You have found a great job opportunity. You have the necessary skills and experience. Everything is going according to plan, but for some reason you aren’t selected. What happened? It’s likely that you committed an interview mistake. Most hiring managers are willing to let one or two small matters slide. However, if you commit several of the common interview mistakes you will never make the short list.
We interviewed hiring managers, recruiters, and even job seekers to identify the most common mistakes made by job applicants. We intentionally did not rank the list of interview offenses, since their impact will vary widely depending on the attitude of the interviewer. As you review the list below, some mistakes will appear quite obvious even common sense (and humorous). Some mistakes apply only to one gender but there are plenty to go around.
We recommend that you review our list and make a personal checklist of your own, based on the job, the company, and your past experiences. Prior to each interview look at the list again. In this way, you will become conditioned in your behavior and responses. After each interview debrief yourself as soon as possible. Go through the list, checking those items that were mishandled.
By carefully crafting your answers and avoiding interview mistakes, your confidence will increase and your job campaign will improve dramatically.
101 Job Interview Mistakes:
Arriving late for interview (and not calling to advise the interviewer)
Bringing food and drink into the interview
Wearing huge medals, chains, and gaudy jewelry
Smelling of smoke
Referring to any member of the staff in some derogatory or suggestive way
Using foul language
Forgetting to bring extra resumes
Taking liberties with interviewer Ex: addressing by first name
Leaving your cell phone on (and answering)
Wearing shirt unbuttoned down the front; sleeves rolled up
Bad mouthing your past supervisor or employer
Dressing very casual or overdressing – simple conservative always works
Failing to send thank you note after interview
Wearing shorts, T-shirts floppies, sneakers, baseball hat, blue jeans
Hair disheveled or unkempt
Chewing gum
Wearing tie or shirt with stains
Messed up clothes- poorly pressed
Tracking dirt, snow, rain, etc. into the office
Showing off tattoos
Wearing dirty or scuffed shoes
Putting briefcase or purse on interviewer’s desk
Poor posture when sitting- slouching
Failing to give firm handshake
Making derogatory references to gender, race, or age
Unshaved
Body odor;bad breath
Too much perfume or aftershave cologne
Shuffling papers and notes during interview
Failure to bring critical reference material -dates, names, addresses etc
Failing to get names and titles or bus cards of people interviewed
Failing to acknowledge everyone in the organization Ex: receptionist, assistants etc.
Assuming one or more of the staff are not influential in hiring decision
Interrupting receptionist or other staff with frivolous conversation
Laughing boisterously during interview
Telling jokes during interview
Failing to thank interviewer and express enthusiastic interest in the position
Failing to ask their level of interest – how you fit – the next step
Asking who else is applying – What are their names
Replying: ‘I already answered that question’
Lying
Losing temper or arguing with interviewer
Asking detailed salary questions on first interview
Focusing on medical benefits and sick time during initial discussions
No answer for “What kind of position are you seeking..What are your job objectives?”
Fidgeting – fooling with hair and hands, cracking knuckles
Picking up and fussing with stuff on interviewer’s desk
Asking personal questions of interviewer
Hemming and hawing when answering
Failing to answer a question – stalling – ignoring a question
Failing to be prepared for the most common questions
Asking about vacation and comp time in the beginning
Asking for flex time unless it is a routine and expected part of the job
Coming to interview sick
Bringing a friend or relative along (even to the waiting area)
Directing the interviewer – “You should…do this or that”
Failing to smile and show enthusiasm
Rambling on instead of a clear concise answer
Answering questions with irrelevant details
Exaggerating skills and achievements
Failing to maintain eye contact
Acting as if you are the obvious choice or already have the job
Being dismissive of the HR staff and its function
Offering apologies or qualifiers before an answer
Failing to do research -asking questions that you should already know the answers to
Showing off your knowledge about the company with items of common knowledge
Implying you are deserving of a promotion before you start
Failing to backup supposed skills with specific examples
Being a philosopher: Focus instead on your concrete value adding abilities
Being unprepared for tough questions about past failings, problems, dismissals etc.
Interrupting the interviewer
Using threatening language – “If I don’t get this job…..”
Mispronouncing an important word or name
Failing to address the interviewer by name in the course of the interview
Failing to overcome negative observations or conclusions made by interviewer
Saying money doesn’t matter
Asking for something to eat or drink
Asking “When can I expect my review and how often do you give raises”
Failing to follow interviewer’s lead:If all business-then you be all business etc.
Holding interviewer hostage: Recognize when the interview is over
Failing to find out the next step in the process
Focusing and commenting on the office trappings, titles, and office size
Declaring what you don’t do or won’t do
Making references to employment law and labor regulations
Debating issues with interviewer
Emphasizing your medical conditions
Being a pity applicant: employer is primarily interested in their needs not yours
Talking down to the interview implying your skills and experience are superior
Saying “You probably don’t know this because of your age or lack of experience but…”
Failing to change your personal voice mail to a professional response
Don’t cross your legs or ankles during interview
Failing to warn family and roommates of possible calls from prospective employers
Conducting telephone interviews in noisy environment or subject to interruptions
Using existing employer’s telephone or email to communicate with prospective employers
Forgetting critical info – Who are you interviewing with? Time, address
Making reference to prospective employers on social networks and blogs
Failing to get detailed directions beforehand
Texting in front of the interviewer or other staff
Asking to use the phone for routine matters
Talk about politics or controversial events involving politics, religion etc.
Offering details about personal life not needed by interviewer
Copyright 2009 T Collins Group LLC
By Anonymous
http://ezinearticles.com/?Job-Interviews—101-Common-Mistakes-to-Avoid&id=2609912
Job interview