So much of the job search is out of your control. The interview is one of the few aspects of the job search you can control. The interview is a selection process for which you can practice and prepare. There are plenty of unusual horror stories committed by job hunters. The following is a laundry list of the most common things that are deal breakers:
- 1. Arriving late to the interview or arriving too early
- 2. Showing up with your own beverages
- 3. Lack of showering, shaving, washing hair, washing face, brushing teeth, cleaning nails, etc.
- 4. Wearing too much perfume or aftershave; body odor
- 5. Dressing inappropriately
- 6. Giving a limp or a bone crushing handshake
- 7. Slouching or poor posture
- 8. Nervous mannerisms
- 9. Taking too many notes
- 10. Yawning or having inadequate sleep
- 11. Lacking goals or a career plan
- 12. Failing to articulate clearly and concisely
- 13. Speaking too generally without using concrete examples
- 14. Demonstrating low self-confidence
- 15. Mediocre educational preparation or accomplishment
- 16. Being negative, pessimistic or making excuses
- 17. Unwilling to start at the bottom
- 18. Lighting up or smelling like you just had a smoke
- 19. Lying or bragging
- 20. Forgetting the name of the interviewer
- 21. Wearing a Bluetooth or using a cell phone
- 22. Asking no questions, too many questions or unintelligent questions; not answering the question
- 23. Interrupting the interviewer or failing to listen
- 24. Missing energy and enthusiasm
- 25. Focusing too much on salary and benefits
- 26. Lacking maturity, tact or polish
- 27. Inability to relate education/education/skills to the job
- 28. Bad-mouthing former employers
- 29. Weak eye contact with the interviewer
- 30. Failing to demonstrate a sincere interest in the job
- 31. Being indecisive
- 32. Talking too much or talking too little
- 33. Over-sharing personal problems or health issues
- 34. Lacking knowledge about the job, employer or field
- 35. Announcing radical ideas
- 36. Failing to sell yourself and impress the interviewer
- 37. Forgetting to bring extra copies of your resume, references, writing sample and/or portfolio, etc.
- 38. Forgetting what you wrote on the resume
- 39. Bringing someone with you to the interview
- 40. Chewing gum, tobacco, your nails, hair or a pen
- 41. Taking a seat before the interviewer does
- 42. Getting defensive, emotional or crying
- 43. Being rude to the receptionist or anyone else
- 44. Coming across as too rehearsed or insincere
- 45. Sounding desperate
- 46. Watching the clock
- 47. Taking over the interview
- 48. Being overly serious or not serious enough
- 49. Failing to ask for the job
- 50. Lacking expression of appreciation or gratitude