Job Interviews - 101 Common Mistakes to Avoid

You have found a great job opportunity. You have the necessary skills and experience. Everything is going according to plan, but for some reason you aren't selected. What happened? It's likely that you committed an interview mistake. Most hiring managers are willing to let one or two small matters slide. However, if you commit several of the common interview mistakes you will never make the short list.
We interviewed hiring managers, recruiters, and even job seekers to identify the most common mistakes made by job applicants. We intentionally did not rank the list of interview offenses, since their impact will vary widely depending on the attitude of the interviewer. As you review the list below, some mistakes will appear quite obvious even common sense (and humorous). Some mistakes apply only to one gender but there are plenty to go around.

We recommend that you review our list and make a personal checklist of your own, based on the job, the company, and your past experiences. Prior to each interview look at the list again. In this way, you will become conditioned in your behavior and responses. After each interview debrief yourself as soon as possible. Go through the list, checking those items that were mishandled.

By carefully crafting your answers and avoiding interview mistakes, your confidence will increase and your job campaign will improve dramatically.

101 Job Interview Mistakes:

1. Arriving late for interview (and not calling to advise the interviewer)
2. Bringing food and drink into the interview
3. Wearing huge medals, chains, and gaudy jewelry
4. Smelling of smoke
5. Referring to any member of the staff in some derogatory or suggestive way
6. Using foul language
7. Forgetting to bring extra resumes
8. Taking liberties with interviewer Ex: addressing by first name
9. Leaving your cell phone on (and answering)
10. Wearing shirt unbuttoned down the front; sleeves rolled up
11. Bad mouthing your past supervisor or employer
12. Dressing very casual or overdressing - simple conservative always works
13. Failing to send thank you note after interview
14. Wearing shorts, T-shirts floppies, sneakers, baseball hat, blue jeans
15. Hair disheveled or unkempt
16. Chewing gum
17. Wearing tie or shirt with stains
18. Messed up clothes- poorly pressed
19. Tracking dirt, snow, rain, etc. into the office
20. Showing off tattoos
21. Wearing dirty or scuffed shoes
22. Putting briefcase or purse on interviewer's desk
23. Poor posture when sitting- slouching
24. Failing to give firm handshake
25. Making derogatory references to gender, race, or age
26. Unshaved
27. Body odor;bad breath
28. Too much perfume or aftershave cologne
29. Shuffling papers and notes during interview
30. Failure to bring critical reference material -dates, names, addresses etc
31. Failing to get names and titles or bus cards of people interviewed
32. Failing to acknowledge everyone in the organization Ex: receptionist, assistants etc.
33. Assuming one or more of the staff are not influential in hiring decision
34. Interrupting receptionist or other staff with frivolous conversation
35. Laughing boisterously during interview
36. Telling jokes during interview
37. Failing to thank interviewer and express enthusiastic interest in the position
38. Failing to ask their level of interest - how you fit - the next step
39. Asking who else is applying - What are their names
40. Replying: 'I already answered that question'
41. Lying
42. Losing temper or arguing with interviewer
43. Asking detailed salary questions on first interview
44. Focusing on medical benefits and sick time during initial discussions
45. No answer for "What kind of position are you seeking..What are your job objectives?"
46. Fidgeting - fooling with hair and hands, cracking knuckles
47. Picking up and fussing with stuff on interviewer's desk
48. Asking personal questions of interviewer
49. Hemming and hawing when answering
50. Failing to answer a question - stalling - ignoring a question
51. Failing to be prepared for the most common questions
52. Asking about vacation and comp time in the beginning
53. Asking for flex time unless it is a routine and expected part of the job
54. Coming to interview sick
55. Bringing a friend or relative along (even to the waiting area)
56. Directing the interviewer - "You should...do this or that"
57. Failing to smile and show enthusiasm
58. Rambling on instead of a clear concise answer
59. Answering questions with irrelevant details
60. Exaggerating skills and achievements
61. Failing to maintain eye contact
62. Acting as if you are the obvious choice or already have the job
63. Being dismissive of the HR staff and its function
64. Offering apologies or qualifiers before an answer
65. Failing to do research -asking questions that you should already know the answers to
66. Showing off your knowledge about the company with items of common knowledge
67. Implying you are deserving of a promotion before you start
68. Failing to backup supposed skills with specific examples
69. Being a philosopher: Focus instead on your concrete value adding abilities
70. Being unprepared for tough questions about past failings, problems, dismissals etc.
71. Interrupting the interviewer
72. Using threatening language - "If I don't get this job....."
73. Mispronouncing an important word or name
74. Failing to address the interviewer by name in the course of the interview
75. Failing to overcome negative observations or conclusions made by interviewer
76. Saying money doesn't matter
77. Asking for something to eat or drink
78. Asking "When can I expect my review and how often do you give raises"
79. Failing to follow interviewer's lead:If all business-then you be all business etc.
80. Holding interviewer hostage: Recognize when the interview is over
81. Failing to find out the next step in the process
82. Focusing and commenting on the office trappings, titles, and office size
83. Declaring what you don't do or won't do
84. Making references to employment law and labor regulations
85. Debating issues with interviewer
86. Emphasizing your medical conditions
87. Being a pity applicant: employer is primarily interested in their needs not yours
88. Talking down to the interview implying your skills and experience are superior
89. Saying "You probably don't know this because of your age or lack of experience but..."
90. Failing to change your personal voice mail to a professional response
91. Don't cross your legs or ankles during interview
92. Failing to warn family and roommates of possible calls from prospective employers
93. Conducting telephone interviews in noisy environment or subject to interruptions
94. Using existing employer's telephone or email to communicate with prospective employers
95. Forgetting critical info - Who are you interviewing with? Time, address
96. Making reference to prospective employers on social networks and blogs
97. Failing to get detailed directions beforehand
98. Texting in front of the interviewer or other staff
99. Asking to use the phone for routine matters
100. Talk about politics or controversial events involving politics, religion etc.
101. Offering details about personal life not needed by interviewer

Copyright 2009 T Collins Group LLC

Timothy M. Collins has been interviewing, hiring, and managing background reviews of prospective employees for over thirty years. To enhance your resume and really get the attention of prospective employers, add a personal audio message. Visit [http://www.spokenresume.com] for more information on this new tool for job seekers. For additional tips and advice to boost your job campaign visit the blog [http://www.jobhunting123.com]

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