5 Things Not To Do In An Interview

Job interviews are always exciting. There’s the elevated mood when you get an email inviting you to interview. You come in on time, you answer all the questions and all in all, you feel like you’ve made a good impression.

You get home feeling like the job’s yours! And then, a couple of days later, you get an email from that company saying that you did not get the job. What? Why? What happened?

Here is our list of things that could’ve gone wrong.

Arriving too early or late

You might think what’s wrong with that. Coming early is a sign that you’re prepared and don’t want to be late, right? Well… not so much, no.

Coming 5-15 minutes early is good. That shows that you’re prepared and courteous and will also help steady your nerves. Coming in half an hour early, though, is a pretty bad sign.

It actually may come off like you’re too nervous, uptight or can’t manage your time properly. Not really the kinds of personality traits hiring managers are looking for.

Worse than arriving too early though, is arriving too late. This gives the impression that you are disorganised and aren’t all that bothered about the job.

Not Asking Questions

Not asking about the company or the job post may make you seem like you don’t really care all that much.

Or, worse, that you’re overly confident and believe that you know everything already. The Independent claims that according to experts, not asking questions is one way to not get hired.

Good questions to ask:

• What direction do you see the business going in? i.e. growth, new technology, new markets etc.
• Can you tell me more about the day to day tasks in more detail?
• What are the current challenges facing the business?
• What would you like me to bring to the role?

Not Giving a Reason to Hire You

It’s good to know that you want to work for a certain company. But the big question’s why? Why should these people hire you and not someone else?

If you don’t show interest, the employer may think that you’re looking for the first job available. Such people aren’t beneficial to the company because they, usually, don’t stick around for long. They play the game, they get bored, they move on to the next game.

Rambling On and On

It’s important to answer each question fully and show why you’re a good fit for the company. However, don’t ramble. Don’t spent the next 10 minutes talking about how you’re so good, how you’re this-and-that and that no one except for you will ever do.

If an employer wants to hear more of whatever story it is that you’re trying to tell, they’ll ask. There’s absolutely no need to keep going on and on about the achievements that you’ve already mentioned earlier.

Forget To Send A Follow Up Saying Thank You

Experts interviewed for the Independent claimed that they were more impressed by those interviewees who’d send thank-you letters. It showed sincere interest and made the candidate look a lot more professional.

However, you shouldn’t just write “thank you” and send it. Write that you appreciated being invited for an interview, express your excitement and definitely include something that was mentioned during the interview.

For example, say that you’re glad that the employer asked a specific question, because it gave you the chance to talk about your talents and achievements.

If you remember to include these tips during your next interview, you’re much more likely to gain success. But if you don’t get the job, don’t despair. There’s always next time.

But still. It’s always a good idea to keep to the above suggestions. After all, these are the things employers wish the interviewee would do.

Inspiring Interns is a recruitment agency specialising in all the internships and graduate jobs London has to offer.