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The top interview mistakes you might not realise you’re making

Writer's picture: Jackie BoothJackie Booth

Interviews are for the most part a challenging experience. Whether you’re looking for a new role, making a career change or expanding your experience, the interview process is an unavoidable step. Yet, despite your experience and confidence, there are subtle mistakes that many people can make.


Interview Mistakes Are a Thing of the Past, Aren’t They?


We’ve all done a thorough Google search to ensure that we avoid falling into the most common pitfalls at interviews. You know the ones…don’t use your mobile phone; don’t dress in jeans and a t-shirt; don’t be late; and don’t lie about your achievements.


Surely there aren’t that many more? And if there are, you’re sure you’re not making them…right?!


As someone who has been part of many recruitment panels over the last 30 years, I can tell you that there are actually some rather glaring mistakes that people make all the time, and that never seem to appear on the top interview lists.


And I am here to put that right.


Here are key mistakes you can easily avoid.


1.      Forgetting That You’re There to Interview Them Too!


The Mistake: Too much preparation advice for an interview revolves around giving a great impression to the company.


The Fix: An interview (and any pre-interview conversations and visits) is a fantastic opportunity for you to start to assess, evaluate and interview the company.


One of the key (and most forgotten about) components of your interview preparation is knowing what you’re looking for in the role and in the organisation so you can make sure that they meet your requirements.


Such as:

●       Are they a right fit for you?

●       Do you like how they work?

●       Do you resonate with their workplace values?

●       Will they get you where you want to go in your career?


When you look at the interview from this viewpoint, your perspective changes. You start to move from only focusing on proving yourself, to consciously exploring how the employer and organisation can prove themselves to you.


You spend most of your time at work and with the people you work with, so it's important you share many of the same workplace values.


2.      Forgetting to Draw on All of Your Experience.


The Mistake: Interviews are nerve-wracking and uncomfortable experiences. Because you’re anxious, you might forget things that after the interview you kick yourself for not mentioning.


The Fix: Preparation is key!


This doesn’t mean learning all your past experiences and qualifications by heart. What it does mean is taking an objective view of the skills and abilities you have, especially those that are transferable to the role you’re interviewing for.


You know yourself better than anyone else!


Prior to the interview, take the time to work out your strongest skills and those past experiences that best showcase them. They may not all be utilised at the interview, but so many skills are transferable that your examples can be used as part of your response to several questions.


You can get to grips with these and work out your strongest transferable skills in my “Are You Interview Ready?” Programme.


The important thing is knowing your skills, presenting them effectively (*use the STAR method - see below), and writing down a few key bullet points so you can run through them concisely in the interview.


This way, you can present an objective history of your knowledge and experience without feeling the need to oversell yourself or feeling like you’re bragging.


(*The STAR Method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioural-based interview question by discussing the specific Situation, Task, Action, and Result of the experience you are describing.)


3. Forgetting to Stop Talking!


The Mistake: Nerves can make most of us talk too fast or too much. They make us forget what we want to say exactly, and worse still, make us waffle.


The Fix: One of the most important things you can forget about when preparing for an interview is how to manage your nerves. The best way I’ve found is to practise answering questions.


Ask a friend or mentor, to conduct a mock interview with you. Even if you know the questions coming up, answering them as if you’re in an interview situation can be incredibly revealing.


It will demonstrate:

●        where you are succinct

●        where you forget part of the question,

●        where you talked about things that weren’t relevant for the interview, such as your personal life or your journey to the interview.


Even better (if you can bear it), record yourself and watch it back to see how you come across, the speed of your delivery, as well as the content and your body language. These are all important when wanting to come across in a way that is reflective of who you are and the good impression you want to make.


When you are asked a question, take your time to think through the answer. If there are a couple of parts to the question, write them down.


This not only gives you time to think but also impresses on the interviewer how you work; that you are thoughtful and considered in your approach, show attention to detail, and are able to manage challenging situations (like an interview).


Additionally, if the question relates to something you are unfamiliar with, ask them to repeat it. This gives you time to think of an answer, but if you still don’t know, be honest about it.


Don’t lie by creating an example or an experience that you don’t have — I guarantee it will come back to haunt you.


4.      Forgetting to Ask for Help.


The Mistake: It can feel like preparing for an interview is an insurmountable task. There’s so much to consider, organise, and prepare, and that’s even before you think about how you’re going to present yourself.


The Fix: Perhaps it’s been a good few years since your last interview and you’re not sure what to expect or even how to start the process of preparing.


You might be lacking assurance in your abilities. You may not even feel that you know what your core strengths and skills are or how to present them in the best way.


It may be likely that your last few interviews didn’t go as well as you’d have liked and now you lack confidence.


A good way to overcome all these challenges and worries is to ask for help from someone with the expertise and experience to support you. That might be a trusted colleague or manager, a friend, or a family member. It might even be a coach (like me!)


The expertise is always there if you look and have the courage to ask.


Getting interview ready!!


I hope that these ideas have helped you think about how you approach and prepare for interviews.

If you’ve got an interview coming up or want to brush up on your skills while you’re applying, I’d love to support you with your next steps.


My " Are You Interview Ready?" Programme might be just the thing you’re looking for.


It’s designed to help with all the practical elements that come with planning and preparing for interviews, such as identifying your core skills, working out your workplace values, crafting key workplace examples that clearly demonstrate your greatest skills, and structuring and creating an interview presentation.


Crucially, you’ll also have the opportunity to have a mock interview which will boost your interview confidence throughout the process.


Book a call with me today and together we can overcome any challenges you may be having and ensure that you are fully prepared and totally confident when it comes to your next interview.


Final Thoughts About Interview Mistakes


Navigating the interview process involves more than just showcasing your qualifications. It’s about presenting a well-rounded, authentic picture of who you are and what you bring to the table.


By avoiding these common mistakes, you can enhance your interview performance and increase your chances of securing the role that aligns with your career aspirations.


Every interview in its own way is an opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace the process, prepare thoroughly, and trust in your abilities.


Your next leadership role is just an interview away!


Jackie



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