The first impression can be decisive in a job interview. This is why it is important to work on your attitude in advance in order to impress the recruiter and put all the chances on your side. Business Cool shows you the mistakes to absolutely avoid during an interview.
David Swanson, American activist and author, is credited with the iconic phrase: “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. » This quote also applies to job interviews, where the exchange with the recruiter generally does not last more than an hour: it is therefore essential to show the best of oneself in an always limited time frame.
Especially since it doesn’t take more than ten seconds for the human brain to form a first judgment about a person; this is the superficial scanning. It is a theory that was studied by the journalist, writer and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, in the work The power of intuition: make the right decision in 2 seconds. During this very short period of time, your interlocutor will form a first impression of you and will judge your attitude, your reliability, your level of aggressiveness, or even your passivity. This is why you need to prepare in advance and avoid mistakes that can cost you dearly.
Lying, exaggerating or amplifying reality
If you resigned from your last position or were fired, there is no shame in telling your recruiter. It is not by making him believe the opposite that you will appear more credible in his eyes. Lying, when this is highlighted by your interlocutor, is logically very badly received. Even the biggest CEOs have already been fired, it’s not a big deal as long as you know how to justify it correctly.
HR teams necessarily carry out verifications of the comments of their candidates. This is now part of their missions. By telling lies, you are sure to be playing with fire and jeopardizing the trust that should normally exist between an employer and his employee and, at the same time, your chances of joining the company.
Arrive late
Punctuality is one of the essential qualities to respect in a job interview. Recruiters can’t stand waiting for candidates. Much more than a lack of professionalism, it will give the impression that you do not know how to manage your time and that you are not a reliable person. Start a job interview with the phrase “I’m sorry, I’m late” makes you lose valuable points. This will make it difficult to get rid of a bad first impression.
Whether by videoconference or in person, you must at all costs avoid being that unlucky person who arrives late because they got lost, miscalculated the travel time or had technical problems.
Not having relevant examples
The recruiter will inevitably ask you to elaborate on the achievements cited in your CV. He will listen to all the details that you are going to put forward. It will mainly be based on the elements provided to get an idea of you and whether your way of working corresponds to the spirit of the company.
The examples you provide should cover these four key areas:
- The challenge met.
- The actions implemented.
- The results obtained.
- Lessons learned from experience.
Elon Musk uses this same technique to find out if a candidate is sincere or not during an interview. He simply asks him the following question: “Tell me about the professional challenges you had to overcome and how you managed to do it.” He details the choice of this question: “ People who have truly overcome an obstacle know exactly how to do it. They are able to describe in detail the process of solving the problem.” The Tesla founder assumes that a false experiment cannot be substantiated in convincing and detailed manner. Preparation in advance is necessary, it is not at the moment that you will succeed in developing all of your answers.
Appear to be desperate
Your non-verbal language can say a lot about your state of mind. If you don’t look your interlocutor in the eyes, or if you don’t stand straight, it can give the impression of lack of self-confidence. We also advise against saying things like “When will I hear from you?” ». There is a good chance that you will appear desperate, which may raise doubts about your abilities or your suitability for the position.
Here are some tips to keep in mind to appear more relaxed on interview day:
- Make eye contact: you will appear much more focused.
- Avoid looking down: you will appear distracted or insecure.
- Sit forward/backward: Leaning forward helps you present your ideas. If you lean back while listening, remember to maintain an upright posture.
- Smile: you will transmit joy and confidence to those around you, while making others feel good.
Do not have a “plan B”
If you are having an interview by videoconference, we recommend that you test the link in advance so as not to be taken by surprise. We also advise you to have the telephone number of your recruiter in case you encounter serious technical problems.
Don’t hesitate to ask yourself the following questions before any video interview:
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What time will the interview take place?
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What tool should you download beforehand (Skype, Google Meet, Zoom, etc.)? This will allow you to save time and avoid certain unforeseen events. We also advise you to explore the software in question so that you are more comfortable on the big day.
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Do you have the correct link to connect to the meeting?
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Do you have a phone number where you can contact the recruiter in case you encounter any technical problems?
When you prepare for the worst, it’s more likely that everything will turn out well.
Bring something to eat or drink
Finally, it is strongly recommended not to bring food or drink during a job interview. According to the Canadian job search site, Workopolisbringing food to a job interview is extremely frowned upon. This would give the company the impression that you are taking the interview lightly.
