FOR FRESHERS -Top 10
Mistakes to Avoid While Attending an Interview
1.
Incorrect attire
Dress more
conservatively than you would usually dress on an average day. You do not want
to show up to the interview in a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes. In
order to make the best impression on your interviewers and leave a lasting
impression on them you should follow these guidelines:
Brushing
teeth and arriving with fresh breath/ good hygiene.
Neatly
arranged hairstyle.
Clean and
conventional dress shoes.
Small
amount/not gaudy jewelry.
Cleaned
and neat fingernails.
Appropriate
amount of cologne or perfume.
Do not
have gum, candy, or other matter in your mouth.
No
obvious and inappropriate body piercings other than single ear piercings for
women.
No
visible tattoos.
Specific items for women include:
Tailored skirt or pant
suit in matching neutral colors. Length of skirt should be no shorter than the
Knee. Underneath suit jacket should be a tailored blouse showing no cleavage.
Matching accessories.
No clubbing wear.
No outrageous makeup.
No torn tights or
nylons.
Specific items for men include:
Matching pant suit in
neutral colors. That said, no crazy or wildpatterns or colors.
Wear a quality silk tie
that compliments your suit.
Shirt should be long
sleeved ALWAYS, in white, light blue, or conservative striped pattern.
Facial hair neatly
trimmed.
Recommended no jewelry
what so ever.
Shoes and belt must
match. Find MUCH MORE right here!
2. Unprepared answers
The most common
interview questions are very well known, so make sure you have the answers well
prepared. Going into an interview unprepared can be a death wish! Make sure you
have accurately prepared and unrehearsed can cause you to lose that great job
opportunity. Here is an example of how to be prepared with an impressive answer:
“Where do you see
yourself in 5 years? What are your goals?”
What not to do-
Never imply anything
along the lines of ending your employment with the company you are interviewing
with or moving on to bigger and better things in the near future.
How to answer-
If asked where you see
yourself in a certain number of years, tell the interviewer that you have a
long-term commitment to the job in which you are applying and that you will
grow as the position does.
3. Unprepared questions
As important as it is
to have answers to questions prepared, it is equally important to have
questions prepared to ask your interviewer because it will make you look more
professional and well prepared. Some interview questions you can have in mind
to ask are:
Is there anything about
the company you like to see improved?
When do you expect to
make your hiring decision?
When do you think I can
expect to hear back from you? Having these questions in mind can give You the
edge against all other interviewees the company will see.
4. Forgetting to do your research
One of the worst things
you can do is go into an interview knowing absolutely nothing about the company
you are applying with. Prior to the interview, it is vital to know and learn as
much as you can possibly lean about the company. Some research you should do
includes:
Preliminary company information.
If the company you are
applying with has a parent corporation
What the position you
are applying for entails Get the inside information to impress your interviewer
with all of the knowledge you will know during your interview!
5. Not watching what you say
Everyone makes
mistakes, but it is extremely important to avoid every mistake you can! Some
things you may say might offend someone and blow your chances at getting that
job. Make sure to carefully watch what you say, and think about what you want
to say before you say it. Somethings to avoid saying in your interview include:
Asking about their pay
or how much they make.
Questioning their
authority
Attacking/speaking
against personal beliefs
Avoiding these types of
statements or questions can save yourself the pain of hearing that you did not
get the interview, and keep you in the race for the job!
6. Ringing of cell phones
Probably the worst
mistake you can make in an interview and the by far EASIEST one to avoid is
having your cell phone ring during your interview! Having your cell phone go
off during your interview is a slap in the face to your potential employer,
showing them that you care more about your personal calls than their company.
If your phone rings during the interview you can pretty much kiss your job
good-bye, here are some solution ideas to avoid this incident:
Turn off your cell
phone.
Silence your phones as
soon as you pull into the parking lot of your interview.
Set an alarm so you
remember to turn off/silence your phone.
By just following these
simple and common sense guidelines to avoid your phone going off can save you
tons of embarrassment and better yet your job!
7. Checking the time
Yes, the exact time of
the day may be important to you so you can make your next task of the day on
time, but to your interviewer it looks like they are wasting your time. If you
check the time frequently during your interview, you will be sending a very
negative vibe toward your employer and they will not hire you and waste your
time.
Avoid this
misunderstanding by (1) planning enough time in your day to allow more than
enough time for your interview, (2) if you plan anything else during that day
be sure whoever is involved in your plans knows you have an important interview
to attend, and (3) don’t wear a watch to avoid any temptation to look at the
time!
Let your interviewers
know exactly how important this job is to you by showing them complete and
utter respect during your interview and provide them with your undivided
attention toward! Learn how to provide even more respect toward your
interviewer
8. Asking about salary too early
We all know that money
is very important to keep our lives going especially with this economy, but one
of the WORST things you can doing an interview is ask about the salary you will
be making. If you ask about your salary you will be showing the interviewer
that you only care about the money you will be making and not about the
position or the company itself.
You will find out soon
enough what your salary will be, all you need to do is show patience and wait
for the call that will say that “You’re hired!” and the answer about salary
will follow!
9. Telling about other
job offers
Getting offered a job
or even multiple jobs is very exciting, but what do you do if you have another
interview coming up? Well, you do NOT tell that company about your previous
offers! You do not want that company to feel like you are disposable. For
example, if you express that other companies have offered you a position versus
a person who is desperately looking for a job and that company is their only
hope, they will choose the other person who really needs the job.
Be smart, do not give
the company an easy reason to dismiss you early and possibly lose your chances
at a better job, higher pay, and a more successful life where you can advance
in the position! Keep those other job opportunities you have received to
yourself! To discover the secrets to learning how to watch what you say during
an interview!
10. Tardiness
The most embarrassing
thing you can possibly do for an interview is be late! Being late on your first
day is bad enough, but just imagine being late for your interview, and say good
bye to that job opportunity. Yes, it is very easy to get stuck in traffic, by a
train, or even an unfortunate accident, but the company will see this as an
excuse for your tardiness not a reason! Easy tips to eliminate all chances of
being late by:
Leaving 15 minutes
before you would normally plan to leave (Showing up early looks AWESOME).
Plan alternate routes
to take in case the unexpected occurs.
Set an alarm to make
sure you wake up on time and leave when planned.
Another helpful hint is
IF you should happen to be running late (which there should be no reason for
you to be) make sure you give the company a call, explain the situation
briefly, express your empathy and gratitude, and assure them you will be there
in a timely fashion!
By knowing these Top 10
mistakes of interviewing and following the guidelines to avoiding them you can
assure yourself that you will have a very successful interview, and give
yourself the BEST chances possible of getting the job you always have dreamed
of having!
