You might be failing your interview without even knowing it! Check out these interview fails below and see how we can help you by knowing the top mistakes that candidates make, how you can make an effort to avoid them.
Today we’re going to be looking at 4 of the biggest interview fails that job seekers can make!
1. Don’t do any prep work
Looking for the easiest way to bomb at an interview? Just don’t do any work in advance!
Success-minded applicants, though, should take some time to handle a few items before the day of their meeting, including:
- Researching the business (history, culture, locations, etc.)
- Re-reading the job requirements
- Thoroughly reading any instructions about the interview process
- Choosing an appropriate outfit
- Setting alarms for getting up, leaving the house, or logging in, etc.
- Planning your trip for in-person interviews
- Setting up your space and tools for video interviews
- Rehearsing your answers to common questions
- Trying a mock interview with a helpful coach
You can either wing it or win it — you decide!
2. Send a negative message with your body language
If you don’t want to get a follow-up from your interviewer, make sure you show them how uninterested you are by avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, crossing your arms, slouching, and avoiding handshakes.
But if you want to send the right kind of message, pay attention to your posture. Body language and tone of voice are the key components to coming across as confident, so sit up straight and speak directly to your interviewer.
And don’t forget the facial features! Smile when appropriate, and avoid nervous behaviours like biting your lips or covering your face.
3. Don’t actually want the job
Nothing cancels your chances of getting a job like not even wanting the opportunity in the first place!
But if you’d rather not waste their time (and yours), then take some time to consider what you actually want from your career right now.
Candidates who are passionate about what they do, and dedicated to specific goals, are more likely to make an employer believe that they will be passionate and dedicated to the business too.
By choosing a job that aligns with your personal goals, you’ll also understand why your personal and professional traits make you the best candidate — so you can help your recruiter understand as well!
4. Just repeat what’s on your resume
Remember: recruiters ask to interview you so they can learn more about you. So if you don’t want to give them what they want, just keep repeating what they already know!
But if you want to take advantage of the interview to impress them, then it’s your best time to tell stories from your work history that prove the skills and strengths which you routlined on your resume.
You can provide more detail, and fill in any gaps that they might have in their understanding of your experience. Show off your communication skills, and humanize the person they saw on paper.
It also shows them that you are present in the interview moment, by giving them real answers to their specific questions, instead of canned answers that fall flat.
Conclusion
Now you have all the skills you need to fail (or better yet, succeed) at your next interview!
For more help with your specific career goals, why not get 1-on-1 coaching from ReStart’s Job Developers? Our services are entirely free, and we can help you with everything from interviews and beyond!