As we scrub the fake blood from our faces and triple shampoo our still green hair after our Halloween celebrations, we thought we would share some interview HORRORS… this is your ‘what NOT to do’.
Some of these will be relatable, and others will just be down-right scary… but all of them have happened…!
One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is answering a question that they don’t understand – it’s much better to ask for the question to be repeated than it is risking giving the wrong answer. Another common mistake is focusing too heavily on progression; yes it’s important to show your commitment and aspirations, however, you don’t want to come across as impatient and disinterested in the job you’re interviewing for!
Don’t…
Ask about sick pay
Sing along to the radio
Pretend your biggest weakness is perfectionism
Answer your phone
Be late
Forget about hygiene
Blame others for your mistakes
Moan about your current/ previous employers
Tell your life story
Yawn – being tired looks a lot like being bored
One of the most important things to have in your back pocket is a question to ask at the end of the interview. This is not ‘because it looks good’, it’s because it looks incredibly bad to appear so disinterested in a place you’ll be spending most of your time in.
At the end of the day, an interview is about ‘skill’ but it’s also about ‘will’ – yes they want to see that you can do something but also that you want to. Remember, you are interviewing your prospective employer – that’s not just something that people say, it’s the reality of the current economy.
If you are looking for a new career this November, get in touch with Charley on careers@kewgreen.co.uk.