Even if you’ve proofread your resume a thousand times, made the best cover letter known to man and whitened your teeth using those expensive whitening strips, your interview can be botched if you make some simple – and unfortunately, pretty common – mistakes.
No matter what kind of interview you are going in for, whether it’s for an internship or a full-time job to kick-start your career, make sure you do not fall victim to these interview faux pas:
- Arriving late. Make sure you know where your interview is taking place. I don’t mean just Googling the address the day of. I mean taking the route on the same day of the interview a week in advance (so you know the traffic patterns), knowing the parking situations (do you need to bring cash for meters? Will you have to spend time looking for street parking?), and knowing the suite number or floor.
- Getting there too early. Arriving late might be the worse of the two, but getting to an interview too early can also make the interviewer feel rushed to get to you on time, which in turn could make them feel flushed when sitting down to interview you. You want to do everything you can to put your interviewer at ease. Arriving 10-15 minutes early is a good rule to go by. If you get to the building before that, then look for something else to do until the timing is better.
- Dressing too casually/too formal. You aren’t always supposed to dress business casual, although it is the overall accepted practice. However, if you are applying for say, a restaurant position, wearing a business casual ensemble might be overkill. In that instance, black pants or khakis are more appropriate.
- Stumbling on the interviewer’s name. Most likely the person who you have been in contact with setting up the interview is going to be the interviewer. If not, find out who will be interviewing you and know how to pronounce their first and last name. You should also research what their position in the company is.
- Know how to answer the basic questions. “What was a time in which you had to face a challenge in the work place?” “Name a great accomplishment you’ve had.” “Why would you be the best fit for this job?” Of all these generic questions, the last one is the most important. Make sure you can answer them all, and cite positive qualities in your past work experiences to give examples.
After an interview make sure to send a Thank You email or letter to the employer. Emails are obviously more widely accepted, but if you want to make a lasting impression, write a personalized letter (as long as your handwriting is neat and tidy).