35 Things To Know Before Your Next Job Interview
Up until this year I had never conducted a job interview, I was usually the one on the other side of the table getting asked the questions. So it was definitely a big change for me to have the roles reversed.
It got me thinking about the job interview process. How do other people conduct interviews? What are they looking for? What are the deal breakers? And after doing a bit of research, I found a survey that had been given to about 2000 "bosses".
Here's what I learned:
1. 33% of bosses know in the first 30 seconds if they are going to hire you or not.
2. The average length of an interview is 40 minutes.
The top mistakes made during an interview
3. Over explaining why you lost your last job.
4. Lacking humor, warmth or personality.
5. Not showing enough interest or enthusiasm.
6. Not knowing enough about the company.
7. Not asking any questions about the company.
8. Focusing on what YOU want rather than what THEY want.
9. Being a "yes person" and agreeing with everything.
10. Arriving unprepared.
11. Blending in (You must set yourself apart from the other candidates).
12. Playing with your hair or face too much.
13. Failure to make eye contact.
14. Not smiling.
15. Slouching (Maintain good posture).
16. Crossing your arms (Appears hostile).
17. Weak handshake.
18. Fidgeting.
The things that make the most impact
19. Your voice (Bosses are more likely to hire you based on the sound of your voice than based on what you actually say).
20. Your grammar.
21. Your level of confidence.
22. You appearance.
Clothing
23. Your choice of clothing is extremely important.
24. Bright colors are a turn-off in a professional setting.
25. 70% of employers claimed they didn't want anyone who dressed overly trendy
26. 65% of employers claimed that clothes could be the determining factor between two equal candidates.
Curriculum Vitae
27. Tailor your CV to the job you're applying for.
28. Remove any unnecessary information. (no one cares about your primary education)
29. Bring a copy of your CV with you (just in case).
30. Spellcheck.
Most commonly asked questions during an interview:
31. Tell me about your experience at *blank*.
32. Why do you want to work here?
33. What do you know about our company
34. Why did you leave your last job?
35. Tell me about yourself.