11 Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid in 2022
Publié le 17 March 2022
Prepare to impress a recruiter and get hired for your dream job by knowing 11 job interview mistakes to avoid in 2022.
Getting a job interview is very exciting. It means that you have written a strong resume and cover letter that showcases your skills and abilities, and now a recruiter wants to know more about you and your professional goals. The job interview is your chance to connect with the recruiting and other company leaders and show them how you will be the right fit for the company.
These can be high pressure situations, with job interviews causing a great deal of stress for applicants. Knowing 11 job interview mistakes to avoid in 2022 will help you show that you are ready to enter the changed work environment, and provide the skills and guidance an organization needs to move forward successfully.
11 Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid in 2022
- Having no questions for the recruiter
- Arriving late for the interview
- Knowing nothing about the organization
- Talking too much
- Confusing arrogance and confidence
- Only caring about the benefits
- Taking no notes
- Criticizing your previous employer
- Lacking proper preparation
- Not dressing the part
- Picking the wrong location
1. Having No Questions For The Recruiter
Every job interview will be filled with questions. You will be asked about your credential, experiences and the skills you can offer if you are hired. It would be a mistake, however, to arrive at your job interview prepared only to answer questions without asking any in return. Asking the recruiter questions is one of the best ways to demonstrate your are engaged in the interview process, and will be far more likely to be an engaged employee. It shows that you have put serious thought into how your unique perspective can add to the job and improve the organization.
2. Arriving Late For The Interview
Punctuality is always important. Arriving late to a job interview is a major red flag for recruiters, with 93% stating it would negatively affect a job applicant’s chances of being hired. You should always aim to be at the location of the interview 15 minutes before the scheduled time, which will give you the chance to react to any delays. With the rise of video and virtual job interviews, late sign-ons are one of the major 11 job Interview mistakes to avoid in 2022. Before a virtual interview, always take the time to troubleshoot any technical issues and test out the video chatting software. In case you face some technical issues, make sure to screenshot the entire webpage with any error messages and send it to the IT team pf the company so they can easily and quickly resolve the problem. This will help you avoid serious tech issues and glitches that may prevent you from attending the job interview.
3. Knowing Nothing About The Organization
During your job interview, you will be asked why you want to join the organization and you should have an answer to this question. It’s important to spend the time beforehand to learn about the company, its mission, values, goals and ongoing projects. Recruiters want to hear how your skills and abilities will add to a business, not have to spend time educating you about the basics of the company. Don’t walk into a job interview in 2022 knowing next to nothing about the organization. This knowledge will help prepare you to hit the ground running on your first day on the job.
4. Talking Too Much
Having detailed answers during a job interview will help show that you are a qualified candidate ready with thoughtful responses. However, talking too much can actually have a negative impact on your prospects for being hired. Giving long-winded answers that are barely on topic and filled with buzzwords and trendy jargon will not help you get hired, as recruiters are able to see through this type of bluster. Instead, provide detailed answers with succinct details that directly address the questions asked by the interviewer.
5. Confusing Arrogance and Confidence
Putting in the work required to learn and develop professional skills is certainly something to be very proud of, and you should not hide this during a job interview. However, there is a difference between being confident in your own abilities and being arrogant. Arrogance is the unfounded belief in your skills without doing the work and practice to hone them over time. People who are arrogant can be difficult to work with because they are far less likely to consider the viewpoints of others or wonder if their way is truly the best way. A recruiter will want to see that you are confident regarding the abilities you will bring to a job, but being arrogant will negatively impact your chances of being hired.
6. Only Caring About The Benefits
Having a strong benefits package that properly rewards employees for their labour is a major recruitment aid for every organization. A recent survey shows that as much as 80% of job applicants even put a greater emphasis on the benefits offered by a job over the salary. During the job interview, it would be a mistake to only focus on the specific benefits being offered. It is important to first demonstrate your interest in the job itself and the day-to-day tasks which make up the role. Recruiters want to know that you are enthusiastic about the job role itself, and care about more than just the accompanying benefits.
7. Taking No Notes
As previously mentioned, recruiters want to see that you are an engaged job applicant, because this makes it all the more likely that you will be an engaged employee in the workplace. Given that the majority of job interviews last between 30 to 45 minutes, there is a great deal of information that can be provided during this time. Taking notes during the job interview is an effective way to demonstrate that you are an engaged professional and are committed to retaining important information. Don’t worry about seeming rude or disinterested, even during a virtual job interview where they may involve taking your eyes off the screen. Simply mention to the recruiter that you would like to take notes and ask if they mind. In most cases, a recruiter will be more than happy if you take notes during your interview.
8. Criticizing Your Previous Employer
Discussing your previous work history is a normal part of a job interview, and recruiters want you to provide honest answers including about why you chose to leave. That being said, a job interview mistake to avoid in 2022 is badmouthing your previous employer. If you had a negative experience in a previous job, it is acceptable to discuss the organizational problems and how you felt they should have been addressed. This demonstrates that you have the ability to take stock of the bigger picture and what may be hindering a company, all important leadership traits. However, if you have only negative things to say about every previous workplace, it runs the risk of raising a red flag for a recruiter.
9. Lacking Proper Preparation
Poor preparation produces poor performance. This isn’t not just fun alliteration, but a useful adage. It’s always good to take the time to prepare for any project, task or important event. A job interview is a serious and real opportunity to move your professional life forward and it deserves to be taken seriously. Spend time preparing by thinking of possible answers to standard job interview questions, learn as much as possible about the role and the company, and think of examples from your work history which demonstrates how you have the aptitude to excel in the job. Walking into a job interview with zero preparation and expecting to “wing it” successfully is not a good plan, and is one of the major job interview mistakes to avoid in 2022.
10. Not Dressing The Part
Although the days of wearing a three-piece suit to the office are mostly over, that is not to say that how you dress will have no impact. For better or worse, clothing plays a large role in the impression you make on recruiters and hiring managers. Given that studies show you have only seconds to make a good impression, you should make every effort to make it good. Business casual is popular in many workplaces, the idea being relaxed by still professionals. Although the rise of remote work has helped many to realize the joy working in sweatpants, it would likely be seen as inappropriate to log on to your virtual job interview in pajamas. If you have any confusion about what to wear, it never hurts to ask a recruiter if there is a workplace dress code you should be aware of.
11. Picking The Wrong Location
Two years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a large increase in the number of organizations offering remote and hybrid working arrangements. This means that virtual interviews have become much more common. These video job interviews have many benefits, especially their convenience for both recruiters and candidates. Despite the relative ease, it’s important for candidates to take the time to prepare for a video interview including choosing the correct location. The ideal location will be a quiet space where you can speak without distraction, and still maintain a strong internet connection through the job interview. This can be difficult, especially when people are working from homes in spaces shared with family members or roommates. Nevertheless, you should make every effort to choose the ideal location for your virtual job interview so that you feel as comfortable as possible.
Job interviews are obviously a vital part of the recruitment process. Candidates need to do every possible to ensure that they can have a successful job interview with a recruiter or hiring manager. Knowing 11 job interview mistakes to avoid in 2022 will help job candidates get in a strong headspace, and set themselves up to impress a recruiter and get a job offer for their next career opportunity.
