How to Avoid 7 Common Interview Mistakes Candidates Make

Last updated on October 10th, 2023 at 10:22 pm

Searching for a job is tough. To get an interview invitation only to lose out because of little common interview mistakes is depressing.

To help you avoid losing out on that golden opportunity, we have decided to share with you the 7 top mistakes candidates commonly make while preparing for Interviews – and during interviews.

7 common mistakes people make during interviews and what you should do to avoid them

1. Inappropriate Interview Dresses

First impressions matter a lot to landing your dream job. A proper dress code will demonstrate a level of seriousness from you about the opportunity. 

Remember, you are coming to represent the image of the company to their esteemed customers or clients. You should dress in a way that the company will look at you as a person who could fit into the position and the professional environment, and be ready to sacrifice youthful fashion.

2. Not Asking Questions

Employers like hearing from their candidates. They look forward to an interactive interview session and always want to learn from the candidate.

Asking questions will confirm your interest, enthusiasm, and readiness to work in the position you’re applying for to the hiring manager.

However, you should be very careful with the type of questions you ask. Although they will welcome your questions and provide answers at the same time, they expect you to have done some basic research.

For instance, you could show them that you can’t wait to have the feeling of working with the organization by asking…

“what they like about the company that makes them work there”.

And you could even go as far as asking for feedback…

Feedback is necessary so as to access yourself, understand your weaknesses, get an honest review of your performances.

Even if you are not offered the job, you know you are living with something to improve on.

3. Talking Too Much Or Too Little

Your answers should be specific, concise, and direct. The mistake candidates make is giving an indirect answer to a direct question. And even when you’re asked an open question, you should present your answers with a clear beginning, be concise in the middle and conclude without mixing words.

When answering questions, focus on the interviewers. Do not give too lengthy or short

A too-long answer can bore the interviewers and can even make you go off point. And if you’re short, it could mean it appears you’ve little to say. So, always give structure to your answers.

4. Not Paying Attention

If there’s something very crucial during interviews it is listening. Active listening involves paying attention to questions being asked. We have seen many people’s attention slipping away during an interview. And one way to overcome this is by getting to the interview early, relax and during the interview session, lean forward, and maintain eye contact.

5. Inability To Be Specific About Experience

One common mistake candidates make during interview sessions is being unable to be specific about their experiences, skills, and previous responsibilities

Candidate, especially the entry-level ones usually up-sells themselves in an attempt to secure the job forgetting that being honest and realistic can get them closer to the job.

If you’re asked to answer a question of which you’ve no idea about, it’s better to say… “I don’t know” than to waffle around the question.

Note that there’s always an entry-level point where you have little to no experience. The hiring manager will understand this and your sincerity and honesty can just be what will land you the job.

6. Not Enough Research

It’s quite normal to get anxious at first in an interview. We have seen situations where candidates are extremely nervous as they walk into an interview room. This extreme anxiousness can make candidates lose self-control.

Research shows that the majority of candidates walk into the interview room anxious because of a lack of adequate preparation.

When preparation meets hard work, success is inevitable. If you applied for a job and got a call up for either a physical or virtual interview you should carry out some research before the date.

The moment you receive mail inviting you for an interview, you should get started in your research; find out more about the person that’ll be interviewing you – look them up on LinkedIn and onTwitter.

Research the company culture and memorize key facts. Try to understand the company’s market and their audience – beyond their website.

Make sure to research the role and the responsibility that comes with the position.

Inadequate background research can make you uncontrollably anxious.

7. Denigrating Your Past Employers

Candidates should avoid denigrating anyone – whether past employers or coworkers. You should at all-time be polite and respectful because your conduct during the interview might just be what will set you apart from other candidates.

it is not every time that recruiters look for academic qualifications or previous experience, they might just be looking for certain qualities beyond skills or high school grades.

Also, beware of negative statements to your past boss or co-workers as this might get your potential employer thinking…

If you can say that about your past organization then you can say it to them as well – if you leave on personal terms not best for you.

The ability to handle conflicts in a mature way is a skill on its own.

Wrapping it up…

You have invested a lot of time and money hunting for that job and you need to prepare adequately for the role. 

Kill the anxiety before it chases you out of the interview room, make sure to dress formally and be polite all through. Be attentive to the questions and give clear and concise answers.

Be specific and appreciate their times – they too have things on their to-do list.

These are the 7 most common job interview mistakes we wanted to share with you.

Keep it handy. It will help you ace through your next interviews.

Good luck with your next interview!