6 things not to do at your next interview

With the help of our HR experts at 2hats, we’ve curated a list of things not to do at interviews. Read on, and keep these in mind before your next one!

We’re just going to put it out there. First impressions matter!
Hands down, the golden rule of landing a job is making a positive impression.
Like all important encounters (meeting clients, your partner’s family, the office dog), you need to show your best side. First impressions stay in people’s minds and it’s tough to change their opinions about you after that. And let’s be honest, you won’t have another chance if you don’t impress them!
Employers look for a sense of trust, competency and confidence, so make sure your first impression counts. It could be in the form of being punctual, a firm (not tight grip) handshake, an appropriate dress code, being sociable and respectful, etc.
A handy tip: try to speak with confidence, on the phone or in-person. Greet your interviewers politely, smile, and sound cheerful.

Ah, a classic! We’ve all heard our parents rant on about being on time for an interview. ‘Better yet’, they say, ‘get there early, there’s no such thing as being too early’.
Sorry mum (and everyone else who believes this), you’re wrong! You can get there too early. Rocking up to an interview 30 minutes early or more is too early — and that’s never a good thing.
The reason is, they’ve scheduled in a specific time for you, and the time before that is for themselves. It could be allocated to preparing paperwork or cleaning up the office before your interview to impress YOU. But by showing up too early, you’ve left them unprepared, flustered and rushing.
If you like getting to your interviews early, 5 to 15 minutes is more than enough. If you turn up earlier than that, they’re not prepared for you but now they have to awkwardly entertain you for 40 minutes while they work. Hmm.

The three main reasons why employers specify a dress code is to see if:
1. They’re serious about this particular role
2. They have a good working attitude
3. They have business attire
Always stick to the dress code! It sounds like a dead giveaway, but you would be surprised…
Sometimes you might come across companies asking you to attend the interview with either business or smart casual attire. Usually, this means wearing a button up shirt, a blazer, pants or skirt.
It’s more common than you think, that people come to an interview in casual clothes. It makes your interviewer think that you don’t care for the job, or not be a good fit to their culture… So let’s not leave that impression.
Take a look at our guide to the dress codes for some inspo!

We commend those who aren’t scared to make small talk. A big thumbs up for you!
For the rest of you who are, we get it! We know the nervous feeling during interviews all too well. But when someone walks in and nervously answers questions about themselves, struggle to describe their skills and experiences, that’s not really an interview… they turn into Q&A sessions. And that doesn’t score very well.
What really gives you those bonus brownie points is the ability to make small talk. People who are good conversationalists usually perform well in interviews. Our HR team says that a good chat helps to create a connection, ease up the already-existing tension and develop a good understanding of who this person is on a social level.
So keep this in mind for the next time you head in to impress your interviewer. Show interest in getting to know them. A light-hearted chat shows you’re sociable.

Acting defensive can cost you a work opportunity — it’s a pretty big turn-off to your employers.
At work, you’ll face both positive and negative feedback. Positive ones are great, you get a big thumbs up and a pat on the back. But you’ll also receive negative feedback so you could improve the quality of your work. It’s important you can translate that constructive criticism and revise your work. Employers are on the lookout for this kind of superpower!
Interviewers might criticise you during an interview to see how you cope with feedback. By reacting negatively, it shows that you can’t take feedback well, that you behave emotionally and take things personally. Let’s be honest, nobody really wants to work with someone who can’t accept constructive criticism.
What if you come across feedback you disagree with? Recognise their point of view and let them know you understand their perspectives. Politely reiterate your ideas, pointing out why you believe otherwise by example.

When you turn up unprepared, they will know (from personal experience)!
Having some knowledge about the company at the interview gives you an upper hand. Employers want to see that you understand who they are as a company, what they believe in and why you want to work for them.
By researching the company, it shows the interviewer that you’re keen for the role and you’re ready to get started. You can match up your skills on your resume and explain how you can apply these skills in their organisation.
And best of all, it all adds up to help you answer the question ‘why do you want to work for us?’.
