It is a delight to have Career Adviser and Instructor, Writer, Blogger and Librarian, Ellen Mehling, return to libraryreturners.com as the writer of the October blog post.
Job Interview Prep and Mistakes to Avoid
So much has changed in the workplace and in job searching in the last year-and-a-half-plus. While some aspects of interviewing for a job remain the same (be on time!), others are different now (most interviews are virtual), and we probably won’t know for a while which changes are permanent, or if additional changes are on the way. One thing that will probably not change? The power of preparation. The more prepared you are, the less stressed you are likely to feel, and the smoother the interview is likely to go.
There are also some common mistakes interviewees make, that are easily avoided. Prepare carefully and correctly for your interview and avoid blunders, and you’ll have a much better chance of success.
Common missteps for interviews in general:
Getting off topic: focusing on telling your whole life story, or on how getting the job would benefit you.
The employer is going to be most interested in what you can do for them, so you want to be focused on that throughout the job search process, and especially in an interview.
Not researching the employer prior to the interview.
Make sure you have done your homework – you may be asked what you know about the employer, and you don’t want to ask an interviewer a question that could have been answered by spending a few minutes looking at their website. It is a good idea to check out what they’re tweeting about too – this can give you up to date info on how they want to be perceived and current and future initiatives.
Skipping practice interview(s).
Mock interviews are a great way to reduce interview-day nerves. So many jobseekers skip this part of interview preparation, thinking it is unnecessary, and it can be so beneficial. The more practice you get answering questions about your work history and experience and thinking quickly when you don’t know what the next question will be, the more comfortable you will be in a real interview. But don’t memorize your responses! You want to come across as prepared, not rehearsed.
Not confirming the details.
Send a confirmation email a few days before the day of the interview to confirm the time of the interview and any other relevant details.
Not thinking about attire until right before the interview.
Attire is more important in a face-to-face interview than a virtual one, but you should try on everything you plan to wear for the interview a few days before, while there is still time to address anything that needs to be cleaned, repaired, replaced, etc.
Showing up late.
From an employer’s point of view, when they have limited information about you, lateness is a big red flag. Arriving five or ten minutes before the time of your meeting is best (five minutes is fine for a virtual interview).
Any kind of dishonesty, including lying by omission.
Do not lie or misrepresent yourself. Employers do not want dishonest employees, and they can do background checks, reference checks, and skills checks to determine if you have the qualifications and experience you say you have.
Not having questions for the interviewer(s).
Your questions should be about the employer, the duties of the job, and what success in that position would look like. The aforementioned research can help you come up with questions about the employer and their challenges, future plans, and additional details of the position beyond what’s in the job description. Questions about pay, benefits, perks, accommodations you may need, etc. are best left until after the employer offers you the job, and negotiations begin. Remember, you are there to learn more about the employer, as they are there to learn more about you. A job interview should be seen as a conversation and not an interrogation.
Skipping the “thank you”s.
Send a “thank you” email to each person who interviewed you either that same day or the next day. Short and sweet is best; two brief paragraphs is fine.
Common mistakes for virtual interviews:
Again, skipping the practice.
Make sure you have the virtual meeting app or website up and running on your phone or device well before the interview, and that you know how to use it. Test your camera and microphone. A practice call with a friend or family member is a very good idea, especially if the meeting app the employer prefers is one that you don’t use very often.
Neglecting to check background and lighting.
If you’re not using a virtual or blurred background, make sure that the room that is showing behind you is neutral and uncluttered, with nothing in view that is eye-catching or that you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Virtual backgrounds that are of an office or living room setting with neutral colours are good, undistracting choices for most interviews. The light in the room should be in front of you, so the others on the call see your face and not your silhouette.
Not considering possible distractions.
You can’t control all distractions and interruptions, but you want to take steps to minimize them. Keep the room or space you are in as free of other people, pets, and noise as possible.
Looking only at the screen during the call.
“Eye contact” in a virtual meeting means looking at the camera, so you want to do that for most of the interview and especially when you are speaking. This may require some practice (there’s that word again) if it does not come naturally to you. Having the camera at eye-level can make this easier.
Not considering the advantages a virtual interview gives you.
You can have information at hand, on your device or printed out and kept out of camera range, that can assist you during the interview. These can include your resume, cover letter and the job description. (It is a very good idea to review the job description just before the interview starts, so what the employer is seeking is fresh in your mind). You can also have notes and refer to them, but don’t read them verbatim to the interviewers – use them as reminders of things you want to mention or ask.
