Critical Job Interview Mistake
Dressing Inappropriately
Another critical mistake that many people make when it comes to initial job interviews should not come as a surprise: Dressing inappropriately. While most people seeking jobs know that dressing appropriately is a big part of arriving prepared to a job interview, most people do not actually have a good understanding of what "dressing appropriately" actually means. As a result,many people arrive at their interview dressed inappropriately,either in general
or based on the dress code in question.
As it was mentioned before, it is important to research the company that you are interviewing with before hand. This comes in handy for a number of different reasons, one of which is so that you can dress according to the dress code that the rest of the employees are abiding by. By visiting the company before hand and doing a little bit of observing, you can figure out what style of dress would be ideal.
Get to know the culture of the company. If the company's employees are all wearing conservative clothing, then business casual is not going to cut it when you arrive at your interview. If you want to look like you already belong with the company, which should be your aim to begin with, then it is important that you dress not only to impress, but also to fit in at the same time. You also need to avoid appearances that are excessive, extreme, bright or loud. Resist the temptation to wear colors that are bright, perfumes or body mists that
are strong in smell, loud nail polish, or extravagant jewelry. If you have tattoos, cover them up. If you have piercings that are inappropriate, such as earrings for men, or anything other than earrings for women, take the jewelry out or cover the piercings with a band aid. It is important that your interviewer focuses on your skills,your accomplishments and the real reasons for why you are the best candidate for the job, rather than your appearance. If your appearance fits in with the dress and appearance of the other employees in the company, your interviewer will be ableto focus on your strengths rather than your loud appearance or the fact that
your dress does not fit in with the company.
Critical Job Interview Mistake
Asking about Salary or Benefits
While we have already touched on asking the right questions, we did not really focus on refraining from asking the WRONG ones. One of the biggest initial job interview mistakes that you can make is to ask about salary or benefits during your interview. The appropriate time for you to discuss compensation and benefit information is once a real, firm offer has been placed on the table.
You should refrain from bringing this topic up prematurely.
Take the time to learn more about the company and the position that the company is looking to fill. In the end, money is not everything, and is definitely not what you should be obsessing about before you have even fully proven yourself to the company that you are interviewing with. Career satisfaction comes in a variety of different forms, so focus on joining a collaborative team environment with plenty of opportunity for growth rather than worrying about the benefits package. During the interview process, you should focus and concentrate on the things that really matter - Not compensation.
There are a number of other questions that should be avoided during the initial job interviewing process. The following is a list of questions in addition to "What is my salary?" that you should avoid at all costs when interviewing with a potential employer.
- How long does it take to be promoted? - While it may be fruitful to ask about advancement within the company, it is more important that you focus on the job that you are actually interviewing for.
- When will I be able to take a vacation? - If you are already asking this question at the interview, then you are already thinking about taking time off, and this does not look good to the employer.
- Will I be required to work overtime? - Asking about the hours that you will work says that you are the type of person who likes to watch the clock, and this is not something that a hiring manager is going to want to look for.
- What kinds of employee activities are held? - This question can be a real interview killer. It tells the interviewer that you are more interested in the company activities than in working hard and moving up within the company.Wait until you are hired before you begin to ask questions like this.
- What can I use my company computer for? Even though many employees use their computers for purposes other than for company work, you should never bring this up during an interview. This shows both a lack of maturity, and a lack of business sense as well.
- Will I be able to work from home? - While this may appear to be a good question, new employees need to come to understand the dynamics and the politics of the office before they should even begin to think about working at home. New employees cannot learn anything about the tempo, the faces, the politics and the dynamics of the company if they are working at home. The hiring manager is going to be looking for someone who will be right there all the time, both working and soaking up the dynamics of the office in order to become more successful and to make the company more successful as well.
- While many of these questions may seem naïve, and when you see them in print you may wonder why anyone would ever think to ask them, all of these questions have been asked through numerous job interviews in the past. So there are people out there who are naïve enough to ask these questions in job interviews - And many of them do not understand why they did not land the job after the fact. Not only is it important to know what questions not to ask, it is also important to have a small list of questions that you SHOULD ask, so that you can be prepared when the person interviewing you asks "Is there anything that you want to ask
me?" The only thing worse than asking an interview killer of a question, is simply saying "No".
Critical Job Interview Mistake
Not Arriving with the Right Documents
Just because you were called in for an interview, it simply does not mean that your prospective employer has a copy of your resume or curriculum vitae on hand. Many employers conduct group interviews, so they may not necessarily be prepared to work with you by keeping your documents handy. It would be a large and critical mistake for you to arrive to your job interview without the documents that you need.
