Articles From the Team

What not to do in an interview!

What not to do in an interview

You may have had numerous interviews or this may be your first interview straight from university, you need to prepare either way. You are going to be judged from the moment you arrive in reception so prepare. A lot of firms will ask the receptionist their own opinion after the interview has taken place, so be aware.

Preparation

You would have received interview confirmation from your recruiter who has organised the interview. Read over and make sure you comprehend all the information given. Research the firm and the interviewers using all the tools at your fingertips, i.e internet, company news etc. If the firm are not at a familiar location to where you know, then maybe it would be a good idea to make a “dummy run” the day before or work out your route using public transport. You do not want to be rushing on the day of your interview, this will create a poor impression.

Bad Habits

Everyone has certain habits, which is perfectly normal but you should try to refrain from demonstrating them during a job interview. For myself I tend to nibble on my fingers when nervous or stressed, so I have to make a conscious effort not to do this. You should ask your loved ones if they have noticed anything that you do in certain situations, this will help you recognise your habits and then you can avoid them.

Bad Press

Avoid bad mouthing and complaining about previous employers, even if it was the reason you left your job. Pushing the blame doesn’t make you look good, rather it creates the image that you’re a troublesome employee who’s high maintenance. What’s more, if the two companies are in the same industry there’s always a chance that your interviewer knows your previous employer, in this case bad mouthing could really backfire. Just be prepared for the reasons for your leaving or wanting to leave your last role.

Getting Names Wrong

All good recruitment consultants will send you a interview confirmation and they will have put all the right notes that you will need for the interview, which would include the name or names of the interviewers, make sure you have made a note of this or print off the interview confirmation email. Getting the interviewer's name wrong will cause the wrong first impression and you would not want to cause offence. If it is a name that you do not recognise then ask your recruitment consultant for the right pronuncination or ring ahead and find out.

Arriving Late

Always try to arrive 15 minutes early for your interview. Nothing gives off a worse impression than showing up to a job interview late – it shows lack of responsibility and little motivation.  Aim to arrive at least fifteen minutes early and give yourself extra time if you’re unsure of the exact location.

In some instances, unforeseen circumstances can cause you to be late for an interview or unable to attend and employers do understand this can happen. What really irritates them is if you haven’t informed them of your situation so they can either reschedule you in for another time or proceed with other work whilst they wait for you. There’s nothing more disrespectable than leaving the interviewers waiting for you, their frustration will build and they may refuse to see you. If there’s been an accident on the motorway or a family member falls sick, ring up and apologise, explain the situation and reschedule the interview. Always make sure you tell them you’re still interested in the position and that you regret the situation has arisen at an unfortunate time.

Over Confidence

Whilst confidence is a positive quality which can help you to come across well in a job interview coming across over confident is not. Arrogance can really deter a potential employer from hiring you as you’ll appear difficult to manage and unlikely to follow instruction. Make sure you’re eager and attentive during your interview and demonstrate that you’re listening by making eye contact with them. Avoid flirting with potential colleagues, using foul language or expressing controversial views – both inside and outside of the interview room.

Always prepare, Good Luck!

For more information read our interview tips or call 0845 241 0933