbie Downer vibe in the
room, which doesn’t exactly scream, “Hire me!” Oversharing also applies
to pre-interview information. “Don’t post anything on social media that
you don’t want a potential employer to see. We look!” says Cheryl
Jordan.
9. Bad-Mouth Your Former Job
All of our experts agree that this is a huge
red flag. Even if you left the most horrible job on the planet, your
current interviewers do not need to know about it. “Don’t say negative
things about your previous employer or company -- even if you left
because the situation was bad,” Angela Priest stresses. “Instead,
discuss it in a constructive way or describe why the company was no
longer a good fit for you. You may be saving us both some time and angst
if there are similar conditions at our company.” Laura Santos explains
further, saying, “We wouldn’t want you doing that with us if we hire
you.”
10. Forget Your Resume
If you’re eager to land the job, you’ve got to
be ready for anything -- which includes having an arsenal of tools that
tout your talent and show just how serious you are. “Don’t forget to
bring copies of your resume. Yeah, we’ve already seen it, but it’s nice
to see that you’re prepared,” says Laura Santos. Cheryl Jordan also
suggests: “If you have letters of reference from former employers, bring
those too.” It’s definitely helpful to show the value you’ve brought to
your past workplaces.
11. Use Too Many Buzzwords
Brainy is good. BS is not. If you start
rattling off information you have memorized about “m-commerce” and how
“mobile storefronts need to be more user-friendly to drive purchases via
mobile phone,” but you don’t really understand what you’re saying, it’s
going to be apparent. Angela Priest advises, “Don’t use too many
buzzwords. If you know something, you know it. Using too many buzzwords
makes me think that you read it somewhere in a textbook and don’t know
the real-world application, whether or not that’s true.”
12. Be Unrealistic About Salary
Everyone dreams of making bank -- whether that
means you can finally pay all of your bills or afford a personal
masseuse named Antonio. But before you throw out an outrageously huge
number, you’ve got to consider your years of experience, talent and what
you currently make to guide you to a feasible amount. Laura Santos
says, “Don’t be unrealistic with your compensation requirements. We all
think that we are worth a million bucks -- but that doesn’t mean your
next employer will pay that.” So if you know what you’re worth, how do
you convince an employer to pay you accordingly? Andrew G. Rosen,
founder and editor of jobacle.com, suggests, “Be honest with what you
make and how much you’d require to take the position. Then explain what
you’re worth and give a realistic salary range.”
13. Lie About Your Other Options
Even if you’re a Lee Strasberg Theatre &
Film Institute graduate, it’s probably not the best idea to test out
your skills with hiring managers, HR personnel and other big guns who
can make or break your job status. According to our experts, these
people are pros at detecting when someone’s bluffing. Laura Santos warns
prospective candidates: “Don’t lie about interviewing at other places.
We can see right through it.” Then again, you don’t want to admit it’s
the only company you’re interviewing with. According to Lily Zhang,
career development specialist at MIT, there’s no need to give the
interviewer more power than he or she already has. Lily says, “Instead
of responding with your lack of other interviews, let your interviewer
know what types of positions and companies you’ve been applying to.”
14. Play It Too Cool
You’re in the hot seat for a reason, right?
You genuinely want this job. Cheryl Jordan says, “Interviewing
applicants who obviously don’t give a damn about where they work as long
as they receive a paycheck is a huge chore, while interviewing those
who are interested and enthusiastic is always a pleasure.” Certified
career management coach and expert resume writer Don Goodman suggests,
“Before you go in for an interview, look over the company’s website for
news events. Did the company just sign a significant partnership, bring
in a key individual from the industry or launch a new product? These are
topics that can help build rapport and show that you have a sincere
interest in the company.”
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