8 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Interviewing For A Job

Human beings are good at messing things up. It is amazing the number of mistakes you can make while under pressure. I am guilty of a few major blunders when talking to recruiters that I wish I could hit command Z and undo. I made all these missteps so that you can now avoid losing credibility in the eyes of your future employer.

1. Getting their name wrong

This is especially easy to do when responding to a new email on Gmail where the sender’s name displays as last name, first name. Do not accidentally write the recruiter back calling them by their last name. Some people, like Billy Bob, have two first names. Don’t get it twisted.  

2. Mixing up email addresses

One time I accidentally sent a Toastmasters application to Kristen, the recruiter, instead of Kristin, the incoming new member. Take care when emailing the recruiter or hiring manager, and try your best not to add them to your existing non-work-related email chains.

3. Forgetting to include your time zone

Never assume that the time of your interview takes place in the same time zone as yours. Send your availability with the notation (PST), (MST), (CST), or (EST) at the end. Adding a reminder will save you a lot of trouble figuring out why you or the interviewer never showed up for the call.

4. Not remembering the job you applied for

Yikes! Under no circumstances should you pick up the phone and ask what position you are supposed to be discussing. Let it go to voicemail, and then call back when you have reviewed the job description. I strongly recommend having the job description at your disposal at all times.

5. Neglecting to ask about the next steps

The slogan “coffee is for closers” exists for a reason. During an interview, there is so much judging of intentions that you may be surprised that the recruiter or hiring manager can’t tell if you want the job. If you do, make it obvious.

6. Sending a mislabeled resume or cover letter

Applying for a job at company A then accidentally sending a cover letter written for company B sends the message that you are desperate for a job. Generically label your cover letters and resumes or relabel them each time you send them off.

7. Making a typo in an email response

This is just sloppy. There are so many spell checkers out there, such as Grammarly and online-spellcheck.com, and life is too short for typos. A single error won’t get you thrown out of the ring, but you are better than that.

8. Having zero questions to ask about the job

In a perfect world, you would have a list of tailored questions ready to go before each interview. Unfortunately, your job search might move faster than anticipated. You should be armed with three to five generic go-to questions to ask an interviewer.

Errors are an unavoidable part of starting something new, but predicting how you might stumble will prevent additional anxiety. Do your best to avoid careless mistakes and minimize the stress of looking for a new job: double, triple, and even quadruple check yourself when building relationships with recruiters. Applying for jobs is like dating, and you have to make each employer feel special.