Are you about to interview for a job? If yes, then this article will help you in preparing yourself!
If you’re just starting your career you can already attest to the anxiousness that follows whenever you have to give an interview for a job you’ve been coveting. Though you might be nervous, just remember that they chose you because they thought you’d be a good fit, now you just have to keep calm and prove yourself- and we’re here to help! Here are the top 10 mistakes you need to avoid during your interviews:
1) Not Resting Before Your Big Day
We often disturb our routine by sleeping all day and staying up all night. There could be numerous reasons for that, but we know it’s unhealthy. Usually, the day before an exam or an interview is always stressful and creates anxiety as well. Due to uneasiness, we often don’t sleep well at night or don’t sleep at all. Doing so is a big no if you have a job interview the next day.
Suggestion: Prepare your things for the interview the day before and fall asleep for at least 8 hours and it will help you stay active and feel less anxious while interacting with interviewers. To get more information about sleeping routines, click here!
Image Source: Vecteezy
2) Dressing Informally
Your attire speaks about who you are. Dressing formally is one of the essential components while preparing yourself for a job interview. You cannot dress casually as it portrays that you are not a serious candidate. Therefore, always dress formally when you have an interview so you look neat and tidy, and seriously optimistic about the opportunity.
Suggestion: If you are a male candidate, you should wear a dress shirt with dress pants and a pair of formal shoes. To get more information, click here! If you are a female candidate, you should wear a plain kurta with plain trousers and a pair of formal heels. You can also add a plain scarf or dupatta if you want to. To get more information, click here!
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3) Arriving Late
Punctuality plays a vital role in building up your personality in every aspect of life. If you won’t arrive on time for a job interview, you will make a bad impression. Since a lot of candidates come in for the same interview as you, if you arrive late there is a high chance that you won’t get the job. Interviewers are very strict about the candidate being punctual because that’s what will measure your pressure-bearing intensity.
Suggestion: Always reach the company’s office 20-30 minutes before your interview time. For more information on managing time, click here!
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4) A Long Wordy Resume
Cv or resume is the written form of your personality and life experience. Good resumes are those which are minimal and don’t contain too many lengthy sentences to describe your achievements. One common mistake that almost every candidate makes is writing paragraphs instead of making pointers. Anyone who views your resume won’t even read paragraphs in detail, they just want to skim read it as you will be called for a job interview to elaborate yourself.
Suggestion: Download formats of resume and then edit them or get make a simple word file with minimal information. For better resume ideas, click here!
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5) Improper Research
One of the essential things to do while preparing for your job interview is searching about the organization or company and the position they are offering. People tend to lack in this area because they neglect it by thinking you’ll get to know about it later anyway. The other reason behind poor researching is the way people search about companies and job vacancies without using the right keywords. Both approaches are wrong.
Suggestion: You should always search regarding the company through their sites which includes; projects, departments, and hierarchical charts. Moreover, search about the department they offered you to join. To get more information about how to research the company and job, click here!
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6) An Informal Greeting
When it comes to meeting people for the first time, always greet them formally with a warm smile. Your way of greeting really plays an essential role in job interview as it shows your confidence.
Example: Hello. Mr/Mrs/Miss Jones, it’s nice to meet you. To learn more about formally greeting, click here!
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7) Disclosing Too Much Personal Information
When you meet someone for the first time they generally ask you “Tell us about yourself?” This is the same first question you’ll be asked at your job interview. Since this is a personal question there is a high chance that you might say too much. This is a very common mistake almost every candidate makes but it can be very risky as well. Saying too much will show them that you are too immature to keep personal and professional life separate.
Suggestion: You should only talk about education, work experience (if any) and your hobbies (if necessary). To understand and practice more, click here!
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8) Dominating The Conversation
When you meet someone for the first time, you don’t talk much but listen more. This approach is healthy! But there could be a chance that out of anxiety, you over-speak about something. This isn’t healthy at all and, it is honestly mostly not in our control under pressure as well. At job interviews, the interviewer or hiring community might judge you by asking you questions in which a detailed or short answer is needed. Therefore, you should always answer the question according to its importance and never speak too much while answering.
Suggestion: Don’t answer any question for more than 2 minutes and answer by elaborating 2-3 main key points in your head. To learn more about talking less, click here!
Image source: Vecteezy
9) Using Cellphones
We have the habit of using our cellphone wherever we are and whatever we are doing. People around us tend to ignore it but when you go to a workplace for a job interview, as I said before, they notice everything about you. The interviewer or hiring community will instantly call you out if you’re using your cellphone as a distraction. Trust me! Not only is it rude, but it will also tell them that you get distracted easily while working.
Suggestion: Always put your phone on silent mode and inside your pocket or bag before entering the interview room.
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10) Neglecting To Ask For Feedback
Most candidates don’t ask their desired questions about the job, salary, and advantages in a job interview. Do not make this mistake because you will regret it later. It’s always healthy to ask questions at the end of the interview as this shows that you are interested in the vacancy offered to you.
Example: When will I be hearing from you again? What will be the salary package? For more questions to ask after the interview, click here!
Image Source: VectorStock
We hope this helped and you’ll be more confident next time you go in for a job interview. Good luck!
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Multiple resources used in this article include: 15 things you should avoid in a job interview, Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid, 10 Easy-To-Make Job Interview Mistakes, 20 Common Interview Mistakes and How To Avoid Them.
I am Emaan Rehman and I am a BBA student at Salim Habib University, Karachi. I’m an Instagram writer. Writing and reading is my passion. I believe a person who reads is someone who can conquer the world with his/her intelligence and wisdom of knowledge.
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