32 common interviewing mistakes you should avoid
The list below provides an insightful list of the most common mistakes interviewees make. The list is based on reports from 153 executive search firms. Source: Carnegie Resources.
- Tardiness
- Poor or casual personal appearance
- Lack of interest and enthusiasm: Passive and indifferent
- Over emphasis on money: interested only in best dollar offer, benefits, hours and vacation
- Condemnation of past employers
- Failure to look at the interviewer when conversing
- Limp, fishy handshake
- Unwillingness to go where sent
- Late to interview
- Failure to express appreciation for interviewer’s time
- Asks no questions about job or company
- Indefinite response to questions
- Overbearing, over aggressive, conceited with superiority or “know it all complex.”
- Inability to express self clearly: Poor voice diction, grammar
- Lack of planning for career: no purpose and goals
- Lack of confidence and poise: nervous and ill at ease
- Failure to participate in activities
- Unwilling to start at the bottom-expects too much too soon
- Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavorable factors in record
- Lack of tact
- Lack of courtesy: ill mannered
- Lack of Maturity
- Lack of vitality
- Indecision and hesitation
- Sloppy application, not fully completed or putting see resume
- Merely shopping around seeking a counter offer
- Wants job for short time
- No interest in company or industry
- Low moral standards
- Intolerant: strong prejudices
- Narrow interests
- Inability to take criticism
I previously worked for a major design-build firm where I was briefly involved in the hiring of construction managers.
Anyway, one day we interviewed a potential candidate. Halfway into the interview, he excused himself to answer a call from another company he had previously interviewed with.
He later tried to play it off as a joke. He was apparently trying to imply his importance by answering the call.
Do I need to mention that he did not get the job?