Ditch the behaviors that annoy hiring managers most – or your next job interview could be over before it even begins.
From showing up late to forgetting a copy of your resume, to accidentally calling your potential boss by the wrong name, there are a lot of things that can go wrong in a job interview. While most hiring managers are willing to overlook these and other minor mishaps, there are some things they won’t forgive.
CareerBuilder recently released a survey of the biggest interview mistakes employers say job candidates make – both in terms of overt behaviors and in the signals their body language gives off – that can be instant disqualifiers. Do yourself a favor and avoid making any of these common behavioral or body language mistakes in your next job interview.
The Top 5 Job Interview Behaviors to Avoid
Mistake #1: Lying. It should go without saying that lying during an interview is a huge no-no. Yet, candidates still do it, and when they get caught, it’s enough for 66 percent of hiring managers to immediately remove them from consideration.
Mistake #2: Answering a cell phone or text during the interview. One of the fastest ways to lose favor and ruin a job interview is to answer a call or text in the middle of it, according to 64 percent of hiring managers surveyed. Understandably so. Checking your phone during an interview sends the message that you don’t take the interview seriously and shows a lack of respect for your interviewer and his or her time. Take temptation out of the way entirely by turning your phone off or silencing it before you start the interview. (Don’t simply put it on vibrate, either. That’s not fooling anyone.)