Interviews

Although some people find them a breeze, for most of us interviews are a real challenge. Giving the best possible impression of yourself in just a few short minutes is extremely tough so it’s no surprise that even the best candidates can crumble under the pressure. To ensure you don’t let small mistakes damage your chances of securing your dream job, take a look at our guide to some of the most common interview mistakes and how to avoid them.

First impressions

According to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, around half of the employers know if a person is right for the job within the first five minutes of an interview. Although some may give a candidate a little longer to prove themselves, many will give jobseekers even less time to make their first impression.

Although there’s no set formula for making a great first impression, there are several things you can do to up your chances of getting your interview off on the right foot. For a start, make sure you’re never late. Few things say you’re unreliable and uncommitted as being late. If the job is really important to you, do a trial run to see how long the journey will take. If you don’t have time for this, simply leave your house 20-30 minutes earlier than you need to in order to ensure you get there on time.

While waiting for your interview to begin, try to interact with the receptionist or any other member of staff organising the process. Avoid talking on your phone or going online as this could make you seem indifferent and distracted.

Do your homework

Most businesses will expect candidates to know a little bit about the company, its history and its USP when they arrive for their interview. If you’re clueless about the organisation you’re interviewing with, it could give the impression that you don’t really care about the role you’re applying for. It could also leave you unprepared for interview questions – something that could lead to you blowing this all-important opportunity.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, make sure you do your research before interview day rolls around. Find out as much as you can about the business, its owners and bosses. If you can, try to work out who will be interviewing you and learn as much as you can about their professional history. The more you know about the company and the direction it’s heading, the easier it will be to prepare and to answer every question perfectly.

As well as questions that specifically refer to the company you want to work for, you’ll probably be asked a few standard interview questions as well. If you’re going for a senior role, there’s no excuse for not preparing for these talking points, so make sure you have an answer ready.

Keep a handle on your body language

If you’ve ever interviewed someone, you’ll know that it’s not just what they say that makes an impression, but also the way they say it. Body language is an incredibly important part of communication, so it’s essential your arms, legs and posture don’t say the wrong thing about you in your interview.

One of the simplest things you can do to improve the first impression you give is to make eye contact as soon as you walk into the room. Around two-thirds of employers say that a candidates chances are reduced if they don’t look them in the eye during the interview. Another important thing to do is to smile. Although you probably don’t want to overdo it on this front, a few smiles here and there will help to endear you to your interviewers and show them a little of your personality.

As well as remembering what to do, it’s important to bear in mind what NOT to do. Fidgeting, playing with something, looking down at your hands and avoiding eye contact will all make you look nervous, unconfident and unprofessional. If you’re prone to nervous behaviour, avoid drinking coffee before your interview and try taking a few soothing breaths before you walk into the room. This should help you to keep a handle on your nerves and your body language.

Come up with your own questions

There’s a point in most interviews where the interviewer will ask the candidate if they have any questions they want to ask. Having an informed, well-thought-out query at this point will help you to look like you’re genuinely interested in both the job and the business. It could also help your interview to be that little bit more memorable.

Before the day of the interview, come up with a few different questions you could ask. Try to make these as relevant to the company as possible so your interviewer knows that you’ve done your homework.

Talking too much

Although being quiet and unresponsive in an interview is obviously not a good idea, going too far the other way won’t do you any favours either. As well as making you look nervous, being overly talkative could annoy your interviewers and give them the impression you don’t work well in a group. This could cause them to offer the job to someone else, so make sure you keep a check on your chattiness.

Being too eager

Showing genuine enthusiasm in an interview is a good way to endear yourself to your prospective bosses and ensure you stand out from the crowd. However, if you come on too strong it could make you seem disingenuous and put interviewers off. Make a few compliments about the company, its products and services to show you’ve done your homework and that you genuinely want to be there, but try to avoid going overboard.

Find out more about acing that interview and securing your dream job by taking a look around our site today.