- There are several things job candidates could be doing wrong in the interview stage.
- Problems go beyond a job seeker's responses in an interview.
Getting to the office way too early, not having a professional background for virtual interviews, and not knowing your prospective employer's mission could all be potential red flags you're giving in a job interview.
Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor with ResumeBuilder.com, pointed out to Business Insider problems that go beyond how an interviewee actually responds to questions, like not looking at the interviewer or not bringing up good questions.
She suggests keeping in mind that a prospective employer is interested in how you can help them, and you want to show that throughout the process — including after the interview with a thank-you note.
"The most important is to understand they're going to hire the person that is prepared, is interested, can articulate why they're the best person for the job," Haller said.
Below are some things you might be doing wrong at the interview stage.
Not focusing on the interviewer
A Glassdoor blog post said people shouldn't be looking at their phones. "Answering calls, texting, or even looking to see who is calling during an interview is unprofessional and shows your interviewer that you are not paying attention," the post said.
Instead, people should be looking at the person interviewing them. Haller said interviewees should practice making eye contact, particularly if they're doing a virtual interview and not used to talking this way. "If I'm on a video with someone interviewing and they're not looking at me, that's a turnoff," she said.
An Indeed post from career coach Jamie Birt also pointed out avoiding eye contact or even looking down as things to watch out for because interviewers "could misinterpret this as a sign of weakness or lying." Birt suggested pretending the interview is a conversation with a friend.
Not getting to the interview at a reasonable time
Haller said it's not good to be at an interview too early. "Because then they're going to interpret it that you have no sense of timing and what's appropriate," she said.
That doesn't mean you want to wait until the last minute to get to the interview.
"I recommend if it's in person, you could get there and leave plenty of early time," Haller said. "Just don't go up to the office yet. Get yourself prepared. Go upstairs or inside or wherever the interview is about five minutes before your interview. Five to 10 minutes is absolutely fine."
She said job candidates shouldn't be late to virtual calls either, so practice using the technology for the virtual chat before the interview to avoid technical difficulties.
"What you do during an interview tells that person what you're going to be like to work with," Haller said. "So if you're late for an interview, they already think you're going to be late to work. Why would I hire you? Unless you have an appropriate excuse, and you make that appropriate phone call, things happen."
Not being polite to people beyond the interviewer
Haller finds the conversation the job candidate has with the person working at the front desk is actually part of the interview.
"As a hiring manager for many years, and I hired all office personnel and salespeople, I would always go back to the receptionist and say, 'How was it when this person came in?' And if that person was not nice or rude to my receptionist, that was just as much part of the interview as what they said to me," she said.
Birt's Indeed post similarly noted not to be rude. "The interviewer will likely ask the employees you met during your time at the company for their impression of you," the Indeed post said. "Instead of being standoffish, greet everyone you encounter during your interview with kindness and a smile."
Your responses to commonly asked interview questions aren't great
One common question is about a job candidate's weaknesses. Haller said she doesn't think "people are really asking for your weakness. What they're asking for is are you self-aware and do you know what you need to work on and compensate? That's what they really want to know."
For answering questions about why you want the job, Haller said, "People don't care what you want." It's more about your knowledge of the company.
"They want to know you're interested in working for them, but they don't care if it's a great first job for you or any other reasons that really don't matter to why they would hire you," Haller said.
Haller said for that question job seekers should demonstrate that they took the time to research the employer, including what has been said in the news. Haller finds people can also express their interest in being part of the employer's mission and team.
"Every answer in an interview has to be about why you're the best person for the job, period," Haller said.
Winging your understanding of the company during the interview could also be problematic.
"If I'm interviewing someone and they don't even know what my company does, or what our mission is, or anything about us, that is a huge red flag," Haller said.
Not preparing answers about skills or other things the employer is looking for
Amid the popularity of skills-based hiring, you might want to show off your skills during the interview, even if not directly asked about them.
If team collaboration is important in the job posting, Haller said to include that in a story you tell during the interview.
Birt's Indeed post said to avoid lying about skills and other things during the interview, though, and not to be arrogant.
"Displaying pride can make interviewers feel as if you are talking down to them," Birt said. "Instead, discuss your skills and accomplishments in connection with how they can help the company and in a straightforward, not boasting, manner."
Not being professional
Haller said the background for your virtual call with an employer should be business-friendly. "You don't want to have your messy bed in the background while you're on an interview," Haller said.
Dressing appropriately can also be important. Haller said to look on LinkedIn to see what the dress code seems to be for that employer.
"Some companies might expect you to wear something more formal, or if you're interviewing for an ad agency, it might be less formal," Haller said.
Professionalism goes beyond what the background looks like in a virtual call and what a job seeker wears. The Glassdoor post cautioned how you talk about the past. "Speaking negatively about people you once worked with is unprofessional, but it also makes the interviewer wonder if you will also speak negatively about them someday in the future," the blog said.
That doesn't mean ignoring your past experience during an interview. The Glassdoor post said the interviewee could discuss how to use what they learned to benefit their new employer.
Not asking good questions
In addition to being prepared to answer questions, Haller pointed out how interviewees need to ask good questions at the end.
"For the really sharp candidates, they will say something like, 'What else can I share with you so you know I'm the best candidate for the job?' or 'What else could I elaborate on so you know I can do a great job for your team?'" Haller said.
These types of questions have a purpose before an interview is over.
"You want to see if you could overcome any objections, if there's anything you didn't talk about you want to put out there, your interests in the position, and ask about next steps," Haller said. "Candidates who don't do that lose a lot of opportunities."
Michael Doolin, CEO of Clover HR, said in an as-told-to essay for Business Insider, "If I were lucky enough to be offered this position, what advice would you give me on starting?" and "How would I be measured in this job?" are two good questions to ask.
"I tell anybody who asks me for interview tips to ask those two questions," Doolin said. "But more importantly, have your own answers ready for their response: be ready to offer examples of how you would work in the job, how you like to be measured at work, and how well you match the answers they give. This is another opportunity to promote your worth."
Reach out to this reporter at mhoff@businessinsider.com to share what your job-searching experience has been like.