Even though you may have spent hours preparing for a job interview, did you know that most employers make a judgment call about you within the first 90 seconds? Below are some quick tips that every job seeker should know before they walk into an interview room.
What You Wish You'd Known Before Your Job Interview (Infographic Overview)
Common nonverbal mistakes made at a job interview
From a survey of 2000 bosses:
- 21% Playing with hair or touching face
- 47% Having little or no knowledge of the company
- 67% Failure to make eye contact
- 38% Lack of smile
- 33% Bad posture
- 21% Crossing arms over their chest
- 9% Using too many hand gestures
- 26% Handshake that is too weak
- 33% Fidgeting too much
Things that have an impact on first impression
Statistics show that when meeting new people the impact is:
- 7% from what they actually say
- 38% the quality of our voice, grammar, and overall confidence
- 55% The way we dress, act, and walk through the door
Clothes
Is how you dress important? 65% of bosses said clothes could be a deciding factor between two similar candidates. So, how should you look during an interview? 70% of employers claim they don't want applicants to be fashionable or trendy. You may also want to stay away from bright colors since they are typically a turnoff.
Top ten most common mistakes made at a job interview
- Over-explaining why you lost your last job
- Conveying that you're not over it
- Lacking humor, warmth, or personality
- Not showing enough interest or enthusiasm
- Inadequate research about a potential employer
- Concentrating too much on what you want
- Trying to be all things to all people
- "Winging" the interview
- Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates
- Failing to ask for the job
Most Common Interview Tips
- Learn about the organization
- Have a specific job in mind
- Review your qualifications for the job
- Be ready to briefly describe your experience
5 Questions most likely to be asked
- Tell me about your experience at ______.
- Why do you want to work for us?
- What do you know about our company?
- Why did you leave your last job?