Is it the interview? It takes a lot of mistakes to learn how to get an interview right. But worry not, if you do not have the time and energy to learn from your mistakes. We have compiled a list of basic interview mistakes all of us make. So read them, learn and grow.

1. Display negativity about your current employer.

One of the reasons why you are switching jobs could be because you hate your current employer and are frustrated with them. But talking about it during another job interview reflects your negative attitude towards work. Since you are speaking badly about your current employer, recruiters might think that you will do the same for their organization once you are hired.

So when you are asked the question as to why you are looking for a job change, you can say that you are looking for new challenges and growth opportunities, or if you are relocating, you can cite that reason.

2. Use ‘We’ instead of ‘I’.

This is one of the most common mistakes candidates make during an interview. When you are talking about your achievements and use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’, it gives an impresssion to the interviewer that you are trying to take credit for the project you were just a small part of.

It is important to highlight the role played by you in the project when talking about your previous accomplishments.

3. Not asking questions after the interviewer is done speaking.

Once the interviewer is done speaking, they will ask you if you have any questions or doubts. Most candidates do not use this chance to ask, rather they just say, “No, you’ve answered everything.”

This is not something hiring managers expect of good candidates. Every question is a good questions. Ask anything that comes on your mind even if the interviewer has answered all questions you came prepared to ask. You need to think on the spot and come up with questions related to maybe workculture, daily office life, or next step after the interview.

So, ask.

4. Stay silent if you are a fresher and the job is looking for some experience.

If you are a graduate, you will not have work experience and that’s understandable. But don’t let it lower your confidence even a bit. Think of life experiences that you can talk about here.

For example, if you are applying for an internship in Finance, you can talk about how you effectively managed your university expenses.

5. Not researching the company.

Going to the interview without any knowledge of the company is a big no-no. At least have the basic know-how. Even a simple Google search can help you in this. Just search for the company name and read about what it does, its competitors and latest industrial developments. 

When interviewers learn that you know about the company beforehand, it gives them an impression that you are really interested in the job and have therefore done your research also.

6. Lie about your skills and accomplishments.

Try to be honest about your job profile and the work you have done. Lying to the interviewer will not get you anywhere. Even if you get the job and your manager gets to know that you lied, you could be fired.

And if you are thinking, how would the interviewer know, there is a possibility of having mutual connections on LinkedIn or references.

7. Arriving too early.

Some people have the habit of reaching too early. This can frustrate the hiring manager. We know that you’d say that one should never be late for an interview, but arriving too early isn’t good either.

It can give an impression that you are desperate for the job. Also, keep in mind that there’s a time slot assigned to you, so arriving too early (like some 1 hour or so) won’t give you a chance. It’s best to reach at a time (15-20 minutes early) when you can easily complete all the formalities.

8. Arriving too late.

As discussed in the previous point, there’s a dedicated time slot for your interview. If you arrive late, you lose the precious time and interviewers will try to cut short your interview process.

Your proability of getting the job reduces from here. Also, most hiring managers think that candidates who show up late in interviews, will also be late to work. So, please arrive on time. It’s important.

9. Not bringing the resume with you.

It’s true that the hiring manager will have your resume with them before they begin interviewing you. But this doesn’t mean that you should now carry your resume.

Practically, you should carry extra copies of your resume to the interview. You might have to meet some unexpected interviewers who don’t know about you. So always carry the resume with you.

10. Not dressing properly.

Every company has a different workculture. You cannot expect to dress the same way for all interviews. So do a little research and see what kind of professional attire is worn in that particular organization or region. Ask yourself if you will look overdressed/underdressed in the clothes you’ve chosen to wear.

Having a decent attire signals that you know how to present yourself in front of others and you are eager to give your best to the organization.

Do you also want to share some of your interview mistakes? Let us know in the comments section below and help each other.