After you finally get that much awaited call for a job interview, calm yourself down from all your excitement and get prepared for it. It’s not a guarantee that you get the job. It means that your application papers were good enough to have you considered for the position and it’s now time for you to live up to it.

By all means, avoid all these:

Show up in inappropriate attire.

It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Rugged attires or overly sexy outfits are a major no-no. Also, don’t wear outfits that looks like irons would be chasing after you. You definitely don’t want to give the impression that you just got out of bed and just hustled over to see them for your interview.

Be late.

It’s a huge turn off whenever you show up late for anything even if you have the grandest excuse. This is definitely something you don’t want to miss so cover all your bases before hand and be prepared for things that could cause you to fail being on time. If this job is important to you then show it. But ofcourse, don’t be too early as well. You don’t want to show up before their employees get there or before they can prepare for the work day. 15 minutes ahead is just about the right time.

Bad mouth your former boss or previous company you were associated with.

Things you can tell your friends are often not things that you can say in an interview. This could give the idea that you would be doing the same thing to them if you get hired for the job and things doesn’t work out your way. Moving to another job doesn’t always need to seem like there was a problem with the last one. It can simply be going in a different direction, moving on to greener pastures or if it was really that bad, you can just say that you didn’t meet eye to eye with your former boss.

Getting too cozy.

If you feel that you have made a connection with the interviewer, don’t spoil it by being too friendly. There’s always a line that you shouldn’t cross. Don’t assume that you are in the same wavelength even if you feel you are. Keep a distance by not revealing things that can be misconstrued by someone you’re talking to just today. If you have a problem with your relationship or want to share weird stuff about you, this is not the time to talk about it.

Asking about salary and benefits.

An interview is still far from a job offer. Don’t assume that you’ve sealed the deal by asking how much the pay is and what benefits you can get. Wait for the interviewer to ask you about this. Don’t initiate this conversation unless you’re given signs of approval for the position.

Preparing for a job interview is not just about equipping yourself with what you need to do it’s also about being mindful of what you shouldn’t. Avoiding these mistakes can show that you’re not just good in paper but also in person.

Tags: interview advice, interview tips, job interview, Job Search, resume help

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 2:13 am and is filed under Applying for a Job, Job & Interview Questions, Job Search Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.