Make sure that you bring several copies of your resume so that everyone who attends the interview can have a copy and so that copies can be passed around as needed. Not only will this help you prepare yourself and your interviewers for the interview, but it will also show the person or people interviewing you that you had the consideration and foresight to come into the interview room prepared.
Make sure that you have a portfolio put together if your job interview requires it. Make sure that you have copies of any and all necessary documentation, including your resume, your curriculum vitae, recommendations, references, work samples, and anything else that is required in order to prove your work as a candidate for the job that you are applying for.
Before your interview, it is important that you have the right documents prepared. This should include directions to the interview site, and you should make sure you have enough time not only to get there, but also to find a parking space depending on the driving directions. Make sure that you are leaving early so that you can arrive between ten and fifteen minutes. Make sure that you have extra copies of your resume, along with a list of references both personal and professional, a notepad so that you can take notes, a daily planner, and a pen and a pencil so that you can take notes and make other important notations during your interview.
You may be able to enhance your professional look by carrying a portfolio, a folder or a briefcase. You should also make sure to know the details, such as the name and the title of the person you are supposed to meet with. You should also have conducted research on the company that you are applying for.
If you have taken notes on the research of the company, you may want to bring them and continue adding to them as you interview, but only as long as you are willing to let the interviewer see what notes you have already taken. This is a testament to what information you find most important in your job search. Prepare for the toughest questions so that you will not have to pause when asked important things, such as "Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?"
Having the right paperwork and documents prepared is the best way to arrive at an interview. Arriving on time, with your resume or curriculum vitae in hand, and work samples or other information as needed is a great way to show your prospective employer not only that you are taking this job interview seriously, but also that you are hardworking and dependable, and that you know how to make a good impression on the people who really matter within the company.The more prepared you are, the more successful you will be.
Critical Job Interview Mistake
Being Dishonest or Impolite
Your overall attitude has a lot to do with how your prospective employers perceive you and your candidacy for the position they are hiring for. There are a couple of things that you can do to make sure that your prospective employer or interview you sees you in the right light and does not get the wrong idea. Here are two things that you absolutely need to keep in mind -
Dishonesty - You should never, ever lie to an employer under any circumstances to get the position that you want. By lying or being dishonest in general, you are greatly undermining your own abilities and strengths, and you are destroying any trust or rapport that has been developed by the interviewer.
If you are unable to get the position that you want based on your current skills or potential skills and accomplishments, then you probably should not be applying for that particular position anyway. Applying for a position that is beyond your capabilities is simply asking for trouble. Being dishonest about your capabilities to get a job that is beyond your means is an even greater and more dangerous risk. Being Impolite - you need to keep in mind that the person who is interviewing you may very well be your future boss or employer. You should not sit down until you are asked to. If you want to take off your jacket, you should ask for permission first. If refreshments are offered, thank your host. You should make a point to express your interest toward the job or position that you are interested in applying for, and you should also make a point to thank the person interviewing you for the time that they took to sit and speak with you. Even if you are no longer interested in the job that you are applying for by the end of your interview, the person who you sat down and spoke with may still be an excellent contact person with you. You should absolutely never ever burn any bridges with potential employers or other people working within your industry of choice because there is no telling whether or not they will be helpful for you in the future. If you managed to obtain a job interview through an agency, you should also give them a phone call promptly following your interview so that you can advise them of whether or not you are interested in the role that you are interviewing for. A large part of your interview success will hinge on your attitude, your willingness to listen, your willingness to ask and answer questions, and your ability to be honest and to have a positive outlook on the interview situation. If you are not projecting the right attitude and appearance to your prospective employer, you will have great difficulty when it comes to proving that you are the right candidate for the job, especially when there is a lot of competition for the job in question.
Critical Job Interview Mistake
Marketing Yourself Incorrectly
This is another vital and critical mistake that needs to be avoided in your initial job interview. It is imperative that you market yourself correctly in your job interview in order to be successful when proving yourself as the ideal candidate for a specific company or position. You need to be able to define yourself properly, and to map out your skills to the skills that the job you are applying for requires. You need to know what your major strengths are, and your major accomplishes, especially as they relate to the job that you are hoping to apply and interview for. You need to use the questions you ask and the answers to the questions the interviewer asks to make you really stand out. Your goal should be to become memorable in the eyes of your future employer without standing out in a negative way. If you have unusual job experiences, interesting skills, unusual hobbies or other characteristics that will help you stand out from the other candidates applying for the job, then you should bring this up in a way that is natural. Now should not be the time to name drop, and you should not be aiming to make the interviewer feel uncomfortable or inadequate in any way.
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