Just like running, playing an instrument, or doing the math, if you haven’t had a job interview in a while, you may find you have fallen out of practice. Whether you’re a recent grad or an experienced professional, the key to a good interview is practice. This can help you gather your thoughts, gain confidence, and avoid the common pitfalls of interviewing.
So, what are some common interview mistakes? Here’s a list of seven you might not even realize you’re making.
Starting late
Most candidates arrive at an interview physically early, but it’s important to be mentally early too. Make sure you are mentally focused and ready from the first moment the interview starts. It always helps to prepare in advance for an interview, this way key information will be second nature and solidified in your head.
Not being specific enough to the job description
It’s important to talk about yourself in relation to the specific position you’re seeking. Make it clear that you don’t want just any job, you want this job. Also, it’s important to share details about yourself but make sure they relate to the job at hand. Talk about your qualifications in terms of this specific position, not just life in general.
Not working your body language
Slouching, averting your eyes, or speaking too softly can make you appear tired. You don’t need to be yelling, but make sure you appear alert and energized. Consider filming yourself ahead of time to take a look at your body position and overall demeanor.
Lacking confidence
Be calm, collected, and steady. Don’t fidget, this is a sure sign of nervousness. For some confidence boosting tips to use in your next interview check out this article.
Confusing the interviewer
You have probably worked on a multitude of interesting projects, but for an interview, focus on concise details about one or two. Jumping from topic to topic can be confusing for the interviewer.
Assuming phone or video interviews are the same as in-person
Digital interviews are convenient, but you also lose critical non-verbal cues, so your spoken content becomes even more critical. Practice, practice, practice!
Working on eliminating some of the little mistakes from your interview can make the process run more smoothly and help you stand out from a crowd of qualified applicants. It’s the small details that separate out a good candidate from a great one! Good luck, you got this.
