3 Common Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Avoiding common mistakes while interviewing can give you a leg up on the competition.  Here are three common, avoidable interview mistakes.

1. Not preparing for the interview

This may sound obvious and you may already feel confident and prepared but go the extra mile and prepare even more. There’s always something more you can learn about the company and the position. Choose which aspects and keywords of your resume you can use to emphasize that are specific to the role. Additionally, preparation will help you think of some knock out questions for the conclusion of the interview.

2. Oversharing or being too casual

There’s a line between oversharing and being too casual during your interview. Make the interviewer picture you in the role by giving relevant examples of how you can add value to the company. Remember, you already prepared for this. Be concise. Oversharing could lead to the interviewer seeing you as unprepared. Being too casual could make the interviewer think you don’t take the interview or position seriously.

3. Not listening actively

Active listening can be a difficult skill to perfect, but it’ll help with interviewing and networking. Really consume what the interviewer is saying and asking. If you have a question, don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify. They’d rather you ask for clarification and then answer correctly than answer the question incorrectly. You don’t have to answer immediately, pause and be thoughtful in your questions.