10 Common Mistakes Young People Make During Job Interviews
You can never be too prepared for a job interview — you never know what minor element of your personality or presentation can make or break your chances. But while you maybe polished to a luster for the usual interview questions and your resume is gleaming, what about some of the other intangibles involved in getting hired?
If you are looking for a new position or plan to do so in the future, it is important to carefully consider your interviewing techniques. Following are five common mistakes candidates make when meeting with potential employers and advice on how to avoid these stumbling blocks:
1. Not taking the interview seriously
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the interview is just a formality. Even if all of the preliminaries have gone well, don’t be cavalier and start imagining how you’ll start spending your new salary. The biggest error you can make is to assume that, because you’ve gotten this far, the job is in the bag.
Hiring managers will assume that you have, at minimum, investigated their organization’s website, so expand the scope of your research efforts. Use your professional network and industry publications to determine the company’s business priorities, competitors and market position. This will help you translate your expertise into concrete examples of how you can make a difference at the firm.
Don’t talk money too soon into the interview. To focus on your salary requirements and previous salary history right off the bat may cause you to reveal too much. While the topic of salary will certainly come up, follow the interviewer’s lead. He or she may be saving that topic for a later conversation.
Make sure to send a handwritten thank-you note or polite email to the interviewer expressing gratitude for his or her time and consideration. And while you don’t want to call the company every day, a phone call to check in a week after the interview is perfectly acceptable.
5. Dressing down
How you present yourself during your initial meeting with a potential employer is very important, and your physical appearance can speak volumes to someone who is meeting you for the first time. Even if you know that the firm allows employees to wear jeans, don’t sabotage yourself by showing up to the interview in casual clothing. Err on the side of conservative and show up in neat, professional clothing; a business suit is your best and safest bet.
6. Talking too much
Be careful not to talk over the interviewer. This meeting should be a two-way conversation, and many interviewees cover up their nervousness by blathering. Sit calmly, listen carefully, and answer questions thoughtfully.
7. Lack of enthusiasm
This is your first and sometimes only chance to showcase your personality. Don’t walk in announcing your bad day. Be polite and upbeat. Show your enthusiasm for both the job and the opportunity to interview for it. And don’t forget to thank the person at the end of the interview!
8. Being too modest
Failing to talk yourself up during an interview is one of the most self-defeating mistakes that you can make. This is not the time for humility, so sing your praises! Don’t be afraid to talk up everything that you’ve accomplished, whether in school or in previous companies. This is your time to shine.
9. Not being yourself
Even though you want to customize your answers based on what you learn from the interviewer to emphasize skills most applicable to the position, be careful not to overstate your case. Not only do you want to avoid stretching the truth, but the hiring manager may not reveal every aspect that is important for the winning candidate to possess. In other words, don’t get so focused on saying the “right thing” that you do not give an accurate portrayal of your skills and interests.
10. Not showing why you’re the best choice
Be familiar with the job description of the position for which you’re interviewing so that you can illustrate how your experience, abilities, and strengths are in line with the company’s needs. Many potential employers want to know why they should hire you specifically. Make it clear to them.
