How to Avoid An Interview Slip-Up?

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No matter how much preparation you do or how many times you practice that first handshake, there is always an element of fear and stress in the build up to an interview. Even the most talented Candidate can struggle to come across how they would like and end up saying something they may later regret.

To help you, we have made a list of ‘DO NOTS’ to help you prepare and hopefully instil in you more confidence when preparing for an interview.

The first thing to never do in an interview is to ask the interviewer’s age or ask any personal questions. You don’t want them to take anything the wrong way and generate an instant dislike for you that would mean an immediate uphill battle......especially if it’s a woman interviewing you!

Second thing to remember is never to lie in an interview. In the end, the truth always manages to rise to the surface and will leave you embarrassed and losing the job before you even got it.

It may seem obvious but another thing to remember is to switch your phone off. It is such a simple thing to do but you would be surprised how many times people forget to turn them off.

Fourth on the list is to not come across as desperate. Even if you are going for your dream job or really need the money, if you portray yourself as desperate then the interviewer may take this as a characteristic of yours and may worry this could be the way you approach work situations too.

Next thing, which is also common sense but has to be advised, is to never swear in an interview. No matter how comfortable you feel with the interviewer it is not a positive way to portray your character on a first meeting. Manners and courtesy go a long way to getting you on the right path to securing that job.

Something that is always good to do is to have questions prepared to ask the interviewer. This shows that you are interested and have done your research on the job role. It will give the interviewer a lot of confidence that you are determined and taking their role seriously.

Finally, you should never request to leave an interview early. Always make sure you have a clear schedule just in case the interview starts late or over runs. You don’t want to have to ask the interviewer to leave early because of other plans or other interviews even. See the interview through to the end and keep fully focused throughout.

The above points are all common sense, but Candidates do make mistakes!