Mistakes in Job Interviews (Rookie Level)
Job-searching is an emotional roller coaster and keeping your hopes up is crucial for your mental health. If a position you applied for was rejected, don't fret, theres plenty of spaces out there waiting to be found. If you don't believe in yourself, who will?
I didn't manage to nab all jobs I applied for, and there are a few points I would like to highlight which contributed to the overall unsuccessful outlook I presented to the interviewers such as Overthinking, Self-Inflation, Inadequate Knowledge Level, and Scripted-Self.
What not to do during job interviews
2) Self-Inflation
I interviewed for the position of a HR assistant and the question asked was "Can you make phone calls? You'll be calling over 100 people everyday. Do you think you're able to handle that?"
At the time, I found this question rather insulting. "Of course I can make phone calls!" I thought to myself though I answered with a mere, "yes". To the interviewer, this answer made me seem pompous. Looking back, I realised that he wasn't asking about my ability to dial a number and say "hello" but rather, he probably wanted to know if my professional communication skills were adept, whether I was shy, and if I had the stamina to stick it out for a whole day. Sometimes, you have to analyse the situation and visualise what the interviewer is asking despite his literal question. It's good to be confident, but know when to back down.
3) Inadequate Knowledge Level
I interviewed for a Communications Intern position under a Brands company. In preparation, I briefly scrolled through the "What we do" section of their website. When the time came, the interviewer asked me, "Do you think a brand is just a logo?" and it was mid-way through my response when I realised I was horribly under-prepared for the interview.
The interviewer was nice and told me that it wasn't fair to ask me regarding Brands as it wasn't my major, but folks, grab a book or read an online article or two. It goes without saying- brush up your basic knowledge on the job field! With Google, knowledge is at your fingertips. You may be eager to get to interviewed ASAP and schedule them at your immediate availability, but please, give yourself ample time to research before hand, maybe a couple of days.
4) Scripted-Self
In a few of my interviews, some began with the infamous opening question, "Tell me more about yourself", to which I explained my work history from A-Z, and I watched as the attention of the interviewer drift from me, to the window behind my head. Upon noticing this, I quickly changed my answer to highlight the relevant skills I possessed that would prove beneficial for the Sales position I applied for.
Without a gleam of confidence eminating from you, your words might come out dull and possibly, scripted. You may have memorised your responses to typical questions such as "Tell me about yourself" but remember to be mindful and pay attention to the interviewer's verbal and non-verbal cues. Adjust your answers creatively and always monitor in which direction the questions are coming from to bounce back with an answer that they are looking for. This requires a heightened sense of emotional intelligence, and it is possible with increased attention. An interview is similar to a date, both parties are determining whether you two are a good fit. Keep calm, be yourself, and they'll love you!
I didn't manage to nab all jobs I applied for, and there are a few points I would like to highlight which contributed to the overall unsuccessful outlook I presented to the interviewers such as Overthinking, Self-Inflation, Inadequate Knowledge Level, and Scripted-Self.
What not to do during job interviews
1) Overthinking
During my first ever interview, I was a little thrown by each question asked and I wanted to answer my best. Thus, I paused a little too long after each question. I could recall the interviewer attempting to ease the awkward silences by pretending to read through my CV, oh my...
This led me to seem unprepared. Although it is beneficial to ponder upon what the interviewer may be asking, waiting too long to answer may show that you're unprepared for the interview. It is important to be yourself during the interview and answer calmly as you would in a normal conversation. It would be good to have a mock interview with a friend or family, and get them to ask some basic questions an interviewer may ask to get yourself familiar with the listening-speaking pace.
This led me to seem unprepared. Although it is beneficial to ponder upon what the interviewer may be asking, waiting too long to answer may show that you're unprepared for the interview. It is important to be yourself during the interview and answer calmly as you would in a normal conversation. It would be good to have a mock interview with a friend or family, and get them to ask some basic questions an interviewer may ask to get yourself familiar with the listening-speaking pace.
2) Self-Inflation
I interviewed for the position of a HR assistant and the question asked was "Can you make phone calls? You'll be calling over 100 people everyday. Do you think you're able to handle that?"
At the time, I found this question rather insulting. "Of course I can make phone calls!" I thought to myself though I answered with a mere, "yes". To the interviewer, this answer made me seem pompous. Looking back, I realised that he wasn't asking about my ability to dial a number and say "hello" but rather, he probably wanted to know if my professional communication skills were adept, whether I was shy, and if I had the stamina to stick it out for a whole day. Sometimes, you have to analyse the situation and visualise what the interviewer is asking despite his literal question. It's good to be confident, but know when to back down.
3) Inadequate Knowledge Level
I interviewed for a Communications Intern position under a Brands company. In preparation, I briefly scrolled through the "What we do" section of their website. When the time came, the interviewer asked me, "Do you think a brand is just a logo?" and it was mid-way through my response when I realised I was horribly under-prepared for the interview.
The interviewer was nice and told me that it wasn't fair to ask me regarding Brands as it wasn't my major, but folks, grab a book or read an online article or two. It goes without saying- brush up your basic knowledge on the job field! With Google, knowledge is at your fingertips. You may be eager to get to interviewed ASAP and schedule them at your immediate availability, but please, give yourself ample time to research before hand, maybe a couple of days.
4) Scripted-Self
In a few of my interviews, some began with the infamous opening question, "Tell me more about yourself", to which I explained my work history from A-Z, and I watched as the attention of the interviewer drift from me, to the window behind my head. Upon noticing this, I quickly changed my answer to highlight the relevant skills I possessed that would prove beneficial for the Sales position I applied for.
Without a gleam of confidence eminating from you, your words might come out dull and possibly, scripted. You may have memorised your responses to typical questions such as "Tell me about yourself" but remember to be mindful and pay attention to the interviewer's verbal and non-verbal cues. Adjust your answers creatively and always monitor in which direction the questions are coming from to bounce back with an answer that they are looking for. This requires a heightened sense of emotional intelligence, and it is possible with increased attention. An interview is similar to a date, both parties are determining whether you two are a good fit. Keep calm, be yourself, and they'll love you!
Conclusion
I am aware that this is easier said than done. I learned my fair share from actually attending the interviews, and only afterwards did I realise all my mistakes. As for the interviewers, you will meet many whom are nice and welcoming, with the off chance that you encounter a "savage" interviewer. But it is thanks to all the failed interviews that you will end up where you hope to be. I hope the readers of this post may benefit from my experience as a "Rookie Interviewee".
Above is a photo of buildings in JLT, Dubai.
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