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You have likely heard the expression that “a resume gets you an interview, while the interview gets you the job.” That’s because you can have the best qualifications ‘on paper’ such as your executive resume, but if the interviewer doesn’t find you a good fit for the position/company, you won’t be getting an employment offer.
Here are some of the biggest interview mistakes that can sink you chances of landing a job.
1. Not Doing Your Homework Before the Interview
As soon as you have an interview scheduled with a company, you should know how to prepare an interview by researching the organization. Learn as much as you can about it. For example, you need to understand what the company does, as well as its target market. Basically, you need to be knowledgeable enough about the organization to confidently discuss and answer questions about it during your interview. You can really impress your interviewer by demonstrating that you did your homework before the interview. Likewise, you can make your interviewer believe that you aren’t really that interested in the job if you show a lack of knowledge about the company.
2. Making a Bad First Impression
When it comes to job interviews, you only get one first impression – so you need to make it count! Make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to arrive on time to the interview. Also, be friendly to everyone that you interact with at the company. Your unofficial interview begins as soon as you arrive onsite. You also need to make a strong introduction when you get introduced to your interviewer(s). That means a firm handshake, a friendly hello, and good eye contact. Make sure that you greet everyone in the room with you. If you make a bad first impression, you won’t be getting a job offer.
3. Not Being Able to Demonstrate Your Potential Value
As mentioned, you need to do a lot of research about the company before your interview. That’s because you need to be able to show how your skills and experience can meet the organization’s needs in the job that you are applying for. You should be able to provide good examples of how you have added value to your current and/or previous organizations that you have worked for. Furthermore, you will likely be asked a lot of questions that are aimed at determining how good of a fit you are for the job and organization. For example, you might get asked how you resolve work conflicts with others, your thoughts on past managers, and the usual greatest strengths/weaknesses questions. You should be able to demonstrate your potential value to the organization in your answers.
4. Failing to Show a Lot of Enthusiasm for the Job
In addition to being well-prepared for your interview, you must express your enthusiasm for the job. Make sure that your interviewer knows that you are very interested in working for the company. You can demonstrate your enthusiasm by asking good questions, especially when it comes to the hiring process. One of the most surprising reasons that candidates get passed over for a job is because they fail to make the interviewer believe that they are really interested in the position.
5. Not Following Up with the Interviewer
Along the lines of expressing interest in the job, you must follow up with the interviewer after the interviewer. Make sure that you thank them for the interview, as well as let them know that you are still interested in the position. Ask them if there is anything else that you can do to demonstrate your qualifications for the job. Once again, you could ask about the next steps in the hiring process.
In short, if you want to nail your interview and increase your chances of getting a job offer, then you need to show up to your interview fully prepared to discuss why you are the best candidate for the position. Make sure that you research the company beforehand and show a lot of interest to the interviewer to let them know that you are a serious candidate. Furthermore, you need to demonstrate the value that you can offer to the company by giving good examples of your previous work experience.
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