7 Things You Should Not Do During a Job Interview
1. Dress appropriately
The first impression is so important, and the choice of attire plays a big part in that. Even though the company culture is ‘casual wear’ you should dress professionally to show respect. Whenever you are in doubt it is better to dress up a little!
2 Turn off your mobile phone
This is a very simple thing but often forgotten, you should completely turn your mobile off. Treat an interview similarly to a corporate meeting where you do need to focus, do not let your phone buzz away and interrupt your interview. This can be disrespectful for the interviewer and indicate the lack of importance and interest in the role you are interviewing for.
3 Do not be late!
The worst thing that can happen is having the interviewer wait for you. Whether there is an accident along the route there are no excuses. It is best to plan ahead to prevent any of these issues and study the travelling time and route beforehand.
4 Do not lie
Human Resources department will thoroughly check through your resume and verify the information with your employer. Always keep in mind that lying may get you through the first stage of the interview, but it will lead to further damage in the future. So, be honest during all the application process to avoid issues later on.
5 Body posture during the interview
More than 70% of communication comes from nonverbal language. Be aware of your body language during your interview, refrain from actions such as slouching, crossing your arms, fidgeting, checking the time etc. These bad postures can raise some flags and lead the interviewer to have a bad impression of you.
6 Showing up unprepared
Failure to answer job interview questions or stammering may show how you are unprepared for the interview. Some basic information you should research on includes the company history and details regarding the job you applied for. Be prepared to answer questions regarding your strengths, weaknesses, and reasons for quitting your previous job.
7 Beware of negative attitude, keep things positive
Employers would want to hire someone upbeat, proactive and lively so they can get along with coworkers. Some questions asked in the interview are there to trigger you or to understand how you would deal in such situations – simply keep the answers positive and refrain from negative associations.
Above all, practice makes perfect. With each job interview, you will learn more about yourself including the pros & cons and what to do or what to say/ not say. This will help you to adapt your interview style and eventually build you into a pro!