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There are lots of common job interview mistakes a candidate should avoidI have been privileged to sit in countless interviews as a panel member/ interviewer in my careerI have learnt a lot of lessons from each job interview but some mistakes stood out and were there in nearly each interview sittingJob Interview Mistakes to Avoid

Inadequate Preparation

This is the most important thing to do for any interviewPrepare enough and be ready for any questionResearch should be done on the advertising company and the sector to which the company belongsI have interviewed candidates who are highly qualified and intelligent but know nothing on the company or the sector locally and internationallyA candidate will most likely be asked about the organization, its competition, important strategies, growth, etcMost of this information is available in the internet, company brochures and annual reportsIf you're interested in joining a certain company, make it a habit to read about it from the media, attend their exhibitions and information days, ask them for their annual reports, volunteer as an intern and work hard and make your interest in the organization knownGet information on the sector in generalIf it's a job as a pilot, you’ll have to have some knowledge on the aviation sector in generalPolicies and regulations, a regulating body and how it's working relationships with the organizationGrowth information in the sector and current news in the sector are also important to knowMatching this information with one's skills, education qualifications and passions will superior equip any candidate

Time

A candidate MUST never be late for a job interviewOne must always know the venue and time for the meeting well in advanceWhen not familiar with the place, it's advisable to drive there before the day of the interview or get clear directions for getting to the placeGiving some extra 30 minutes to an hour as an allowance should be the normSome candidates take too long to answer a straight forward questionGetting straight to the point and giving real life examples will take less time and show the panel you know what you're speaking aboutTaking too much time in handling questions can be taken as a sign one is very slow in doing their job

Dressing Up or Down

Some people dress in their ideal suits, which are more suitable for a wedding than a job interviewBeing more conservative is much more professionalA dark shade of a suit is still preferableThis might be black, shade of blue or greyAvoiding the bright and busy colors like flowers and red or yellow groups of colors is advisableA shirt or top should be plain and simple in neutral and light colors like blue or whiteMake up should also be worn in moderation and with a more natural look

Handshake

I've experience too firm and too soft handshakes from candidatesThere is no right or wrong but appropriate for the certain cultureSome cultures don't even believe in handshakes at allSome think firm is aggressive and soft is lazyFinding out whom your interviewer is and learning a tiny bit about his or her culture when possible can helpOtherwise try and match her or his handshake

Sitting

Slouching in the chair looks very lazy and disrespectfulSitting upright and leaning a little forward is professional and shows interestFacing the interviewer and nodding in agreement shows that one is paying attention

Eye Contact

Eye contact can also be a culture issueIn some cultures eye contact could be a sign of disrespectHowever, in the absence of known cultural taboos, one should confidently maintain the eye contact with the interviewerA smile also shows that one is pleasantI remember a girl we recommended for a position because of a constant smileShe displayed a warm character and was interesting to listen tooA smile also perfects one's voice

Not Doing Enough for a Promotion

The internal candidates who are interviewed for a promotion usually do worse that the external onesThe reason is that they assume the interviewer knows their abilities and hard workHowever an interview is the platform to sell one's selfDisregard the knowledge an interviewer has and communicate all important information as you would with a strangerBe detailed enough even on projects in which your interviewer worked closely with youIt is very difficult to recommend a candidate that performed poorly compared to the rest especially if there are co-interviewers involvedThere was a gentleman I know and liked for the position but left out all the important projects he did in the interviewHe simply assumed, the panes knows his experience and did not try hard enough to be convincingHe took the shortest time and gave the worst responsesHe missed on the promotion and a less experienced and less skilled candidate was appointed

Appearing to be Arrogant

Sometimes one just knows too much about the position and its job descriptionThey are well-prepared and well qualifiedAppearing like a know-it-all candidate shows an aggressive characterThis might be shown by trying to correct the interviewer when making technical mistakes about the subject, arguing unnecessarily and making a long list of suggestions for the companyMost mistakes can wait until one is appointed to deal with them

Not Asking a Question

As much as one prepares to handle question, he or she should prepare the questions to ask the interviewerYou will most likely be given an opportunity to ask a questionA response that one has no question to ask shows the lack of interest and even low intellectual capacityEvery candidate should have an interest in the job enough to want to get more informationYou might ask about the job itself for exampleWhom a successful candidate will report to, training programs, company growth prospects and expansion, etcThe questions should be prepared and rehearsed

Complaining

A candidate might complain about being kept waiting, not being given enough time to prepare or being given bad directionsSometimes the complain is reasonable but made in a harsh mannerState your concern in a reasonable mannerKeeping on and on about how bad the company has treated you'll not get you the jobYou may be taken as a difficult candidate with an aggressive nature

There are a lot more other mistakes like leaving a cell phone on, chewing a gum to rest, dressing in revealing clothing, giving dishonest answers, etcTry your best and keep it realThis is usually the only opportunity for you to get your dream job Nombini Kutta-Mathye is an author and creator of http://www.healthfun-ps.com/.