The 5 worst things you can do during a job interview

Of course, there are a lot of obvious things you shouldn’t do during a job interview. To name a few, using swear words, burping, or coming to the interview in your flip flops and sweatpants. But since we hope this is common knowledge, we’ll focus on less obvious things in this article.

Don’t do these during a job interview

Don’t do these five things during a job interview if you want a chance at the job.

Arriving late

It is not good to keep your interviewer waiting. It creates frustrations that won’t help you get that job. Catch a train earlier, leave home earlier. Or, if it’s a video call, make sure you’ve downloaded the program and tested your webcam and microphone, so you don’t get any nasty surprises.

Of course, something can always happen that makes it impossible to get there on time (an accident, causing the road to be closed, for example). Make sure you call the interviewer in good time and explain why you are late.

Extra tip: arriving early is good, but don’t overdo it. There is a reason why, calendar technically, you agree on a particular time. Are you too early? Wait for your conversation to start in ten minutes and then go inside.

Lying

Of course, there are times in a job interview when you tell a white lie. If they ask about your worst quality, for example, you don’t have to tell them that you can’t take your loss at a game.

But outright lying, for example, about your skills or your responsibilities at your previous job, is an absolute no go. If the company you’re applying to doesn’t discover it, such a lie is guaranteed to blow your mind.

Not preparing

When there’s an awkward silence when they ask what you already know about the company, something has gone wrong. It is essential to do good research about the company you are applying to.

Plus, you know what kind of questions to expect (about the worst trait, for example), so it’s easy to prepare well. Make it as easy as possible for yourself.

Complaining about previous employers

Something you should never say in a job interview? That your previous boss was a jerk or something else negative about your employer. Talking negatively about previous employers is not a good idea because then the potential employer will think that you will talk about this company that way one day. It is also not professional.

Forgot to say thank you for the job interview

You can easily score points with this, but unfortunately, it is often forgotten due to nerves.

Thank the person you interviewed for their time and wish them luck in choosing the right candidate. It’s as simple as that. This way you leave a good last impression.