If you have not been in an interview for a long while, or if you have been going for many interviews and not going to the next round – you could be making some mistakes without even realising it.
Career change expert Caroline Ceniza-Levine shares with Forbes some nuances she has noticed during interviews and advises how to overcome them.
Being “late” for interviews
Coming late is one of the biggest no-nos of interviews. But in this case, we are not talking about being physically late.
According to Ceniza-Levine, you need to be mentally ready to start the interview so that you can avoid feeling anxious and end up stuttering or talking too fast, and even forgetting the key points you wished to mention.
Most people feel calmer as the interview goes on, but as they say, the first impression makes the best impression – so do your best to start it right.
Being insincere about the job
All candidates have a different purpose for coming to the interview – it could be for better pay or work prospects, or to get out of their current company.
But, don’t forget, the recruiting manager knows this too, and they do not want a candidate who will take on the job and leave for another after a while.
Therefore, during the interview, be specific about the job role and ask questions in detail about the position.
It is recommended that you showcase how you are a good fit for the role and how your experiences and qualifications will contribute to the part, instead of just asking about the perks and what the job can benefit you.
A big turn-off during an interview is for the candidate to put himself first instead of the role or company.
Being unprepared for the role
Showing a lack of confidence in the job is a way to miss out on an opportunity.
Low confidence can manifest in various forms of body language such as fidgeting, averting of eyes, looking tired, or staring into space, or the interviewer’s eyes.
If you tend to fidget when you get nervous, simple ways like locking your knees or holding your hands together can help.
If not, practice some mock interviews at home or with your friends and find ways to get comfortable.
Being confusing in your speech
Preparing for an interview is a big step to success – but over-preparing might give you the undesired opposite effect.
By trying to cramp too much information into one interview can cause a candidate to end up rambling, confusing key points and experiences, or worse, confuse the interviewer and raise doubts.
To give a good interview on complex work experience, try to lay out a short background, and provide descriptions of the tasks and responsibilities.
A way to make sure the interviewer is following you is to ask for feedback and open up questions for clarification.
