So all your job hunting efforts have paid off so far and you’ve landed that dream interview. Now is your chance to make a good impression and convince your prospective employer of your suitability.

You’ve got the perfect CV, and the experience & skills that should help you sail through the interview right? Not quite. You would be surprised at the number of young & seasoned professionals that have fallen at the final interview hurdle.

Interviews are a major test of our resolve and it’s only natural to be nervous. Unfortunately nervousness & carelessness can lead to mistakes which can spell catastrophe to a potential candidate. Here are five sure fire ways that a candidate can ruin a job interview:

Turning up late

Being late is a part of life, even the most organised people find themselves in a haste from time-to-time. However when it comes to an interview, arriving late simply isn’t an option. First impressions are everything and such tardiness will suggest to an employer that your unorganised and – worse – unreliable.

This is why would prepare in advance and know exactly where you are going & what time you’re expected to be there. Arriving early will also give you breathing space to make some final preparations.

Dressing down

Surprisingly this is a common mistake that many candidates make while attending an interview. While some try to be clever & quirky others don’t make much of an effort at all. Many people misjudge certain interviews as informal and arrive in their everyday attire.

Whether you’re attending an interview in a supermarket or a corporate office it’s important to dress formally & professionally. While you may feel silly wearing a nicely pressed suit and polished shoes in a certain environment it will show that you have made a genuine effort and stand to you in the future.

Lack of preparation

One of the primary things that a recruiter will want to see is whether the candidate has done their homework. They will fire a number of questions across to test the candidate’s knowledge of the company & the role that they’re applying for.

This is where a lot of candidates fall short by failing to come up with an answer or even worse – trying to bluff their way to an answer. This is why it is important to take even ten minutes out to do some quick research online about the company. This will prepare you for any zingers that the interviewer may ask.

Using negative body language

This is a no brainer really. While a job interview can be be a tedious and nerve racking ordeal for most, it is important to remain calm & focused at all times. Start of with a good firm handshake and always maintain eye contact with the interviewer when answering & asking questions and never look away.

It’s also important to refrain from fidgeting or slouching and appearing engaged at all times. Don’t become a figure of their ire. Showing any kind of disinterest is highly unprofessional and may lead to an interviewer secretly questioning the overall commitment of a candidate.

Talking yourself out of consideration

Sometimes it’s best to focus on the interview at hand rather than changing the course of the discussion. However a lot of candidates make the fatal mistake of either overselling  – or – undervaluing themselves during an interview by their vocal engagement.

While an employer wishes to see drive & desire during an interview there is a limit to how far a candidate should sell themselves. The last thing you want to do is appear pushy & overconfident. Then there are the more modest candidates.

Now humility is a good thing to a certain degree but showing too much of it to an employer may depict the candidate as weak minded and display a lack of confidence.  That’s why it’s important to strike a middle balance between humility & confidence. These two traits can integrate well when used in tandem correctly.

We hope you find these tips helpful during the interview process.

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