There’s no better time than now to slow down, take a breath and reflect on the accomplishments and shortcomings of the past year. The last month of the year is also the perfect opportunity to begin thinking about goals and aspirations for 2024 and beyond.
Arriving Late or Too Early
Timing your arrival to your interview time slot can demonstrate your ability to manage your time properly and your commitment to the role. On the other hand, arriving late shows an interviewer that you don’t care about the job enough to prioritize the interview or the hiring manager’s time. Arriving too early can also cause issues for the people involved in the interview process, as they may have other tasks they need to complete before conducting your interview.
Not Telling the Truth
It’s often tempting to embellish aspects of your professional history, but lying on your resume almost certainly will come back to bite you during the interview process. When an interviewer asks about your skills or previous roles, you’ll have to continue to lie, and they will disqualify you if they learn that you weren’t being totally honest. Instead of embellishing anything about your history, take the high road and be honest. The hiring manager does not expect you to have all the skills for the job. Let them know your willingness to learn new things.
Talking Negatively About Previous Roles
This can be tricky. If you’re interviewing for a new role, there may be something in your current role that you want to get away from. However, you should always use discretion and professionalism when talking about past jobs. Speaking too negatively about roles, even those that weren’t great experiences, can make it look like you’re a difficult co-worker or subordinate. Remain positive by talking about what experiences helped you to learn and become a better candidate for the job you’re interviewing for now.
Negative Body Language
According to a survey, nearly half of employers know whether a candidate is a good fit for a position within the first five minutes of the meeting. Your body language plays a major role in whether an interviewer wants to continue with the interview and consider hiring you. Upon arrival, make eye contact with everyone involved in the interview and smile naturally when communicating. Some of the actions that look negative to an interviewer include:
• Crossing your arms
• Failing to make eye contact
• Fidgeting in your seat
• Using too many hand gestures
• Tapping your fingers
• Fidgeting with something on the table or in your hand
Dressing Unprofessionally
No matter what job you’re interviewing for, it’s best to dress professionally. opt for a suit or a skirt, dress pants with a blazer. -Collared shirt and slacks. If you’re not sure how to dress, you can ask the hiring manager or recruiter about the office dress code and use the answer to guide your choice of outfit. It’s always better to overdress than wear apparel to an interview that makes you look sloppy or unprofessional.
Not Asking Any Questions
An interviewer will typically ask if you have questions at least once during or at the end of the interview. If you don’t have any questions to ask, the interviewer may think that you’re not interested in learning more about the position. Take some time before your interview to consider what questions you might have about the job and its duties, the company, or even the team you would be working with. the. By asking thoughtful questions, you can demonstrate your interest in being hired.
Looking at Your Phone
Getting distracted during an interview can break your train of thought and make you look unprofessional to the person asking the questions. To avoid personal distractions, keep your phone in your pocket or purse during your interview and your phone on its do not disturb setting. There is nothing worse than having your phone ring during an interview.
Taking steps to avoid these common mistakes can boost your chances of scoring a second-round interview or getting the job. Don’t forget to upload a resume, bring a copy to the meeting, and greet those in the interview with a smile and a handshake.
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