You’ve spent months and months scouring job websites, each one proclaiming to have some sort of ‘unique edge’ on the market. You’ve found the perfect job for you. Weeks have been devoted to tailoring your CV to the job specification, making sure that the key words stand out just short of putting them in font size 30. You’ve poured days into crafting a flawless cover letter, each word a declaration of dedication to a company you’ve hopefully researched well. You’ve packaged your hopes into an A4 brown envelope,sealed it up and sent it off into the gaping maw of a shiny, bright red chasm. You have waited. And you’ve waited. The phone rang, unknown number. With a successful application, you are subjected to question after question after question but you’ve passed the preliminary phone interview. And now you can finally prepare for the face-to-face interview. Congratulations! Surely you’re practically hired now so how bad could this interview be?
Now that you’ve put all that effort in, all you have to do now is turn up to the interview and stroll leisurely towards a job offer, right? No! This is where many an excellent individual has fallen flat in the pursuit of employment. So what are you doing wrong? Here’s a basic list of the most common things that could go wrong in the interview process that you mostly have control over.
1. Body Language
Remember, from the moment you arrive at a job interview to when you leave, you need to be fully aware that you are there to impress and to sell yourself. While you may be relaxed and radiating calm, sitting in the reception with your legs outstretched and hands clasped behind your head is simply poor form.
Greet the interviewer with a firm (but not iron grip) handshake. Smile and make eye contact but don’t stare as that is creepy and the signs of a potential serial killer. Remember that those first few seconds are a great opportunity to create a great impression.
When you are in the interview, avoid the classic negative body language traits; don’t cross your arms as this can be interpreted as defensive and try to sit forward and make direct eye contact to demonstrate enthusiasm. If you can subtly imitate your interviewer’s positive body language, this will certainly build up a rapport, but try not to make it too obvious or they may just find you ever so slightly weird.
2. “Um, the company does…um…”
Most job interviews start with the question, “So, tell me what you know about the company?” Make sure you take the time to take a look at the company’s website and research the key facts about the business. This isn’t a case of spending hours learning everything there is to know about the organisation, down to what biscuits they keep in the break room. Ten minutes on their website will tell you when they started in business, how many employees they have, which areas of business they are focused on and where they are going in the future.
When I was interviewed for a bookseller job at Waterstones (then Waterstone’s), I was asked what their mission was. Having not looked up this information, I floundered for a few moments and just blagged it. Although I answered correctly, I was on edge for the rest of the interview.
3. “And that’s why grapefruits are sometimes better than oranges. Sorry, what was the question again?”
Listen carefully to the question asked, there will be a specific skill or experience that the interviewer will be trying to draw out of you. Sometimes nerves can take over and you will begin to waffle about everything apart from what the interviewer is actually asking.
Although you don’t want to sound too rehearsed by practising the answers to typical interview questions, you will be able to eliminate the waffle and answer the question with real substance.
4. “Sorry, I’m late, a fox stole my car keys.”
And then when you had finally retrieved those car keys from that pesky fox, the smoke alarm went off as your house was burning down and then a long-lost aunt called from Australia to ask if your mother is well. After this fiasco, a deep crevasse opened up on the A113 and you had to negotiate a new route through an unfamiliar part of the city. Once you managed to find a parking space in the car-park, you ran up three flights of stairs. Arriving at the interview forty minutes late, you are now sweaty, dishevelled and anxious. You are immediately on the back foot and at a disadvantage to all those being interviewed for the position. Would you employ someone who can’t make it to work on time with wild excuses? Again, this is where preparation is key: plan your journey, leaving yourself plenty of time for unforeseen problems, such as late trains, traffic and abduction by UFO. Print off maps, practice your route and arrive at least 10 minutes before your interview is due to start. This will give you a last chance to look over your notes and gather your thoughts.
5. “ I’m a motivated, hard-working team-player with excellent communication skills.”
Major yawn.
There are always those standard questions that will come up in every interview situation. And while it’s vital that you practice and rehearse how you answer these questions, you should never come across like you are reading from an autocue. By researching the businesses that you applying for, you should be able to tailor your answers to ensure that you are answering with examples that are relevant to the position.
6. Poor attire
First impressions count. Before you’ve even said a word, an interviewer will have made a judgement on your suitability for the role by the way you dress. Keep it smart and tidy. For the chaps, ensure the suit is dark and clean. Your shirt well pressed and your tie fairly conservative. Oh, and make sure the shoes are polished, your hair is neat and tidy and all your breakfast is removed from your teeth. For the ladies, similar to the above but keep the make-up subtle and don’t shy away from that formal suit.
7. “…And those are the thirty reasons why I hate my old boss, in order of importance.”
At some point in the interview, you will be asked for your opinion on your present or former employers. Don’t fall into the trap that many do of bad mouthing past bosses or colleagues, even if they were the worst people you have ever had the unfortunate luck to work with. This will only reflect badly on you and you alone.
Focus on the positives; what you enjoyed about previous roles and what you achieved for the businesses.
8. Failing to sell yourself
No, not in a courtesan manner.
Don’t be afraid to give examples of where you have excelled in a position. This could be a British trait of feeling too reticent about talking about achievements. But who else is going to blow your trumpet?
There is obviously a fine balance between arrogance and confidence. For example, in an interview, you could say, “I have a reputation for delivering an excellent ROI on marketing projects” rather than “I am the best marketing person in my company.”
Make sure you add some substance when reflecting on your strengths and it is always wise to reflect on some of the projects you delivered and the facts and figures behind those projects.
9. Not asking any questions
You’ve got to the end of the interview and the interviewer may ask you, “Do you have any questions for me?” By answering “No”, you will look disinterested and unenthusiastic about the position you have applied for and cancel out all that stunning ground-work you’ve put in. From the research that you have done about the company, you should be able to put together 2 or 3 questions ready for this very situation.
So, what do you really want to ask?
“What do you particularly enjoy about working here?” “If I was to be successful, what is likely to happen in my first week?” “Is support available for people who want to gain extra skills?” It’s all about exhibiting interest, about demonstrating that you will be a valuable cog to the machine, and showing that you’re eager to learn too.
Don’t just throw in a few questions about holidays, perks and job progression.
10. Not following up after the interview is over
I’m definitely guilty of doing this one. You finish your interview and then you wait for the phone to ring to see whether you were successful. But if you actually followed up the interview with a short email thanking the interviewer for their time, you will be putting yourself ahead of the 90% of people who don’t bother to do so.
Keep the email short, thanking them for their time and reiterate how impressed you were with their business giving a short synopsis on why you believe you would be the perfect fit for their organisation. Finish the email by informing them that if they have any questions that shouldn’t hesitate to contact you.
Remember, every opportunity you have to distinguish yourself from the other applicants in the process is certainly worth taking. With all that time you have spent on your CV and interview preparation, what’s another couple of minutes firing off a thank you email?
And if all else fails and you have waited weeks for an answer, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone to determine what the deadline is for an answer on the role.
I hope this list has been useful for you. Remember: fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Good luck!