CEO Corner: The Top 5 Mistakes Made In Job Interviews

Written by Soong Chong, CEO

As EBR is a recruitment agency we have conducted countless interviews in our office and have met hundreds of candidates. Through this experience we have noticed a few mistakes that tend to be repeated and would like to bring these common mistakes to your attention in order to avoid interview mistakes that may cost you a job opportunity.

The top 5 mistakes that are made in job interviews include:

• Running Late
  Running late is a mistake that is made quite often and one that will give your potential employer a bad impression of you. If you are running late for whatever reason make sure you inform your interviewer instead of showing up 15 minutes late without an explanation. Better yet, try and be 10 minutes early for your interview as it shows preparation and eagerness on your part.
  
   
• Poor Presentation
  When you attend a job interview you must be dressed accordingly. It is bad form to show up to an interview looking dishevelled or in casual clothing as it does not portray you as professional or serious in acquiring your desired job. It is best to wear corporate business savvy clothes, which for women would consist of a blazer, pencil skirt or black pants with minimal jewellery and hair tied back. For men, black work pants and a business shirt would be appropriate to wear to a job interview.
  
  
  
• Not Being Prepared
  Not being prepared for your job interview is a costly mistake you can make as it will surely put you out of the running to be short listed for a position. Before your job interview make sure you read up on the company, go through the position description and memorise the name of the person who will be interviewing you. Preparation is key and will always act as an advantage in a job interview situation.
  
  
  
• Lack of Eye Contact
  Believe it or not but your eyes are a powerful tool that can either help you or hurt you in a job interview situation. Body language as well as eye contact can say a lot about the type of person that you are to the interviewer. Be sure to keep eye contact as much as possible in the interview as it is a sign of being polite and confident.
  
  
  
• Bad Communication Skills
  Communication skills are an important factor of an applicant for any type of position. It is a key deciding factor on whether you get hired or not for a particular position. Make sure you communicate well with your interviewer which includes a nice firm handshake, clear and concise vocabulary and confidence in your skills and abilities.