7 More Job Interview Landmines, and How to Avoid Them

Job interviews are important as they are the primary means of securing employment. Because they are so important, it’s critical for a job seeker to know what to do – and not do – when interviewing.  I recently wrote an article outlining 7 job interview landmines (that don’t involve answers) with tips for avoiding them. What follows is 7 more common job interview mistakes and suggestions for more helpful actions:

1.      Not allowing the interviewer to finish speaking

What you say during an interview is important, but so too is when you say it. Interrupting the interviewer before they have finished speaking is not only rude, but it also shows a lack of patience, self-control, and courtesy. It signals that you aren’t listening to understand, rather just waiting to talk. 

Do This: Give your full attention to the speaker. Listen to understand. Wait for the interviewer to finish speaking and then respond with a question or answer. Active listening and communication turn-taking will showcase your interpersonal, communication, and self-management skills.

2.      Not telling the truth

Exaggerating or lying during an interview will catch up with you. If the interviewer doesn’t discover your embellishment during the interview, they’ll eventually do so when you are on the job. Exaggerating or lying signals a lack of ethical standards, which hurts you more than the interviewer/employer. 

Do This: Be truthful in your claims, representations, and answers. Always. Honesty and truthfulness highlight your integrity and high ethical standards.

3.      Not providing evidence

You made claims on your resume and in the interview, but you have no examples to support your assertations. It’s not that you are lying, you’re just not able to back up what you claimed with evidence or documentation. This will frustrate or disappoint the interviewer, raise questions about the validity of your experience, skills, and performance, and signal unpreparedness on your part.

Do This: Be prepared to back up your claims with evidence, documentation, or a verifiable story/answer. Practice ahead of time your answers to likely interview questions, especially those concerning your claims of specific performance. Providing evidence will highlight your preparedness, communication skills, story-telling ability, and the authenticity of your claims and representations.  

4.      Talking badly about a former employer

Your former leader or employer wasn’t great. Ok, maybe they were terrible. We’ve all been in that situation.  But talking badly about your former leader or employer to make yourself sound better, or as a reason for why you aren’t in that relationship any longer, doesn’t do anyone any good. Especially you. It reflects badly on you. You signal to your interviewer that you are willing to throw someone under the bus to make yourself look good. Which it doesn’t.

Do This: Convey the positive aspects about your former leader or employer, including what you learned.  If pressed on why you left or are thinking of leaving, discuss how you are looking for different challenges and opportunities, or want to find an employer who is in better alignment with your goals and values. Keep the discussion about your previous employer positive and align yourself with the company you are interviewing with. Positive communication about your former employer highlights your professionalism and decency.

5.      Appearing desperate

You agree with everything being said. You tell the interviewer whatever you think they want to hear. You come right out and say you want the job before the interview is over. You are coming across as desperate. This will signal to the employer a lack of confidence, among other things. It will also weaken your negotiating position.

Do This: Act and speak confidently. Ask questions and take notes. Being confident will highlight your assuredness and belief in your abilities.

6.      Exclusively focusing on you

Yes, you are the candidate, and the focus on the interviewer’s attention. But making the interview exclusively about you can backfire. Not acknowledging the role your former leader, teammates, or direct reports played in your success can come across as egotistical or ungrateful. Furthermore, not focusing enough on the employer’s needs during the interview can make you appear self-centered and disinterested in the company.

Do This: Work into your answers what you learned from your former leader. When discussing your accomplishments, give a nod to your coworkers who contributed to your success. Finally, show genuine interest in the employer you are meeting with. Listen with your full attention and ask relevant questions.  Showing an interest in, and shining a light on, others will highlight your gratefulness and collaborative nature.

7.      Not following up

The interview is over. You likely feel a range of emotions from relief to uncertainty to confidence.  Now it’s waiting time (if you are interested in the job) or time to move on (if not interested). But you forget to do one critical thing. You didn’t send a hand-written thank note or thank you email.  Not following up with the interviewer signals a lack of appreciation for the individual’s time and attention.

Do This: After the interview is over, review your notes, do a quick interview post-mortem, and collect your thoughts. Then write a note or email to the interviewer, thanking him or her for their time and the information they provided. You can choose to indicate your interest in the position if you’d like. Regardless, always say you look forward to hearing from the employer. If you are interested in the position, you want to hear back. But even if you’re not interested, your aim should be to strengthen that relationship with the interviewer (did someone say networking?) and potentially get feedback on your interview performance. Following up with a thank you note or email highlights your appreciative nature, professionalism, and interest in hearing back from the employer.

Job seekers who know about common interview mistakes – landmines – and take proactive steps to avoid them should see an improvement in their interview performance. By knowing what not to do when interviewing, you’ll know what to do, and that is not unimportant when it comes to landing your next great career opportunity.

[Originally published on LinkedIn.com on August 25, 2021: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-more-job-interview-landmines-how-avoid-them-bill-leonard-mhrm/]