8 job interview mistakes smart people never make

8 job bewerbungsgesprch mistakes smart people never make8 job interview mistakes smart people never makeWe all know the first-date-like jitters that go with a job interview the mora excited you are for the opportunity, the more anxiety you might experience before showing up. But as you prepare to meet your potential new boss and some potential new co-workers, its also important to remember what face youre presenting to human resources. Its their job to look out for indicators that youre notlage the right candidate for the gig, and performing at your tip-top shape is essential to success. And often, human resources workers dont have the sentimental attachments or industry networks that managers might have, so theyre harder to impress.pullquoteGazing eye-to-eye helps the HR manager know that you see eye-to-eye./pullquoteOr are they?HR managers want to see that youre confident in yourself, your skills, and your suitability for the company and role. If you dont believe you can do the job and fit in with the company, why should the HR manager believe it? asks business psychologist, career coach and content director, Kate Sullivan. So presenting yourself with a calm, confident demeanor is important, even if youre nervous as heck about the interview. Avoid these red flags so you will definitely get asked back for round two.Here are the surprising ways you may be hurting your own chances.1. You dont make eye contactWhen youre looking to hire a babysitter for your beloved babe or even a dog walker for your furry companion, would you select someone who didnt look you in the eye? It seems like a no-brainer, but when you throw in a helping of nerves, you might forget to maintain eye contact during an interview. Gazing eye-to-eye helps the HR manager know that you see eye-to-eye and that youre presenting yourself sincerely. If you look away instead of looking directly at the interviewer, this indicates that you are uncomfortable with the question and/or that you may not be truthful with your response, explains Amy Cooper Hakim, an expert on workplaces and industrial-organizational psychology.When youre tempted to dart your attention because youre doubting your response (or worrying if youre talking too long), slow down, breathe and keep looking straight ahead. This will illustrate your strength and maturity, instead of making you look fishy. 2. You arent confidentSullivan says that while you dont need to be a world-class public speaker, a successful professional does have the ability to pitch themselves effectively. Heres the thing if you arent able to sell yourself to your dream company, who is going to do it for you? No one. If you cant, the odds that youll be able to close a sale or make an important business presentation arent goodand thats not the kind of person most HR managers want to hire, Sullivan says.Though you dont want to sound like youre reading off a script, consider practicing your personal elevator pitch who are you? Why are you aweso me? Why should you, above anyone else, get this job?3. Youre overly enthusiasticSome folks clam up when their nerves get the best of them, while others become chatty and overcompensate. If your response to anxiety-laced experiences is to overcompensate with laughter, jokes and loud remarks, Hakim says to tone it down. If you are overly excited throughout the whole interview, then the interviewer may think that you are not being sincere or that you are putting on a show, she notes. Overcome this by smiling, yet not doing so in an exaggerated fashion. Show your enthusiasm for the position while leise being professional.4. You dodge the tricky questionsYou can probably detail your past work experience without skipping a beat. Or, when asked your advice on a topic that you happen to have a plethora of experience with, you might be able to speak smartly and directly. But what about your greatest weakness? What your besties would say about you? Your biggest mistake on the job? Theres a re ason curveball questions are thrown into the job interview process, and your ability to answer them - without fumbling- illustrates a lot about your character. Adaptability is important because every job comes with challenges how will you respond when theres a monkey wrench thrown into your project plans?, Sullivan says. HR managers often try to ask quirky or seemingly random questions to see how well you can think on your feet and how you respond to the unexpected as a way to gauge what you might do in a high-pressure situation on the job.5. You dont ask any questionsIn any career book youll ever read, itll note how important it is to come armed with questions to an interview. And though you probably had a handful when you were trying to land that first gig post-college, now that youve been interviewing for years, you might forget this mandatory step. Dont. Every job is different, and if you show no curiosity, it suggests youre not paying attention.If you do not have any questions for the interviewer about the position, the company, or as a follow-up to questions asked, then the interviewer may think that you are not taking the interview seriously, Hakim says. Overcome this by writing down two questions before the interview. Pull them out to read at the end of the interview, if you realize that you have yet to ask any on your own.6. Youre not showing your personalityA big part of job performance isnt set upon strategic goals, big praise or even compensation. Instead, much of what contributes to an employees success and productivity is how happy they are at work, day-in and day-out. And though Sullivan says culture might feel like a corporate buzzword these days, its still important and relevant. If