The job interview is going time! Make it or break it, it’s your chance to shine. If you play your cards right, you’re ending up in a sweet office. And if not, you’re pounding the pavement yet again.
Here are the four biggest mistakes you’re making in a job interview.
1. Not dressing the part
A disheveled bed head and stained shirt will definitely not dazzle ‘em. Sport your best suit, tame that hair, make sure your entire presence is neatly manicured. From head to toe you should look polished and ready to impress.
2. Being unprepared
Do you know what the company does? Why they’ve been in the news lately? How they fit into your industry’s big picture? When I worked in corporate recruiting, I dismissed a candidate during a phone interview for mispronouncing the company’s name. She asked what the company did – it was a big 4 firm and she applied to the job! Learn about the company –- with a lot of information on company websites, there’s no excuse not to read them.
3. Demonstrating poor communication skills
From the moment you walk into the building and speak to the receptionist, you’re “on.” Be pleasant to everyone. Make eye contact, have a firm handshake, exude confidence and speak clearly. Sometimes candidates don’t speak assertively enough, other times they talk too much. Be succinct — answer questions directly without being too chatty.
4. Being too casual
Millennials, we’re talking to you! If you answer your cell phone mid-interview or text someone, it’s game over. The hiring manager is thinking, “We’re sorry this interview is interfering with your social life.” Proper etiquette also entails not bringing external food or your parents into the interview room either.
