Yes, you got the interview! You put together a great resume and cover letter. And now you’ve landed an interview for your dream job! But will you make a mistake during the interview because you are following bad advice? Whenever someone is preparing for an interview, they get a lot of advice on interview tips. In order to be successful, you will need to ignore many of those interview tips!
Which interview tips should you ignore?
5 Interview Tips You Need to Ignore
1. You Should Not Admit to Weaknesses
During an interview, you will likely be asked one of the common interview questions that inevitably are always asked during an interview. Usually, one of those questions is about your weaknesses (or development areas) as an employee. Often times, job candidates will get advice to avoid admitting to any weaknesses. Or, to share a benign weakness such as “I work too hard.”
The problem with that interview tip is that it’s just simply not true. Every single employee has something he or she can improve on. No interviewer expects a candidate to be perfect. Rather, what is important is your self-awareness of areas where you may struggle and evidence that you have (and will) continue to be open to feedback and making improvements.
So, by not responding with a true weakness (and how you address it), then you miss the chance to inform the interviewer of what he or she is really looking for and to demonstrate your growth mindset.
2. You Need to be Serious
Yes, an interview is a serious situation. You should not be inappropriate or silly. That said, you should show your personality! No one wants to work with someone who is boring and uninspiring. So, be sure to share your interests and hobbies, vacation plans, and other interesting facts about yourself (e.g., you’ve run 8 marathons). Doing so will help you stand out and be memorable. Also, by sharing examples from your personal life like running 8 marathons, you will able to convey a lot about your ability to focus and overcome challenges.
3. You Do Not Need to Dress Up
This is certainly an interview tip I’ve heard recently, as we’ve moved to virtual interviews via Zoom! Yes, workplaces are increasingly casual AND few — if any of us — would be interviewing in-person right now. That said, there is no harm in over-dressing. Dressing up conveys a degree of seriousness that is appropriate for an interview. In other words, no one would fault a job candidate for over-dressing. However, they may question your interest, professionalism, and judgment if you under-dress. Is it worth the risk?
If nothing else, perhaps call and ask the recruiter or someone else you know at the company about appropriate interview attire.
4. You Do Not Admit to Failure
Just like with being asked about a weakness, you will also likely be asked about a time in which you failed. Many job candidates get advice to avoid admitting to failure. Not only would doing so imply you are lying (since everyone has setbacks), but you risk conveying that you are unwilling to try something new or take risks.
Leaders are looking for people who will experiment, innovate, and challenge the status quo. Those behaviors come with the chance of failure, but also an opportunity to learn and, ultimately, contribute even more.
So, be sure to demonstrate that you’ve had setbacks, but you were able to learn and apply in the future.
5. Don’t Over-Prepare
Job seekers will often hear the advice to avoid over-preparing for an interview, so as to avoid sounding like a robot. While I would advocate that you should avoid sounding mechanical, you should also realize that the interview is a high-stakes situation in which a lot of key information needs to come across effectively in a short period of time. It takes planning and practice to ensure that you are sharing the key information in an appropriate manner.
Furthermore, strong interview preparation does not go unnoticed by the interviewer, and it speaks to the diligence and focus you will have once you get the job. So, you should prepare thoroughly!
- 5 Interview Mistakes Introverts & Shy People Make
- How to Overcome the Top 5 Interview Mistakes
- FREE 5-Step Resume Builder e-Guide
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