Job interviews are seldom fun, but they are important. If you are looking to make a change in careers or want to take that next step up the career ladder, chances are you will have to pass a successful interview before this happens. There are many things that you can do to increase your chances of getting the job offer. Likewise there are many pitfalls that candidate fall into that can sink the interview. It doesn’t take much to send an interview into a downward spiral. Once this starts to happen, regaining momentum is difficult and the chances of getting the job offer dim. In this article we will look at things you should avoid at all costs, when going in for an interview.
If there is one thing that you should never do it is turn up late to the interview. This gets things off to an immediate bad start and sends the wrong impression about you. Take what ever measures you need to arrive on time. If it means getting out of bed 2 hours early then do it. Punctuality is a highly valued quality in an employee. It shows your dependable and value your employers time. Turning up late to the first interview does not give a good impression.
You should make sure that your appearance is the best it can be. Showing up to an interview looking untidy and disheveled will not impress the interview panel in the slightest. Pick out your wardrobe well in advance. Make sure it is cleaned and pressed in time. If necessary, have it dry cleaned for the occasion. Looking sharp and crisp will help impress employers and help you to feel more confident on the interview day.
An untidy appearance isn’t the only thing that will work against you. Presenting a sloppy application or resume will also look quite bad. Make sure your resume is free of spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure it is clear and easy to read. There are several services that will create resumes for you, if your clerical skills are not what they should be then perhaps look into one of these services. If your handwriting is poor, try typing your job application. It makes the application look professional and can hide penmanship problems. Take every available measure to insure that these pieces of information are neat and tidy.
Some take punctuality and tidiness for granted. However, it is a huge mistake. Employers can read a lot into detail such as these. Make sure you take every possible measure to be on time and present your self in a neat, tidy manner. You will virtually guarantee failure if you don’t.