7 Most Common Mistakes Students Make During Interviews and How to Avoid Them

By | Leslie Dyeny

Everyone who’s been looking for a new job knows that an interview is the top of the iceberg. And it is definitely not something that comes easily. On the contrary, it is more of a recognition that your application has successfully passed the company’s selection criteria.

You are invited to the interview when you have transitioned from a job applicant to a job candidate. It is a major victory, but this does not automatically mean that you’ll get the prize.

Job interviews can be quite stressful, especially if you want a particular position rather badly. The way you answer the questions and behave during the meeting will either strengthen your chances of landing this job or destroy them.

So, this article is here to help you avoid the most common mistakes and secure a place among new hires. While creating this list, we’ve consulted specialists from https://essaypro.com/write-my-essay who are known among students not only for excellent academic assistance but also help with CVs. Here’s what we have for you:

Arriving Late

The worst thing that can happen to you during the interview is being late for it. Of course, there might be tons of objective reasons why this happened. Yet, so precious first impression will definitely be ruined.

Nobody in the business world likes to wait. Especially if it is about expecting somebody selected for an entry-level position. Therefore, to prove that you are reliable and organized, start with showing up on time.

Dressing Out of Place

No matter how contemporary the company is, there are still rules that define proper business conduct. It is not that you should always wear black and white. You can go casual and still look appropriate.

However, if you dress to the interview as if you had just finished jogging or ran from the beach, there will be no one who’d want to hire you. Until you create a portfolio and earn a reputation, people will judge you by what you are wearing, so keep this point in mind.

Being Unprepared

Another unforgivable mistake is coming to the interview without any preparation. Of course, you cannot project all the questions that will be asked. Yet, there are some that are quite generic so you can come up with some answers beforehand.

Also, it is important to learn at least the basic information about the company of your choice from open sources. It is considered rude to come to the interview with no background knowledge of the business you hope to join.

Talking Non-Stop

There are some stories that are worth sharing, but there are those that you’d better keep to yourself. Interviewers usually speak to dozens of different people in one day. If you load them with unnecessary information, the important things that you’ve mentioned are at risk of being lost, misinterpreted, or omitted.

Speak about relevant events, achievements, etc. Everything that shows your skills and character will do. However, try to stick to the point. Do not convey your story in 10 sentences if you could do with just three of them.

Making Wrong Gestures

Even though you may speak very well and be prepared, if you do not work on your body language, you still might get rejected. People read gestures subconsciously. If your counterpart spots something that keeps bothering them, it may cause some unpleasant results. 

Yet, you can train yourself on how to avoid such situations. For example, it is important to make eye contact, smile, shake hands, and send friendly vibes to everyone in the room. You should be able to strike a balance between being too shy and uninteresting and being tiresome with too much energy flowing.

Showing Inappropriate Behavior

Being angry or disrespectful is unacceptable during the interview. As simple as this is, still, many people come and behave inappropriately, just wasting time and energy of the interviewers. There is an absolutely zero chance to land the job if you show everyone that your mood is down.

Demonstrating a Lack of Initiative

It is also generally considered wrong not to show any interest in the company, your prospective role, and duties, as well as the next steps. At the same time, your questions should be relevant. The interviewers will notice if you try to practice small talk with them without being genuinely interested.

Try to prepare some questions at home but be ready that most of them will be answered throughout the interview.

Wrapping It Up

This list contains only a few most common mistakes that will definitely cast a shadow on your success in a job interview. Of course, some tricky questions and awkward situations may occur over the course of the meeting. Thus, you should be prepared to handle them immediately.

The interview is not only about your skills and personality. It also regards stress-resistance, time organization, general background, and enthusiasm. You should be able to multitask right during the meeting while demonstrating the best of your skills and smoothing things over.