What can make a really bad impression at a job interview? Here are some things that you should avoid doing if you want to move forward in the hiring process. They are all easily avoidable, so review the list and make sure none of them happen to you. Review these tips for how to make the worst impression at an interview, so you don’t end up on the bad applicant list. Avoid being one of those people by taking the time to confirm your interview in advance. Give yourself plenty of extra time to get there. It’s much better to be early enough to grab a cup of coffee or walk around the block to calm your nerves than it is to stress about whether you are going to make it to the interview in a timely manner. On the flip side, don’t be too early. Your interviewer may have a full schedule of applicants so arriving a few minutes ahead of your scheduled interview slot is plenty. Some candidates can be arrogant and think they are doing the company a favor by interviewing with them. Beware, companies with a company culture that revolves around workplace positivity take note of how applicants engage with all the people they meet. Keep it positive to make the best impression. Be prepared to answer interview questions about why you’re the candidate who should be hired for the job, and to make the case as to why you’re better than the other applicants. On a similar note, be sure that your phone is turned off and out of sight. An interviewer does not want to hear that you’ve got a message or a text. Even worse, a definite interview-breaker is saying that you need to take a call. This one is easily avoidable. Take the time to do your homework—Google the company, check out its social media sites, look it up on LinkedIn and Glassdoor, and ask your connections about it if you know anyone who works there. Review the job posting and take the time to match your qualifications to the job, so you can share why you’re a good fit with the interviewer. Be prepared to answer the most frequently asked job interview questions, and to respond when you’re asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. It will be much less stressful having an idea of what you’re going to say, and it helps you make a good impression. Do everyone a favor, especially you, and keep those negative thoughts to yourself. Keeping it positive will definitely work better than trashing your previous employers.
Embellished skill sets: 62%Embellished responsibilities: 54%Dates of employment: 39%Job titles: 31%Academic degrees: 28%
If you didn’t do it, don’t say you did. Employers can and do check, and you don’t want to lose what could be a great job because you didn’t tell the truth. Otherwise, consider a handwritten thank you note (employers like them!) or letter.
