interview_mistakes

Common Interview Mistakes

Article courtesy of InterviewConcepts.com

No Negatives

Badmouthing a previous employer or supervisor is the quickest way to lose a
job offer. If you have experienced a bad employer or an inept manager, find
the positives in your relationship and focus on those. If there were no
positives, and you must talk about the job, focus as much as possible on your
successes in that job and not on the conflicts.

DETAILS:

1. Plan on arriving at least fifteen minutes before the interview. That will help
reduce your stress level, and you will ensure that traffic or other delays don't
make you late.

2. Bring a pen and notebook with you, but don't take notes during the
interview.

3. Greet your interviewer by their first name, with a firm handshake and a
smile. (Practice your handshake on your friends to see how it compares.)

4. Wait for the interviewer to sit down or invite you to sit down before seating
yourself.

5. Do not smoke or chew gum.

6. Sit comfortably, maintain good body posture. Don't sit back in the chair, sit
up, and look alert.

7. Maintain good eye contact.

8. Listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying. Take a few seconds to
think about a difficult question before responding. Responding quickly may
convey that you're impulsive and don't take time to think about your decisions.

9. Don't make up answers to questions you don't know. Your interviewer will
conclude that you will do the same thing in the work place.

10. Enthusiasm is vital! Demonstrate your interest in the job and in the
company.

11. Close the interview on a positive note. Indicate that the job looks like a
good fit and you feel you can make a contribution to the organization.

12. Express your desire for a follow-up interview and when you can expect
to hear from the company.

13. Thank the interviewer for his or her time.

14. Be sure you have the interviewer's business card, or at least the proper
spelling of their name, their title and their address, phone number, and e-mail
address.