Recent Posts
Accomplish December 5, 2018
Oh, so that's why I didn't get the job.
Interviews are scary. With one flubbed answer, interviews can end someone’s chances at their dream job, but somehow candidates are supposed to stay calm and composed throughout the process. While preparing for interviews can seem impossible, don’t give up! If you have a checklist, you’ll feel more confident, your conversation will go smoothly and you’ll have the best chance at landing the job.
Sometimes knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Here’s ENTITY’s list of mistakes you should never make in a job interview.
This is the ultimate don’t. If you show up late to an interview, you make a bad impression before the interview has even started. It’s safe to say that once you arrive, they might not grant you an interview at all.
If you’re in this situation because of some emergency, you might be able to salvage yourself by calling ahead and explaining the situation. If they’re understanding, they could forgive you for a late arrival or give another time slot for the interview.
But calling should be the absolute last resort. Always plan ahead to account for parking, traffic and weather. Keeping all this in mind, shoot for arriving 10 minutes early. For interviews, being early is being on time.
Preparedness doesn’t only apply to materials. While candidates should always have a resume and cover letter on hand, they should also be prepared with information.
In a presentation, Rick Schwartz from Los Angeles Downtown News told ENTITY mentees to always do their homework before going into an interview. He told the story of a candidate who wanted to work with his company. She seemed to fit the job perfectly, but after asking for an opinion on the company’s website, the interviewer realized she’d never seen it. Needless to say, the job was given to someone else.
“No one expects expertise,” Schwartz stated, “but interviewers want to know you tried.” After all, how can you know if you fit the company’s mission if you’ve never researched the company?
Candidates should also always have a plan. A common interview question is “What would you bring to our team?” Impress them with your research. Let them know exactly what you’d like to accomplish during your time there and how long it would take. This shows an interviewer that you’ve thought about and planned a future at their company.
This is common sense. Unless the company specifically requests a certain type of outfit, candidates should always dress professionally. Interviewers would probably see casual attire as incompetence or a lack of effort, even if the interviewee is intelligent or committed to the company.
But a casual outfit isn’t the only way to communicate a lack of effort.
If you’re having a bad day, do not let it show on your face. A negative mood immediately sours an interview. An interviewer could interpret a sulking candidate as disinterested or rude.
Also, pay attention to body language. A happy candidate could unknowingly come off as unprofessional if they have slouching shoulders or folded arms.
If you are dealing with a tragedy or a family emergency, you can calmly disclose the information to the hiring manager before the interview. But afterward, you should put in maximum effort to remain composed and interested. An interviewer wants to see their candidates try to push through. You can’t use your personal situations as an excuse to act poorly. Even if the interviewer is sympathetic, they won’t be able to see your potential.
This might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised. If you have a water bottle, put it in your bag. Eating or drinking during an interview is distracting and bad taste.
And, of course, never chew gum. It’s better to leave the gum at home, so you don’t start chewing and forget to take it out.
Treat your interview like a movie theater and turn your phone off. Keep it away and out of sight. If a company has taken time out of their day to give you a chance, you need to give them your full attention. An interrupting text or call distracts both you and your potential employer from the interview.
This behavior also shows that you don’t understand basic protocol for important meetings. Potential employers could deem you as rude, unprofessional or incompetent.
In other words, keeping your phone on turns your interviewer off. Resist the urge to check Twitter and stay completely focused on the conversation.
These rules can seem strict and overwhelming now, but following them will make you feel more confident. And if you accidentally make some mistakes you should never make in a job interview, at least you’ll know why you didn’t get the job. Understanding and learning from your mistakes is much better than being left in the dark.
However, you should also know that whatever happens in an interview isn’t the end of the world. If you don’t get your dream job, there are other companies who can give you other chances. Learn from these experiences and grow. Rejection is tough, but if you stay persistent, you’ll get your “yes.”
Good luck, candidate. You’re going to kill it!
