How to avoid the most common interview mistakes

Want to turn that dream job application into an offer? You’ll need to avoid these job interview mistakes. Don’t worry; everyone’s said or done the wrong thing at some point so nobody’s expecting you to be perfect. But with our tips, you’ll learn from others’ errors and breeze through your interview.

We’ll run through common interview pitfalls and explain how to avoid them:

• Lack of preparation
• Not giving examples
• Distracting body language
• Not building a rapport
• Rushing your answers

Once you’ve sussed how to get past those tricky things, you’ll soon be on your way to interview success.

If you go into an interview not knowing about the company or the role you’ve applied for, you'll feel more nervous than if you'd prepared. Plus, interviewers will know if you haven’t done any research – and it’s not a good look.

To prepare properly, try the following things:

• Have mock interviews – ask your friends and family to grill you; sometimes it’s even better to do this with someone you don’t know, so ask your coursemates if they’ll help you (and repay the favour when they need to practise)
• Research the company – check their website and their socials, and see if they’ve been in the press recently
• Check the job specification – read the advert carefully so you know what the role involves

These things will help you feel more comfortable before the interview, so you’ll then appear more confident in it.

While you never know exactly what an interviewer will ask you, you should always know what you’d say to the most likely questions. And you need to think about questions to ask them, too.

The average interview candidate will waffle and try to bluff when an interviewer asks them a difficult question. A great candidate will confidently back up their statements with facts.

So, if a potential employer asks you “Why should we give you this job?”, don’t just say “Because I would be great!”. Instead, tell the interviewer about experience that shows you’re the right person for the role. Think of the ‘rule of three’ here and share three examples if possible.

Detailed examples are everything. By sharing robust examples, you’ll show the interviewer that you’ve got the evidence to back up your claims. Plus, you’ll show that you think about the details – a great skill.

Most communication is non-verbal, so we say more through how we look (ie. facial expressions, gestures, posture) than the words we choose.

Of course, it’s normal to get nervous in a job interview and show this through our non-verbal communication. For example, when stressed, some people tap their legs, fiddle with a pen or play with their hair. While understandable, nervous habits will still distract the interviewer from what you’re saying – even if you don’t realise you’re doing them.

The good news is that once you’re aware of your body language, it’s easier to change it. Practise how you’ll sit and how to control your gestures while running through your mock interviews.

Want more tips? Read about the body language mistakes to avoid in an interview.

An interview isn’t just about the questions, it’s also about seeing if you’re the right ‘fit’ for an organisation – ie. are you going to be a great addition to the team?

To show that you’ll suit the business, build a rapport with the interviewer. Pay attention to the person interviewing and try to connect with them. Small talk before and after the interview will help you with this.

Take your time. The more you think through your responses, the better they will be. When we’re nervous, we tend to speak quicker so remember to slow down.

The interviewer is (rightly) more interested in the quality of your answers than the speed of your responses. It’s not a race. They’ll also likely be looking for someone who’s calm under pressure, so pause and think through what you’re saying before rushing to fill the air.

A lack of preparation, not giving examples, having distracting body language, not building a rapport and rushing your answers are all mistakes to avoid in a job interview. But with our advice, you don’t have to fall for these common traps.

If you do your research, back up what you say, think about your non-verbal communication, engage with your interviewer and take your time when answering questions, you’ll give yourself the best chance of getting the job. Good luck!