10 Mistakes Most People Make During a Job Interview
(and What to Do Instead)
Learn how to
showcase your talents, get the job, and feel more confident.
Interviewing
well is a vital component of a successful
career and an art that few master. Most people get
nervous when they have to face a panel of experts--higher powers--who decide
whether you have what it takes to acquire the job you desire.
Facing judgment day isn't easy. Most people try to act--take on roles and attributes
that are foreign to who they truly are--and the results are disastrous. As a
doctoral student in clinical psychology, I've been fortunate enough to average
attending seven interviews each year for the past four years. While I certainly
have areas for growth, being interviewed by elite psychologists and therapists--people
trained to read and interpret human behavior--has taught me many valuable
lessons that I'd like to share.
Here are 10 mistakes most people make when
interviewing and how to avoid them:
1. Not putting enough time, energy, and
effort into your preparation.
People who don't put effort into researching
the company, their mission, and the type of people they hire often fail to get
the job. I learned that how prepared I feel in terms of both answering
questions about myself and knowing facts about the organization is directly
correlated with my performance and level of comfort.
Spend the time you need to build confidence
in yourself and increase your knowledge of the company.
2. Failing to maintain awareness of your
posture and body language.
As a psychologist in training, I've grown to
learn my tendencies: crossing my arms or leaning back when I'm anxious. Now I
ensure that my body language is open, grounded, and non-defensive. That
behavior shows others that I am comfortable, receptive, and confident, and has
the added benefit of sending messages to my brain to remain calm.
Practice becoming more aware of your body and
know your tendencies in stressful situations.
3. Talking too much.
Amateurs think that they need to cover every
possible bullet point with the interviewer to appear competent. This anxious
tendency often works against them, because the interviewer becomes more attuned
to their anxiety than the content of their speech.
Silence can be powerful; learn how to pause
and know when your answer is good enough.
4. Being afraid to revisit earlier questions
and topics.
One thing that psychologists and most
interviewers value is the ability to be self-reflective. This skill is
correlated with emotional intelligence and conveys that you think about how you
affect others. Sometimes it's absolutely appropriate to link your current
answer to something you previously stated.
Practice noticing trends and patterns in your
messages, and don't be afraid to revisit items--especially when it shows
self-reflective skills.
5. Mumbling or rushing your speech instead of
thinking first.
Nothing is worse than word vomiting or going
mute--especially in group interviews. If you can't handle the pressure of an
intense interview, how are you going to handle a chaotic day at work?
Tell your interviewer that you're going to
take a second to contemplate your answer--it shows confidence and composure.
6. Not supporting your statements with
evidence and examples.
Telling people about yourself and how you
work is good, but showing them how and why you work the way you do is better.
Give your interviewer a glimpse into what makes you tick by explaining your
values and by providing real-life examples. It will make your claims more
significant.
Explain the how and the why for each
statement you make.
7. Underestimating how much your appearance
matters.
Yes, it's a superficial world and you need to
take that into account. For example, I'm aware that my beard conveys wisdom and
masculinity, my purple shirt shows I'm connected to my femininity and
creativity, my glasses say "Hey, I'm smart," and my mala bracelet
shows that I'm grounded.
Everything on your body speaks to who you
are, so think through the messages you're sending to others.
8. Not preparing meaningful questions to
demonstrate competence and curiosity.
The biggest rookie failure of all time is not
preparing questions to ask the interviewer. Don't be that person who ends an
interview without asking questions that can further your credibility.
Instead, compile a list of questions that
highlight your attention to detail and ability to critically dissect
information.
9. Failing to explain your value and
highlight how you and the company are a great fit.
You're basically trying to establish a
romantic relationship with someone who is convinced that they don't need you.
When you don't explain why you're a good fit, there's almost no chance that
they'll accept your offer to go on a date.
Show what you can bring to the table and why
this relationship will be mutually beneficial.
10. Allowing stress and anxiety to ruin your
introduction and closing.
Stress and anxiety happen to the best of us,
but you need to focus.
Do whatever it takes to find your groove
before interviewing, and then be intentional about your first and last
impression--make yourself stand out.
http://www.inc.com/matthew-jones/10-mistakes-most-people-make-during-an-interview-and-what-to-do-instead.html
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