These 12 Things You Should Not do In a Job Interview is a good start to preparing for your interview. How well you interview will decide whether you get the job.
An interview is a critical step to getting a job. Preparing for your interview and making good choices in handling your interview can turn your interview into a job offer. Here are twelve things you should not do and suggestions for the correct things to do in a job interview.
1. Do not arrive late. You should plan for traffic delays. Arrive thirty minutes early. Wait nearby to enter the building. Go into the interview five minutes early. Introduce yourself and say that you are there a bit early for your interview.
2. Do not wear the wrong clothes. Appropriate clothing will vary from job to job. If you need to be dressed to go to work that day, wear work clothes. If you are interviewing for a job for which you will have to wait for an offer, consider wearing cloths that are one level above the job. For example, if the job requires jeans, consider wearing khakis. If the job requires khakis, consider wearing dress slacks or a skirt. If the job requires slacks or a skirt, wear a suit.
3. Do not use a cell phone. Turn your cell phone off before you entering the building for your interview. Do note mute your cell phone. Turn the power off on your cell phone. For the short time you have in the interview, you do not need distractions from your cell phone. If you even check your phone during the interview, you have lost the job offer.
4. Do not act rude. Be courteous. Know and say the interviewer’s name. Give the person a firm, but not strong handshake. Introduce yourself. Thank the interviewer for meeting with you.
5. Do not bring up subjects that are not about the interview. Help the interviewer focus on the interview. Offer the interviewer a copy of your resume before you sit down.
6. Do not fidget or act restless and nervous. There are simple ways to relieve your tension. Use the best body language. Take a couple of breaths before entering the interview. Make eye contact. If direct eye contact makes you uncomfortable, look at the person’s face. Focus on what you are saying and not what you are seeing. Smile. Sit up straight. Gently hold in your stomach. Keep your shoulders comfortably level. Practice sitting this way daily. It is good for your back, neck, and core, and will help you interview more successfully. Speak loudly enough that the interviewer can hear you. Keep your arms open. Make occasional gestures as you are speaking. As you behave relaxed, you will become relaxed.
7. Do not act arrogant or talk about yourself and not about the job. Focus on your qualifications for the job. Talk about what you can do and not about who you are. Be specific when discussing how your experience fits the job requirements.
8. Do not go to the interview without preparing. Show that you are ready for the meeting. Refer to the things you have read about the company and about the job.
9. Do not act as though you are not interested in the job. Ask questions about the company and the job based on the information you found through your research and through reading the job description. Write a list of questions as part of your preparation before going to the interview.
10. Do not say negative things about anyone. Talk positively about your present employer and your past employers. The way to keep things positive is to focus on your interest in the company that is interviewing you.
11. Do not dominate the conversation. Allow the interviewer to lead the discussion. Answer the questions not the things that the questions bring to your mind.
12. Do not leave without understanding what you should expect next. If the interviewer has not told you what to expect next, ask the person when you will be getting information on the company’s interest in meeting with you again or making you an offer. Express you interest in the job and say that you look forward to meeting again. If the interviewer has a card on the desk, ask for one.
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