Top 10 Things You Should Never Do In An Interview

When going for an interview, being enthusiastic is a good thing! But that energy needs to be directed forwards, not backwards. Your enthusiasm needs to be squarely focused on the potential position, company, and work environment. Do NOT focus it on your dislike for, disappointment with or downright hatred of your past employer. If they ask why you’re leaving the old job, give a general, inoffensive response. As much you may want to shoot down your old place of work, in the context of this interview, you’ll come across as petty, prone to complaining and someone all too willing to jump ship - not exactly an ideal hire.

When vying for a coveted position, you need to present the very best version of yourself, but not a fictionalized one. As tempting as it may be to exaggerate about your qualifications, skills or interests, it rarely pays off. Chances are that the person asking the questions has conducted way more interviews than you’ve undergone, and they know how to spot a lie. Furthermore, depending on the position the interviewer holds, they may very well have a better grasp on the subject, making it even easier for them to catch you. Whatever the outcome, lying is never a good start to a professional relationship, so just be your professional self!

In order for a potential employer to evaluate whether you’d make a good fit, they need to get a sense of you both as a person and a worker. However, while you might be the person of interest, you shouldn’t take that as an invitation to dominate the exchange. It’s a question of respect - a power dynamic to be carefully navigated. Yes or no answers to questions leave much to be desired, but so do long, rambling, tangential responses. Asking questions of the interviewer demonstrates interest and initiative, but not too many. Interrupting, even accidentally, can seem rude. Aim for evenly-paced, concise, but detail-oriented responses that really answer the question being asked.

Initiative... it’s something that virtually every employer is looking for. And one of the first opportunities you get to demonstrate yours is with a follow-up email after the interview. Regardless of how you felt the interview went, a follow-up can only help. In addition to showcasing initiative, the simple act of thanking the interviewer for their time shows that you’re professional and courteous. It also further reiterates to them your enthusiasm and drive to get the position. And at the end of the day, specific skill sets aside, isn’t that what employers really want in an employee?

Are you feeling hungry, thirsty or compelled to chew gum heading into your interview? Well, with a job, you can afford to eat, drink and chew gum to your heart’s content. But in order to secure that source of revenue... you’ll need to refrain from such activities for the duration of the interview. Food and beverages are simply a bad idea. If they offer you coffee or water, feel free to accept, but anything you bring with you is a distraction that can make you look nervous, disinterested or downright rude. Do you really want to risk spilling on yourself?

If your phone goes off during a movie, it’ll earn you some angry stares and aggressive shushing from your fellow cinema-goers. In an interview… it may very well cost you the job. It’s hard enough to come up with good responses to tough questions - the last thing you want is to be cut off mid-sentence by an electronic interruption just when you get on a roll. You’ll not only get derailed, but also seriously embarrassed. That’s why all devices should be turned off or silenced beyond the shadow of a doubt before you enter the building. And for the sake of your potential job... please don’t check your phone or watch during the interview.

No two interviews are identical, but they all follow roughly the same structure. Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want to work here? What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses? What can you bring to this company? These clichés rarely fail to come up in an interview and so there’s really no excuse to be at a loss for words. If you don’t know the answers… practice! In addition to the standard queries, you should try to predict the job-specific questions they might ask. While you’re at it, you can even prepare an insightful question or two of your own with which to impress the interviewer.

As the old saying goes, you’ve got to dress for success. First impressions are everything, and regardless of how qualified, well-spoken or personable you are, if you come in dressed in a way that is totally off-base, your interviewer may have trouble seeing anything else. It’s not just about dressing well - it’s about dressing to suit the business. Obviously, dressing like a slob is always a no-no, regardless of the position. But the “business professional” look isn’t always the answer. If you’re interviewing for a position in fashion or culture, the standard suit and tie or pant suit may convey a lack of connection to the industry. Dress to fit in!

Do you understand what the company you’re interviewing for actually does? More importantly, do you have a firm grasp of the role they’re offering you? When job hunting, we often take the shotgun approach, sending out our CV to as many vaguely relevant job openings as we can find in hopes that something will stick. That’s fine for stage one... but if you go into the interview with only a superficial understanding of the job you’re claiming to want, you don’t exactly scream “must-have employee.” Companies want enthusiastic workers, so whether you’re genuinely passionate about the business or not, if you want the job, it’s worth educating yourself and conveying interest.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions

Yawn, Burp, or Display Disinterested Body Language
Forget to Bring Your Cover Letter and Resume

It’s so simple, yet so easy to mess up, and SO very detrimental to your chances of landing a job. Unfortunately, however great your time management skills may be, life is going to throw a curveball your way on the day of your interview. It could be traffic, a subway breakdown or car troubles. You won’t know until it hits, but you need to have accounted for it anyways, because the explanation doesn’t matter to the interviewer. On the big day, schedule nothing beforehand, set multiple alarms and leave hours early if necessary - killing time near the business always beats missing the interview.