Top 8 Mistakes To Avoid During An Interview

Attending an interview is one of the most crucial tasks in a candidate’s career. This decides whether he would land up his favourite job and live a peaceful life. However, most of us often commit blunders out of nervousness and repent later.
This article brings up the things NOT to do in an interview and prepare you so that you do not stress out unnecessarily.

What are the most common job interview mistakes?

Out of the numerous mistakes observed by interviewers, here are the top 10 mistakes a candidate should avoid: 

1. Inappropriate Dressing
   While going for an interview, good dressing and a well-polished look are imperative for every candidate. Although choosing an attire for a particular job or post you are applying for, might be different and depends on you but it is important that you look good when put together. For example, you should be in business casual clothing if you are going to attend an interview for a non-professional post. 


2. Arriving Late
   You must have heard the famous phrase, “First impression is the last impression”. The first impression is very important to land up a job. You need to be there on time to avoid a bad impression even before arriving at your interview.
   Getting late not only gives an impression of poor time management skills but also disrespectful to the company and the interviewer’s time. Go out of your way to make it before 5 minutes to the venue and make sure you are not late at any cost. This is the only way to ensure that if at all you come across something unexpected, you would have a cushion time before your interview.


3. Carrying a Drink
   You must ditch that cup of coffee or bottle of your favorite drink in an interview. You better fuel yourself if required before stepping into the venue of interview. Getting a drink inside the venue also comes up with a chance of spilling it on the desk, on the interviewer or yourself.
   Moreover, you might also miss an important question while taking a sip. You can avoid all such possible incidents by refraining from carrying a drink.
   This not only shows a lack of professionalism in you but you must focus on the task at hand. If you focus on the task and maintain a clear eye contact with your prospective employer, you are more likely to create a good impression.


4. Using Phone During Interview
   It is always good to silent your phone during an interview. Texting or attending a call during an ongoing interview is not only rude but also displays a sense of irresponsibility. It explicitly shows your potential employer that the job is not on top of your priority.
   So, in order to resist the temptation of answering a text or attending a call, you better put your phone inside your bag.


5. Being Ignorant About the Company
   Interviewers often trick the candidates with the question, “What do you know about our company?”. Basically, it is an easy question to answer if you have done a little research on topics like the company’s history, branches, location, and a mission statement. You can often find them in the ‘About Us’ section of the company’s website.
   It is also smarter to check the company’s Facebook or Twitter page if they have any. You are more likely to find information across social media more than their website.


6. Presenting Fuzzy Resume Facts
   No matter whether you have submitted the resume for your job, some employers might ask you to present a copy of your resume. Make sure that all the information provided on your resume are correct, including the dates of your previous employment, graduation and contact information.
   Of course, it is understandable that you might not remember the actual dates but it is always advisable to correctly reflect the facts and figures on the resume.
   The more correct the information is, the easier it would be for you to speak before your employer.


7. Paying No Attention
   Never zone yourself out during an ongoing interview. It is easy to get distracted and miss a question in the middle of a conversation. So make sure that you are well-rested, alert and always prepared for the worst.
   Getting distracted in the middle makes the employer wonder how can you handle the tasks assigned for an entire day if you are unable to focus on a single interview.
   If at any moment you feel your attention is slipping away, try harder to stay focused. You should maintain eye-contact with the interviewer, lean forward a little and put in more effort to listen carefully.


8. Not Prepared For The Questions
   It is quite obvious that your employer is going to ask you more than just the basics about your previous employments and the profile you have worked in. So, it is good to prepare yourself with some expected questions in order to protect yourself from getting caught off guard.
   The interviewer will take the advantage of stipulated time to cross-examine you and carve out everything he wants in order to judge your aptitude for the post. So be prepared beforehand to give your best shot. 

I hope this article provides sufficient information to prepare you for an interview. If you feel there should be some more things to remember, please comment below. Please like, share and follow for more articles.