The Most Common Interview Mistakes
Seven frequent interview mistakes from an HR perspective and how candidates can avoid them.
There is much research on why candidates are not hired. For the most accurate answer, ask the company that gave you a negative result. Some give generic feedback; some give personal feedback. Asking the right person the right questions can give you useful input.
From an HR perspective, the most common interview mistakes fall under seven headings:
Applying to every vacancy a company posts, or to different levels in the same field.
Looking bored, or trying too hard to look overconfident.
Speaking badly about a former employer during the interview.
Asking about salary at the first opportunity in the first meeting.
Arriving without researching the company and role, and not asking goal-focused questions at the end.
Dressing in a way that does not fit the company.
Not switching off the mobile phone.
Applying to the right vacancies matters as much as a good CV and interview preparation. Some ads list many requirements even for graduates, and you may still be invited if you pass basic filters — but that does not mean apply to every ad. Apply where you fit and increase your chance of being selected.
Overconfidence or looking bored is read negatively. Focus on the questions, give solid answers and leave the right impression. Speak honestly about why you left a role without badmouthing the former employer — exaggeration or untruths often surface in reference checks.
Leave salary to the employer. Opening with pay when you are invited to ask questions creates a negative perception.
Researching the company and asking what you truly wonder about helps you work with the right employer and leaves a positive impression. Unresearched questions make you look uninterested. Research also helps you dress appropriately.
Keeping the phone off before you enter the room has a better effect than silencing it mid-conversation. It shows you value the company and the interviewer.
AND IF IT STILL ENDS NEGATIVELY DESPITE ALL THIS?
While you look for the right job, the employer looks for the right employee. Meeting in the middle sometimes takes one application, sometimes more — so apply to all suitable vacancies.
Ask for feedback on unsuccessful interviews; it prepares you for the next one.
Good luck already.
Stay with love.