everyone on the gruppe is loud and boisterous, playing foosball after work and taking team trips to the skate park, a shy wallflower might not perform well, even if they have all the skills needed to do the job, she explains. Likewise, a quiet, studious team might not be the best environment for a high-energy person who thrives on constant excitement. Assessing culture fit can help both a team and an individual thrive.Thats why you have to be true to who you are and show your personality- not only to ensure that youre a right fit for the company, but to determine if the company is a right fit for you. If you know that the company has a startup vibe with plenty of laid-back perks, you might be tempted to present yourself differently to show that youd fit in. If youre not the font to hang out on a climbing wall on your lunch break, dont say that you are- admit that youd rather take a walk or, you know, just eat lunch. It does no one any favors for you to insist that a dog-friendly environment is just what youve always been looking for when, in fact, youre allergic to dogs, Sullivan says.7. Youre fidgetingWe all have ways we demonstrate were nervous, intentionally and unintentionally. A few ticks here and there are fine, but if youre overly fi dgeting during your interview, the HR manager is going to notice- and fast. Cross your legs or ankles to keep from tapping your toes or jiggling your leg. Dont cross your arms- it can seem standoffish- but try squeezing your elbows to your sides or focusing on keeping your shoulders down and back, Sullivan says. If you really cant help but fidget, try to do it subtly. Take out a notebook and pen as though youre going to take notes during the interview- even if youre not- so that you can squeeze the pen instead of tapping your fingers. 8. Youre too rehearsedProblem you want to sound like you know your stuff. Bigger problem you practice so much that you sound like a robot. HR managers want to get to know you, not the version of yourself that you think they want to hear. Buzzwords are fine and all, but without a personality and a human to go behind them, they just sound mindless and insincere. The human brain is wired for narratives. Learn how to tell your story.Contrary to what you mi ght think, jargon doesnt make you sound authoritative- it makes you sound like you read a few too many articles on the latest hot topic in your field. It adds nothing to the conversation to tell the interviewer that you 10-Xd results and maximized synergies between stakeholders, Sullivan says. If you really cant come up with an answer to the question, say so. By having the confidence to admit that you dont know something off the top of your head, then suggesting a solution, you prove that youre flexible and that youre comfortable enough with yourself and your skills to admit when you dont know something.8 job interview mistakes smart people never makeWe all know the first-date-like jitters that go with a job interview the more excited you are for the opportunity, the more anxiety you might experience before showing up. But as you prepare to meet your potential new boss and some potential new co-workers, its also important to remember what face youre presenting to human resources. It s their job to look out for indicators that youre not the right candidate for the gig, and performing at your tip-top shape is essential to success. And often, human resources workers dont have the sentimental attachments or industry networks that managers might have, so theyre harder to impress.Gazing eye-to-eye helps the HR manager know that you see eye-to-eye.Or are they?HR managers want to see that youre confident in yourself, your skills, and your suitability for the company and role. If you dont believe you can do the job and fit in with the company, why should the HR manager believe it? asks business psychologist, career coach, and content director, Kate Sullivan. So presenting yourself with a calm, confident demeanor is important, even if youre nervous as heck about the interview.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAvoid these red flags so you will definitely get asked back for round two.Here are the surprising ways you may be hurting your own chances.1. You dont make eye contactWhen youre looking to hire a babysitter for your beloved babe or even a dog walker for your furry companion, would you select someone who didnt look you in the eye?It seems like a no-brainer, but when you throw in a helping of nerves, you might forget to maintain eye contact during an interview. Gazing eye-to-eye helps the HR manager know that you see eye-to-eye and that youre presenting yourself sincerely.If you look away instead of looking directly at the interviewer, this indicates that you are uncomfortable with the question and/or that you may not be truthful with your response, explains Amy Cooper Hakim, an expert on workplaces and industrial-organizational psychology.When youre tempted to dart your attention because youre doubting your response (or worrying if youre talking too long), slow down, breathe and keep looking straight ahead. This will illustrate your strength and maturity, instead of making you look fishy.2. You arent confidentSullivan says that while you dont need to be a world-class public speaker, a successful professional does have the ability to pitch themselves effectively. Heres the thing if you arent able to sell yourself to your dream company, who is going to do it for you? No one. If you cant, the odds that youll be able to close a sale or make an important business presentation arent goodand thats not the kind of person most HR managers want to hire, Sullivan says.Though you dont want to sound like youre reading off a script, consider