Career & Life Coaching

You did it! You impressed your future employer to the point where they called you in for a face-to-face job interview. This is your chance to go in there in person and shine. Now that you’ve been given this opportunity, it’s critical that you don’t waste it. Here are the top ten mistakes made in job interviews and how to avoid them.

1.   Dressing Dreadfully:  According to a Careerbuilder.com survey, the single most common mistake made by candidates in job interviews is inappropriate dress. It’s almost a certainty that you as the candidate will be expected to wear a business suit or other formal dress to the interview. The one exception to this rule can be high-tech companies, where anything other than jeans and flip flops might make you stick out like a sore thumb.

2.   Badmouthing The Boss:   Believe it or not, the second most common mistake made by a job candidate was badmouthing their former boss. How do you think your perspective boss will feel if they hear you harping on your prior boss? They’re going to wonder whether they’ll be the topic of conversation if you should happen to move on to another company in the future. Even if you have excellent reasons to be bitter, don’t do it.

3.  Lack of Excitement:   If you can’t get excited for the job interview, your interviewer will probably figure that you won’t be very enthusiastic while you’re on the job. Sit or stand up straight. Smile! Make sure the interviewer knows how excited you are to be interviewing for this particular job.

4.  Acting Like a Know-It-All:   There’s probably nothing that annoys an interviewer more than an applicant who comes in and is aggressive to the point of arrogance. While it’s very important to engage with your interviewer and ask questions, there’s a fine line between showing interest and monopolizing the conversation to the point where the interviewer can’t get a word in edge-wise. Be sure to let the interviewer finish their sentences, and try not to ramble on when you’re speaking.

5.  Lack of Preparation:  On the other hand, it’s vital that you prepare for a job interview by researching the company and preparing for all the typical questions you’re likely to be asked. If the interviewer asks a question you don’t know the answer to, you’re much better off telling them so than stuttering and mumbling as you grope for an answer.

6.  Not Asking Pertinent Questions:   An interview is a two-way street. You don’t want to ask a bunch of irrelevant questions at a job interview, but you do want to ask pertinent, well-thought-out questions that require more than a yes or no answer.

7.  Late on Arrival:   You never get a second chance… No doubt you’ve heard it before. If you’re going to be late, call and tell the interviewer, the sooner the better. If it’s earlier in the day, ask if you can reschedule for later that day.

8.   Being Inarticulate:   One of the questions you’re almost sure to hear at a job interview is “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” Although it might seem like a simple question, more often than not it’s tough to articulate the answer, so practice. Rehearse the answers you plan to give for questions like this.

9.  Being too General:   When the interviewer asks you a question, do your best to give examples or connections that link your answer to the job under consideration. You’re usually better served with concise, specific answers rather than longer, rambling answers that don’t necessarily apply to the job you’re seeking. 

10.  Asking about Salary : Don’t be too eager to talk salary. While it’s vital not to sell yourself short, you don’t want to make your salary requirements the centerpiece of the interview. If it doesn’t come up during the course of the interview, you can ask about the salary toward the end.

Copyright, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

As job seekers broaden their horizons to include positions far from their home town, and human resources departments try to deal with the deluge of job applications brought on by the recession, telephone interviews have become much more popular. Here are some telephone interview tips that will help you get your foot in the door – and keep it there.  Although this is a guide to help you prepare for a phone interview, you’ll discover some handy job interview tips that will help you, whether you’re on the phone or not. 

Be Spontaneous

The trouble with a phone interview is that your potential employer can spring one on you at any time, so you must be prepared for the possibility. Here are some telephone interview tips that can prepare you for a spontaneous interview:

• Keep Your Resume Handy: You may need to recall key points at a moment’s notice. Ideally, you’d memorize them, but if that’s not possible, be sure your resume is within easy reach.
• Know Your Stuff: If this is a job you’re really interested in, one of the first things you should do is commit to memory the key facts about the company and the requirements of the job you’re after.
• Keep a Pen in Your Pocket: It’s always a good idea to have a pen and paper handy, just in case you hear something you’ll need to know in the future.
•  Keep Your Cool: Remember, your questioner knows they’re putting you on the spot.  If you’re not sure of an answer, or you need to get your thoughts together, don’t be afraid to take a few deep breaths. It’s better than umm-ing or uhh-ing your way through the interview. This is sound advice for a scheduled phone interview as well.

Be Prepared

If you’ve got some time to prepare, in addition to the above telephone interview tips, try to:

• Keep Hydrated: Phone interviews can be lengthy. You don’t want your voice giving out on you at a critical moment.
• Control Your Environment: If you’re at home, make sure there’s no obnoxious background noise. If you like to walk and talk, make sure you’re not going to encounter a chain saw on your route.
•  Dress for Success: Yes, even for a phone interview. How you dress can affect how you act. Dressing nicely will help you to project confidence over the phone.
• Remember to Smile: Just as dressing can help your confidence, smiling can help your disposition. Keeping a smile on your face will come through in your voice, even if you don’t notice it.

These are some job interview tips that are uniquely tailored to a telephone interview, but you can apply most of them to an ordinary job interview as well. As with any interview, phone interview questions can be all over the map, so be prepared to answer everything from why you’re looking for a job to how you would respond to a challenge. 

If you have time to prepare for a job interview, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to think about how you envision the interview proceeding. Come up with a pitch that sells yourself and presents your unique qualifications for the job. If there are items on your resume that you don’t want to dwell on, think about how you can transition to a positive aspect of your skill set.  Remember, if someone referred you to this position, it never hurts to drop a name.

It takes days to prepare for a job interview, but a phone interview sometimes doesn’t give you that luxury. Hopefully, these telephone interview tips will allow you to avoid potential pitfalls and put your best foot forward during your next phone interview.