We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but were absolute disasters in person. With fewer interview opportunities available in this competitive market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression.
You can learn from the mistakes of others and avoid the top 10 worst interview blunders.
The Limp Hand: Gives the impression of disinterest or weakness.
To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Avoid nervous talking by preparing for your interview with role-play.
3. Saying negative things about your current or past employers/managers.
4. Showing up late or too early.
The first lesson in job-search etiquette is to show up on time for interviews. A lot of job seekers don't realize, however, that showing up too early often creates a poor first impression as well. Arriving more than ten minutes early for an interview is a dead giveaway that the job seeker has too much time on their hands, much like the last one picked for the softball team.
Don't diminish your candidate desirability by appearing desperate. Act as if your time were as valuable as theirs. Always arrive on time, but never more than ten minutes early.
5. Treating the receptionist rudely.
Since the first person you meet on an interview is usually a receptionist, this is also the first impression you'll make. Don't mistake low rank for low input. Often, that receptionist's job is to usher you into your interview. The receptionist has the power to pave your way positively or negatively before you even set eyes on the interviewer.
6. Asking about benefits, vacation time or salary.
What if a car salesman asked to see your credit report before allowing you to test drive the cars? That would be ridiculous and you'd walk away in disgust. The effect is about the same when a job seeker asks about benefits or other employee perks during the first interview. Wait until you've won the employer over before beginning that discussion.
7. Not preparing for the interview.
An ill-at-ease candidate seldom makes a good impression. The first signs of nervousness are verbal ticks. We all have them from time to time-umm, like, you know. Ignore the butterflies in your stomach and put up a front of calm confidence by avoiding verbal ticks.
One of the best ways to reduce or eliminate them is through role play. Practice sharing your best success stories ahead of time, and you'll feel more relaxed during the real interview.
9. Not enough/too much eye contact.
Either situation can create a negative effect: Avoid eye contact and you'll seem shifty or untruthful; offer too much eye contact, and you'll wear the interviewer out. If you sometimes have trouble with eye-contact balance, work this out ahead of time in an interview practice session with a friend.
10. Failure to match communication styles.
When you allow the interviewer to set the tone of conversation, this can vastly improve your chances of making a favorable impression. You can put the interviewer at ease-and make yourself seem more like them-by mirroring their communication style.
Just as a strong resume wins you an opportunity to interview, strong interview skills will win you consideration for the job. You already know that you won't earn an interview unless your resume sets you apart as a candidate of choice. Because of this, you commit your resources to present an outstanding resume. Likewise, you should know that polishing your interview skills can mean the difference between getting the job-and being a runner-up.