In the second part of our Insider Interview Tips series we asked recrtuiter for Student Job International, Mohamed Ali Hafi, what he dislikes candidates doing in interviews. We aim for this article to give you more insight into what you avoid doing in interviews so that you can succeed!

Coming Unprepared

"It is obvious when candidates haven’t read the entire vacancy and ask simple questions that were in the job ad"

Prior to your interview you should have studied the job description and requirements so you know EXACTLY what the interviewer is looking for. Failure to do this will make it come across that you are unprepared and have little interest in the job and the company.

Showing Up Late

"Showing up late without a reason and don’t apologise"

Although it isn´t ideal to be late for an interview, sometimes it is unavoidable, especially if there is problems with public transport. Make sure that you have a contact for the company you are going to have an interview with, even if it is with someone on the front office, they will then be able to inform the interviewer that you are running late.

Bad First Impressions

"The first few minutes of an interview tell you a lot about a candidate"

First impressions are EVERYTHING in an interview! As soon as you step into that interview room the interviewer will probably have formed an opinion on you. So although you will be nervous, try to remain smiley and enthusiastic and let your true self shine through as this is what the interviewer is really looking for!

Money, Money, Money

"When the first question they ask is about money it becomes clear where their interests lie"

Of course when searching for a job the wage you recieve is important, however as soon as you step into the interview the first thing you discuss shouldn't be the money. This will make it come across to the interviewer that this is all you care about and that you have little interest in the company or the job at hand.

Lying

"It becomes obvious when a candidate puts something on their CV that isn't true. They try avoiding the subject as much as possible"

You should avoud lying on your CV at all costs. The purpose of an interview is find out more about you and your achievements and if the interviewer finds out that you have not told the truth then you are wasting not only their time but yours as well.

Check out the first part of our Insider Interview Tips series here, where we investigate what interviewers are really looking for from you!