10 Mistakes that will most likely Mess up a Job Interview

1. You’re Nervous and it Shows

Job Interviews are a tough business and everybody deals with butterflies in the stomach but that doesn’t mean you should show the interview exactly how nervous you are. Trembling hands, panicked voice and a demeanor like a deer caught in front of headlights is definitely not going to help your cause. Instead, draw courage and pretend to be confident even if your are a little scared inside. Nervous and panicked candidates are easily discarded and rarely get the revered job letter.

2. You Just Woke up One Morning and Decided to Go Give the Interview

Your friend told you about this interview and you decided it would be cool to go for it, so that’s exactly what you did: you woke up, got ready and left for the interview. Once inside the interview room, you were completely clueless about any and all questions you were asked because, hey you just applied for the job on a silly whim. Here is a sincere advice: never do that. If you come to job interview without preparation you’re basically wasting your time and the interviewer’s. Interviews are serious business and not piece of cake so make sure you have done your research and prepared for possible questions.

3. You Fail to Set an Alarm and Get Late for the Interview

Nothing shows an employer that you are not someone they want to hire than being late for an interview. Employers value punctuality, so basically, if you get late, the chances of a great interview plummet significantly. Given the importance of showing up for a job interview on time, we would advise you to set more than one, fool-proof alarm and set out for your destination early so that you can accommodate unexpected traffic blockage etc.

4. You Show up for an Interview in Your Pajamas

You probably rolled your eyes at this one and maybe you have more sense than to show up for a job interview in your Pajamas but you will be surprised at the sheer number of people who show up for an interview under-dressed. Impression matters even more than usual in a job interview and you need to pay special attention to your clothing to ensure that it is formal and fits the requirement.

5. You’re a Chatter Box

If you love talking, start practicing a month before so that you are able to control yourself at the hour of need. Talking too much can definitely mess up an interview. Your loquaciousness can easily lead you to reveal too much personal information or contradict your own self, both of which can give the wrong impression to your interviewer and put your position as an interviewee in jeopardy.

6. You Are a Know-It-All

Arrogance is a big NO! Sometimes, being a know-it-all works for some people who are able to get a job because they convince the employers that they have the talent and the necessary skills for the job but for most normal people, giving your employer the impression that you are a proud and stuck-up person is not going to land you the job. Such people come across as difficult to manage and over-confident.

7. You Have No Idea What Your Strong Points Are

Hey, being a little humble doesn’t mean that you are not going to present yourself in good light. You should know exactly what your skills are and the things that you are good at. If you are exceptionally talented at something, make sure you bring it up. Knowing your strong points can help you sell yourself to the company. Don’t expect them to automatically know your skills. However, make sure that you are not lying or exaggerating because these lies will come to bite you in the back in the long run.

8. Your Don’t Really Know why you Want to Work for this Particular Company

Companies hate it when applicants show up completely ignorant about the company and the work it has done. You HAVE to know why you want to work for the company and how you can contribute to their work. Otherwise, there is literally no point in applying for a job interview.

9. You Feel Sleepy during the Interview

Showing disinterest at the interview or acting bored will get you nowhere. Interviewers are looking for people who demonstrate enthusiasm towards their work. Pay attention to the question and ask related questions from the interviewer. This reflects your interest and shows the employer that you want to work at the company while being sleepy and dull makes you come across as a person who isn’t really interested in securing the job.

10. You Decided to Rot-learn the Book of Answers the Night Before

So you have always passed the hard exams by learning the book(s) by heart and your memory is excellent. You think that if you can learn the answers to some of the expected question and add a few big, technical words in them you can get by. Well, you probably won’t. The people who are hiring you have dealt through tens of fakes who actually have no idea about what they are talking and a single trick question can bring your whole castle down. Instead, focus on what you know and prepare well so that you actually know what you are talking about.

If you have a job interview coming up, you definitely know the things you shouldn’t do. The best way to give an interview is to be true to who you are and what you know while still presenting yourself in a good light so that you can attract the employers attention. Stick by the rules and you will probably do well.