Consultant Rachel has given us her advice on how to avoid these 5 common interview mistakes:
Arriving early…..Arriving late
Hmmm…..do I get there half an hour before my interview?
What does that say about me? Keen? Eager? Panicked?
10 minutes early is a perfect amount of time to present yourself, maybe sign in to the building and wait for your interview. There’s really no need for anything earlier than this so wait in your car or take a walk around if you’ve arrived earlier than planned.
And please, please, please – don’t arrive late… you’ll be creating a negative impression from the start and it’ll put you on the back foot.
Failing to ‘Dress to Impress’
Leggings/Jeggings? Trainers? T-shirt? – No, no, no – please don’t.
Whilst some interviews don’t demand a full suit, you must present yourself smartly and appropriately. You’re not on a night out, this is your future so bear this in mind & plan your outfit ahead of time – if nothing else, it’s a fabulous excuse for a shopping spree!!!
Ring Ring….Ring Ring
Mobile phones! Say no more.
Turn it off. Simples!
Bringing the negativity
We are looking for a job for a whole host of different reasons and quite often, it’s because we just don’t like where we work.
The interviewee doesn’t want to hear the negativity – if you ever leave, would you say the same about them???
There’s a time and a place but the interview is neither so put a positive spin on things, keep things factual and box off the negative!
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
It’s just like decorating – if you prepare all your surfaces and materials in advance, your progress will be much smoother, easier and more organized. And the end result will be great!
An interview is the same. So research the company, make notes about them and take them with you, prepare questions and make your research visible so they know you’ve put in the time.
And one more thing……. Good Luck, Good Luck, we all wish you Good Luck (had to end with a F.R.I.E.N.D.S quote, of course!)
