The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
Apr 5th 2010, 12:54 pm
#1
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
According to a local (not UK-based) business website, they are as follows:
(not a bad list but I reckon there are worse mistakes than some of these)
1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early.
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.
7. Forgetting the name of the person you're interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying "you know," "like," "I guess," and "um."
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show.
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.
(not a bad list but I reckon there are worse mistakes than some of these)
1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early.
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.
7. Forgetting the name of the person you're interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying "you know," "like," "I guess," and "um."
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show.
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.
Apr 5th 2010, 1:40 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 272
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
Number 33..Asking to use the bathroom. So, would shitting your pants be a better option?
Apr 5th 2010, 2:15 pm
#3
Excess Baggage
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
Number 50 proves it's American. Who the hell goes into a job interview and asks, "Can I have the job please? Pretty please....oh, go on!"
Apr 5th 2010, 2:18 pm
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
Now we need a list of outrageous questions that interviewers ask:
No. 1: "What are your weaknesses?"
No. 1: "What are your weaknesses?"
Apr 5th 2010, 2:35 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 272
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
How about this one..And where do you see yourself in five years?
Apr 5th 2010, 4:25 pm
#10
ex-expat
Joined: Nov 2008
Location: in front of my computer - in sunny Sussex!
Posts: 2,162
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
I hate that one! It's just a proper trap and if you fling it back in their court, it can easily turn into a comical cat'n'mouse game. "Well, the market rate is between x and y...", "yes, but where do you see yourself positioned?" "Well, it depends to what extent you think I'd be of value to the company..." "Sure, but if you could name a figure..."
Gar! AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!! There.
Apr 5th 2010, 4:43 pm
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Manama
Posts: 277
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
I hated the question: "Do you want/plan children?"
"of course not!My knees are stitched together..."
"of course not!My knees are stitched together..."
Apr 5th 2010, 5:49 pm
#12
Excess Baggage
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,479
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
What are your salary expectations?
I hate that one! It's just a proper trap and if you fling it back in their court, it can easily turn into a comical cat'n'mouse game. "Well, the market rate is between x and y...", "yes, but where do you see yourself positioned?" "Well, it depends to what extent you think I'd be of value to the company..." "Sure, but if you could name a figure..."
Gar! AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!! There.
I hate that one! It's just a proper trap and if you fling it back in their court, it can easily turn into a comical cat'n'mouse game. "Well, the market rate is between x and y...", "yes, but where do you see yourself positioned?" "Well, it depends to what extent you think I'd be of value to the company..." "Sure, but if you could name a figure..."
Gar! AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!! There.
Apr 5th 2010, 5:51 pm
#13
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Dubai
Posts: 5,965
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
I hate the "whats been your career highlight?' and 'where do you get your inspiration?' very unoriginal and I still don't know how to answer the first one!
However my favourite question to ask is 'Do you know where the nearest starbucks and ciggie shops are?, mines a grande skinny latte and marlboro lights, now off you totter'.
and my job is also one of the very few where asking a woman her bra size and asking whether shes ok to show you her boobs is actually acceptable ( not during the interview mind)!
However my favourite question to ask is 'Do you know where the nearest starbucks and ciggie shops are?, mines a grande skinny latte and marlboro lights, now off you totter'.
and my job is also one of the very few where asking a woman her bra size and asking whether shes ok to show you her boobs is actually acceptable ( not during the interview mind)!
Last edited by kittycat1; Apr 5th 2010 at 6:09 pm.
Apr 5th 2010, 7:35 pm
#14
A bubbly-jock...
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Teneriffe
Posts: 6,262
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
1 is wrong but 2 I don't understand since it is what most people do to ensure being punctual.
Apr 5th 2010, 8:12 pm
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Dubai
Posts: 656
Re: The 50 Worst Interview Mistakes
I know somebody that regularly used to ask "who is your idol?". What a tw*t!
