Worst Interview Mistakes

Interview Mistakes

If you go to numerous interviews and still being turned down by employers, you may be doing the below interview mistakes. Employers may not be tolerated for mistakes, especially if there are too many applicants for the same position. Therefore, avoid the below common mistakes.

  • Not Dressing Appropriately: Know the dress code of the company you are going to interview with. Although a business attire will be the most appropriate for an interview, sometimes being overdressed may irritate the interviewer. Therefore, research the company culture and dress accordingly. If you don’t want to take any risks, then, it is safer to dress professionally. Remember that a good first impression is the key to get hired and for this reason, your outfit should reflect that you are serious about the job and show the necessary care to yourself.
  • Badmouthing Former Employers: If asked why you left your previous jobs, never badmouth your previous employers or coworkers. Even if you had problems with them, it is not professional to talk behind others’ back to strangers. This says a lot about your personality. No matter what problems you have with your previous employers, you always have to respect them. The interviewer will probably ask you why you want to change your job or why you quit from your previous job. Say that you are looking for something new, or you are ready for an advancement, etc.
  • Being Too Late: Being late for an interview is one of the worst mistakes you can do and don’t make the “traffic” excuse. If you think the traffic will be a problem, then, plan your commute accordingly. Leave the house earlier. If you arrive late to an interview, the interviewer may think that you are either irresponsible or have poor time management skills. Certainly, there may be times where unexpected circumstances may occur and you may be late but in these situations, at least call and inform others in advance.
  • Being Unprepared: If you go to the interview without researching the company and the position, how are you going to convince them that you are the best fit for this job? Being unprepared shows them that you are not serious about this job. When asked “Why do you want to work here?”, an employer expects a clear answer from you. Instead, if you look at the interviewer with a blank impression, then, an employer may end the interview at that point because s/he may think that this candidate is not the right fit for the organization.
Picture of Ceren Cubukcu

Ceren Cubukcu

Ceren Cubukcu is a top 5 bestselling author of Make Your American Dream A Reality: How to Find a Job as an International Student in the United States. She recently founded her consulting business to help more international students find jobs in the US in addition to her self-service digital event ticketing platform, Etkinlik Fabrikam (My Event Factory), to offer her webinars. 

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