Four Things NOT To Do At Your Interview

We’ve all read plenty of articles that outline what to do at an interview; dress nicely, present yourself well, etc. Along with all the things you SHOULD do, there are of course many things that you shouldn’t. Even more serious, there are things that will get you an automatic “no” for most employers or recruiters.

In her article, Jane Burnett mentioned red flags employers should look out for when interviewing a candidate. Most of these things have little to do with the job itself, but everything to do with how you’re perceived as an individual. When a potential employer interviews you, they aren’t only thinking about whether or not you can do the job. They want to know that you WANT the job, and that you’ll mesh well with the company and it’s employees. Perhaps most of all, they want to know that you’re reliable.

Here are her top red flags for employers, and therefore the top four things NOT to do at your interview:

• Arrive late: This one should be a no-brainer. Arriving even a few minutes late gives a bad impression and suggests that already you aren’t reliable and punctual. Even worse, it suggests that you didn’t care enough about the opportunity to be on time. Try to be about 10-15 minutes early, and definitely not late.
• Be rude to the receptionist or other employees: Any decent employer or recruiter would take issue with you being rude to the receptionist or anyone else in the office for that matter. Whether it’s warranted or not, just don’t do this. In fact, most of the time the receptionist is the very first representative at the company to have an overall impression of you, and they’ll definitely share that impression with the boss.
• Speak negatively about your previous employer: I’m sure most of us can think of at least one example of a less-than-stellar boss. However, that experience shouldn’t be aired during an interview. Complaining about a previous boss is unprofessional. Employers are always thinking ahead to how a candidate will be if they choose to hire them. If you spend minutes griping, they’ll be concerned you’ll do the same here, regardless of whether or not your prior supervisor was wrong or not.
• Know nothing about the company: Again, this gives the impression that you just don’t care. Further, you won’t be prepared to answer any questions they might have about their mission, etc. Do your homework and read up!

Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.