Congratulations! You are set for an interview!
Here are 8 things that you should NOT do in an interview:
When preparing your resume, it is expected that you will sell yourself. However, one should not exaggerate too much about work experiences because once you are asked questions about those and if you cannot answer, the interviewer will know that you are not truthful about what you have written. During the interview, be honest with your answers. If you don’t know something, admit it. A good answer might be something like: “I am unable to give an answer at the moment but whenever I am unsure about something, I immediately read about it so that I could learn.” This response shows both honesty and initiative, two main traits that interviewers look for. No one expects you to know everything. What is important is that you are proactive enough to search for the answer.
Let the interviewer take control of the conversation. Politely answer everything that is asked of you by giving just the right amount of information. Get to the point and don’t ramble too much. If there is still time, you may elaborate your answer if you deem it necessary to make your point.
Avoid telling jokes. What might be funny to you could be offensive and distasteful to the interviewer. Talking about politics or religion is absolutely inappropriate in a job interview and can cause arguments or debates. During the interview speak about your experiences and values relevant to the job, but not about your religious beliefs or political leanings.
It is obvious that you will not be rated by the clothes you wear during an interview but if you apply for a company that requires corporate clothing and then you come in wearing torn jeans and flip-flops, this will not make a good impression on your interviewer. He/She might think that you are not serious and you lack respect.
Never be late for an interview. It is better that you wait for the interviewer rather than the other way around. They usually have very tight schedules and will not be able to meet you if you don’t come on time. If you really ran into any unforeseen event that made you late, inform the interviewer immediately. This is why it is essential to know the contact number of the person you are meeting.
The use of profanity (blasphemous or obscene language) just shows that you are not smart enough to find words appropriate to express your ideas.
You do not know if the person interviewing you is a smoker or not and usually non-smokers are bothered by being in a small room with someone who just smoked a cigarette. If you need to smoke before an interview, make sure to wash your hands and eat some candy or gum before entering the interview (and do not forget to throw it away before entering).
Before going to the interview, learn about the company and prepare some questions. It is always advisable to ask questions about the department or company that you want to work for. This shows that you are really interested to get the job.
These are just some of the things that you should not do during an interview. If you want to get the job, keep these reminders in mind. Good luck!
Image source: Gangplank HQ / flickr
