Interview Mistakes That Can Damage Your Reputation & Chances Of Getting The Job – Part 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of the biggest interview mistakes that can ruin you chances of getting the job. The deeper we dive into our interview habits, the more we find that the littlest things can make the biggest impact on our first impression with a new employer. Here are a few more red flags that interviewers make note of: 

1. Talking Without Answering Questions – More and more interviewers ask open ended questions to get you talking about your skills and experience instead of simple yes and no answers. Unfortunately, people often talk and talk without ever actually answering the question at all.
2. Asking No Questions – It seems suspicious when the interviewer describes the job to you and all you have to say is “okay”. Don’t you want to know about the working environment, or what they have planned for the future?
3. Acting Unprofessionally When Nobody’s Looking – Cameras are everywhere these days, and people talk to their co-workers. Don’t do anything in front of the receptionist that you wouldn’t do in front of the interviewer themselves. Somebody is always looking. Even taking a personal call while you wait or using profanity in the lobby can be disqualifying.
4. Failing to Show Your Independence – Just about any company is willing to train you to catch you up to speed. What they’re not willing to do is hold your hand through every single decision you make all day. Job candidates who act helpless and lost, or ask too simple of questions appear like they will need babysitting on the job.
5. Failure to be Flexible – Especially if you are interviewing at the entry-level, flexibility is a must. Unless you are the rockstar of your industry, you probably can’t open the interview by demanding a particular schedule and tons of vacation days. Few companies rely on a 9-5 these days because we live in a 24 hour world. Be realistic about your expectations when it comes to scheduling.

Simply put, you should be working to demonstrate that you are self-motivated and self-directed, and that you can solve problems independently. Watch your language and make sure that every question and answer counts, and make sure that you are prepared for the reality of working with a new company that may not be able to fit your ideal lifestyle and schedule.