practicing your personal elevator pitch who are you? Why are you awesome? Why should you, above anyone else, get this job?3. Youre overly enthusiasticSome folks clam up when their nerves get the best of them, while others become chatty and overcompensate. If your response to anxiety-laced experiences is to overcompensate with laughter, jokes and loud remarks, Hakim says to tone it down.If you ar e overly excited throughout the whole interview, then the interviewer may think that you are not being sincere or that you are putting on a show, she notes. Overcome this by smiling, yet not doing so in an exaggerated fashion. Show your enthusiasm for the position while still being professional.4. You dodge the tricky questionsYou can probably detail your past work experience without skipping a beat. Or, when asked your advice on a topic that you happen to have a plethora of experience with, you might be able to speak smartly and directly. But what about your greatest weakness? What your besties would say about you? Your biggest mistake on the job? Theres a reason curveball questions are thrown into the job interview process, and your ability to answer them - without fumbling- illustrates a lot about your character.Adaptability is important because every job comes with challenges how will you respond when theres a monkey wrench thrown into your project plans?, Sullivan says. HR man agers often try to ask quirky or seemingly random questions to see how well you can think on your feet and how you respond to the unexpected as a way to gauge what you might do in a high-pressure situation on the job.5. You dont ask any questionsIn any career book youll ever read, itll note how important it is to come armed with questions to an interview. And though you probably had a handful when you were trying to land that first gig post-college, now that youve been interviewing for years, you might forget this mandatory step. Dont. Every job is different, and if you show no curiosity, it suggests youre not paying attention.If you do not have any questions for the interviewer about the position, the company, or as a follow-up to questions asked, then the interviewer may think that you are not taking the interview seriously, Hakim says. Overcome this by writing down two questions before the interview. Pull them out to read at the end of the interview, if you realize that you have yet to ask any on your own.6. Youre not showing your personalityA big part of job performance isnt set upon strategic goals, big praise or even compensation. Instead, much of what contributes to an employees success and productivity is how happy they are at work, day-in and day-out. And though Sullivan says culture might feel like a corporate buzzword these days, its still important and relevant.If everyone on the team is loud and boisterous, playing foosball after work and taking team trips to the skate park, a shy wallflower might not perform well, even if they have all the skills needed to do the job, she explains. Likewise, a quiet, studious team might not be the best environment for a high-energy person who thrives on constant excitement. Assessing culture fit can help both a team and an individual thrive.Thats why you have to be true to who you are and show your personality- not only to ensure that youre a right fit for the company, but to determine if the company is a right fit for you.If you know that the company has a startup vibe with plenty of laid-back perks, you might be tempted to present yourself differently to show that youd fit in. If youre not the type to hang out on a climbing wall on your lunch break, dont say that you are- admit that youd rather take a walk or, you know, just eat lunch. It does no one any favors for you to insist that a dog-friendly environment is just what youve always been looking for when, in fact, youre allergic to dogs, Sullivan says.7. Youre fidgetingWe all have ways we demonstrate were nervous, intentionally and unintentionally. A few ticks here and there are fine, but if youre overly fidgeting during your interview, the HR manager is going to notice- and fast.Cross your legs or ankles to keep from tapping your toes or jiggling your leg. Dont cross your arms- it can seem standoffish- but try squeezing your elbows to your sides or focusing on keeping your shoulders down and back, Sullivan says. If you really cant he lp but fidget, try to do it subtly. Take out a notebook and pen as though youre going to take notes during the interview- even if youre not- so that you can squeeze the pen instead of tapping your fingers.8. Youre too rehearsedProblem you want to sound like you know your stuff. Bigger problem you practice so much that you sound like a robot. HR managers want to get to know you, not the version of yourself that you think they want to hear. Buzzwords are fine and all, but without a personality and a human to go behind them, they just sound mindless and insincere. The human brain is wired for narratives. Learn how to tell your story.Contrary to what you might think, jargon doesnt make you sound authoritative- it makes you sound like you read a few too many articles on the latest hot topic in your field. It adds nothing to the conversation to tell the interviewer that you 10-Xd results and maximized synergies between stakeholders, Sullivan says. If you really cant come up with an answer to the question, say so. By having the confidence to admit that you dont know something off the top of your head, then suggesting a solution, you prove that youre flexible and that youre comfortable enough with yourself and your skills to admit when you dont know something.This article was first published on June 15, 2017.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people