Top 10 Job Interview Mistakes

As a former hiring manager in the retail and staffing industries, I've conducted hundreds of job interviews for a variety of office, retail, management, and factory positions. Here is a list of the top 10 interview mistakes I've witnessed job candidates make throughout the years and how you can avoid them:

1) Dressing inappropriately for the interview. Make sure to take into consideration the position for which you are applying and the culture of the company when dressing for the interview. Interviewers are likely to be distracted if you dress in a way that is not consistent with what is considered the norm for an interview with that particular company. The interviewer is more likely to hire a candidate who is "presentable" to their company's clients and employees than one who isn't. By failing to dress in an appropriate way, you make it harder for the interviewer to see past your clothes and recognize the education and skills you possess that may make you perfect for the position.

2) Showing up late for the interview. Job candidates have only one shot (usually) to impress the interviewer. Tardiness sets off red flags in the minds of prospective employers. They may take it as a sign of future performance and wonder how you are going to arrive at work on time every day when you can't even make it to the interview on time. Make sure to allow yourself enough time to get to the interview. If you are unfamiliar with the part of town where the interview is taking place, make a dry run the day before to find the building. This will ensure that you are not frantically searching for the interview spot on the day of the interview. Set your clothes out and get everything else you need (resume, references, etc.) together the night before so that you won't have to worry about doing it the day of the interview.

3) Showing up unprepared. In this day of easy internet access, most job candidates are just a click away from researching information about the company that will be interviewing them. Take the time to look up your prospective employer. Learn about the history of the company, what they do, the leaders, company culture, locations, etc. Learn whatever you can about the position you are applying for. The more information you collect, the better you will be at answering the interview questions and positioning yourself as the right person for the company and the job for which you are applying.

4) Failing to emphasize education and experience that relate to the responsibilities of the position. This directly ties into the mistake mentioned in #3. If you don't have the information about what the company does and the abilities and education required to perform the job for which you are applying, it makes it hard to sell yourself as the right candidate for the position. Your resume gives basic information and was the reason why you were called in for an interview. It can't possibly tell it all though. The candidate who can expand upon what the resume lists and give the interviewer examples of how their experience and education would make them a great fit for the company is going to be considered over someone who can't or doesn't do so.

5) Keeping cell phone on. Don't forget to turn your cell phone off before your interview. Typical interviews rarely last more than an hour. Unless there is an emergency, most people can live without their cell phone for that amount of time. Receiving phone calls or texting during the interview is simply rude. It demonstrates a lack of courtesy, and may greatly diminish your chances of being hired. An interviewer may feel that the job candidate is not taking the interview seriously and therefore will not consider that person for the position.

6) Making off hand, disrespectful remarks about the company and/or its clients. Talk about the job and company with respect, even if it is just a temporary job that you feel doesn't take into account all of the skills and experience you possess. Mentioning that you just want the job for something to do while you are looking for a better job that is more "on your level" in the hopes that this will impress the interviewer will only serve to abruptly sweep the interviewer's interest away from you and on to the next candidate.

7) Complaining about a former employer. Refrain from making disparaging remarks about your former boss. It will only make you look like a disgruntled employee who is very likely to complain if hired. If there were issues, don't bring them up unless the interviewer asks you specifically about them. If the interviewer does ask for details, be as politically correct as possible without being dishonest. State facts and do not elaborate on your personal negative feelings about the former employer.

8) Divulging too much personal information. Stay on topic during the interview. Mentioning aspects of your personal life that have absolutely no relevance to the workplace usually only works to distract the interviewer and makes you look unprofessional.

9) Asking about compensation and benefits at the beginning of the interview. Don't ask the interviewer to "show you the money" before you have shown them your qualifications! Let them warm up to you. Most interviewers will mention compensation details on their own, without any prompting from you. Wait until the end of the interview. If the interviewer has not mentioned compensation and asks if you have any questions, it is okay to ask then.

10) Failing to show enough interest in the job. At the end of the interview, leave a good impression with the interviewer by mentioning how excited you are about the chance to work with their company and by asking about the next step of the interview process. Send a snail-mail thank you note to the interviewer the day after the interview.

Take heed from an experienced interviewer, a little common sense and courtesy go a long way when trying to impress a future employer. By avoiding the mistakes mentioned above, you will gain the advantage over your competition and most likely land that job!