10 Things You Absolutely Shouldn’t Do In A Job Interview

It seems obvious, but countless job interviews start off with a sweaty handshake and a breathless ask for a glass of water as you explain how your bus/taxi/train/tube was cancelled and you had to run 2 miles to get there. It doesn’t really matter what the excuse is – this should have been important enough to make certain you were there on time. Arriving early also gives you a great chance to go through notes, grab a drink and get yourself in the right frame of mind for the task ahead. And if you are unavoidably late – be sure to phone and give them a heads up.

Turning up to an interview at an accountancy firm in board shorts and t-shirt will certainly get you noticed, but for all the wrong reasons. Interviewers are looking for people who will fit in and coming dressed in the wrong type of clothes is a big red flag. Coming dressed too smart can also be a problem for some jobs, such as in the media industry, so do your homework and if you’ve got time try and swing by the offices in advance to check or phone reception to get the inside track.

A job interview is a formal environment, even if the person hosting it is super relaxed. Whilst going with the flow is fine, don’t forget that you are there for a purpose and that’s to impress them and make them want to offer you the position. Maintain an air of professionalism and save opening up about your weekend activities and private life until you’re co-workers rather than prospective co-workers.

It doesn’t matter how important that call is – your phone shouldn’t even be turned on. If it does go off then immediately apologise and silence it - and then move on. Don’t make the situation worse by launching into a lengthy explanation of how you definitely did turn it off and it must be a problem with the phone. No one’s buying that and it just makes you look like a liar as well as an idiot. And never, ever actually answer the thing!

It can be tempting, especially if you’re having an interview with a rival, but people who slag off their previous employers can come across as untrustworthy. Everyone moves on eventually and a future employer wants to know that you’ll be a loyal member of the team and won’t be dragging their name through the mud the moment you head out the door. If you are talking about previous jobs, keep your comments professional and positive and your criticism constructive.

This might sound like a great idea – giving textbook answers. But employers are often looking for something more. The fact that you’re even in the room means you’ve probably ticked enough boxes to mean they think you could do the job, now they’re trying to work out whether you should do the job. Be honest about your skills and personal strengths and try and let them see your personality a bit. Sometimes this can be a clinching factor for evenly matched candidates as people choose who they would most like to be working alongside them.

It’s tempting to big yourself up - after all, who doesn’t like a bit of self-confidence, right? But there’s a difference between putting a positive spin on your experience (‘document control’ does sound more impressive than ‘filing’) but if you start lying and embellishing elements of your CV you will be found out, either at the reference stage or after you start the job. Most employees start with a probationary period and if you’re not up to scratch you’ll be shipped out sharpish.

There are a few jobs where this tactic might bear fruit – perhaps a job at a hedge fund - but in 99.9% of places you’ll just come across as a bit of an ass. Being confident and clear in your answers will definitely stand you in great stead, but don’t make the mistake of coming across as a know-it-all. Employers want staff who are good team players and that means working with other people’s strengths and talents.

You’ve smashed the interview, answered every question perfectly and maybe even been offered the job at the end of it. As you sweep out of the room your first though might be to share your success with the whole world through the social network of your choice. Don’t. It’s highly likely that the interviewers are crawling all over your public (and maybe even private) social profiles to look for clues as to whether you’re the right sort. An arrogant comment or poorly judged critique of a member of the interview panels hair/clothes/makeup could see that dream job slip from your grasp. Also be aware of your posts leading up to interviews – so no pics of you partying the night before.

Even if you think you nailed it – sometimes it’s just not to be. You don’t know what the other candidates were like and sometimes the decision was something out of your control – such as your level of experience. It’s always useful to ask for feedback and most employers will be happy to give it. Make sure you leave things in a positive way – this job may not have gone your way but there will be others. The worst thing you can do is burn your bridges by publicly or privately going for the jugular. You’ll appear petty and un-professional and will probably just confirm whatever doubts they had about you in the first place.