5 mistakes you are making in your job interviews

Do you have trouble getting past the interview stage when it comes to job applications? You are not the only one who does. Over the years, we have spoken with numerous frustrated job seekers who found it impossible to get past their job interviews and land a job offer.

A job interview can be a stressful experience. Whether you have faced multiple interviews before, or if this is your very first job interview, things can go south really quick during an interview. You could be making one or two simple mistakes that are ruining your entire interview performance. Today, we will discuss how you can spot and correct these common interview mistakes:

Not doing your research

Even though more than a hundred job seekers apply for a single position, only four or five candidates make it to the interview stage. If you get a chance for an interview, that means you have been given a great opportunity. You have to show the employer that you value the chance they gave you by doing extensive research into the company. Familiarize yourself with:

• The job description
• Company vision, mission, and value
• Recent press activity about the employer
• Important projects by the employer
• Awards and recognitions won by the employer
• Challenges faced by the company

Underselling yourself during the interview

The job interview is not a place for you to be overly humble about your professional achievements and career. Just because you listed them on your resume, don’t make the mistake of assuming that the interview panel knows about all of your professional achievements. When given the chance to talk about yourself, start with your winning elevator pitch. When answering interview questions, tie back your answers to your professional wins. Always give numbers and metrics to highlight your impressive contributions.

Speaking poorly of former/current employers

Sometimes you have to leave a job on not so favorable terms with the employer. But that doesn’t give you a free pass to badmouth your current or previous employers during an interview. One of the biggest qualities that employers admire in a candidate is loyalty. If you show them that you are not loyal to your former employer during the interview, you will lose the interviewer just a few minutes into the conversation.

Talking about the job like it is a stepping stone

Any employer is prepared to accept that you don’t plan on staying with them forever. However, as a job seeker, you should not come out and tell them straight up that you are only planning on staying there until a better opportunity presents itself. The employer is prepared to invest valuable resources to interview, hire, and onboard you to their company. Show them that you appreciate the effort and are willing to contribute to the success of their company.

Giving vague and unclear descriptions

Your interviewer will ask you to describe certain situations you have faced during work. Whether you are asked about the time you accomplished a project within budget or about a PR crisis you handled for a previous employer, you should come up with specific details when you answer the interviewer. You want them to hear the numbers and be impressed with your achievements.