How to avoid top 5 interview mistakes?

Imagine you are a hiring manager for a moment. You have an interview set up and the candidate walks into your office very meekly and offers up a limp handshake with a "Please hire me, I need a job so bad" look on his/her face. Despite the lack of confidence, you pursue the interview and the candidate seems to answer your questions and then some, talks badly about his/her previous employer when asked why he/she left, and seems only concerned about his/her new compensation, benefits, and/or vacation. Upon completion of the interview the candidates gets up to leave and makes little eye contact. Immediately following the interview your receptionist comes in and complains how the candidate was quite rude. As a hiring manager do you think you would hire this candidate? I seriously doubt it.

As such, I have compiled the five interview mistakes you absolutely need to avoid when meeting with a potential employer.

The Handshake: First impressions are lasting and a handshake can make or break you as a potential new employee. The handshake can exude confidence or a lack thereof and set the tone for the meeting. You would be surprised how often a weak/overly aggressive handshake will blow an entire interview. A weak handshake shows the interview that you are not confident, are not interested in the position, and/or lack the ability to engage. On the opposite end of the spectrum an aggressive handshake can alert the interviewer’s defense mechanisms and make him/her think you are too much of a salesman and question your sincerity. Ideally, a quick, firm handshake is way to go and a great approach to start the meeting off right. Try your handshake on your friends and perfect it before interviewing.

Lack of/Too Much Eye Contact: Either one of these can create a negative experience for the interviewer. A lack of eye contact will present a lack of confidence, disinterest, or a lack of "truthiness". Similarly, too much eye contact will be seen as aggressive, fake, and will put the interviewer on edge. Try to find a good balance and level of comfort that will project confident, interest, and the ability to engage the interviewer with clear, concise answers.

Negative Talk: When asked about your previous employment it is always best to take the high road. Sure, your boss may have been an overbearing tyrant who talked down to the office and flew off the handle if the AC was a degree off. However, you are applying for a new position and want to be as positive as possible because the interviewer is likely to assume that you will do the same to him/her when you move on from that position. Always take the time to put a positive spin on your past employment experience and keep the interview moving towards what you can do for this company and how you would be an asset to them.

Professional Speak: Multiple surveys have found that public speaking is the number one fear of people across the world. This is understandable, just remember that similar to the fact that public speaking takes practice, so do interview. How often do you get annoyed when you are watching a presentation or speech and they constantly use the words, "umm", "like", "you know", or something similar? Your tone and approach needs to remain professional at all times. Try to limit the amount verbal ticks you have by pausing for a few seconds before answering your questions. This will give you time to think about your answer, exude confidence, and deliver a informational, positive response. Similarly, hiring managers are all different and can take on different styles of communication when interviewing. While one manager may be very personable, another may get right down to business and be very professional. It is essential that you match the interview techniques to ensure optimal success. If a hiring manager is asking direct questions you need to answer directly, and follow up with asking if they need additional information. If they are very personable then feel free to be personable as well. You want to gain rapport with the interviewer and this is a great way to do that.

Jumping the Gun: Make sure to keep interviews professional, about what you can do for the company, and how you can be an asset to them in the role you are interviewing for. An instant interview killer is to make it all about you and what the company can do for you. Refrain from asking about compensation, benefits, vacation, etc. before making sure you have sold the interviewer on the fact that you are the right fit for the position. Your number one goal for an interview should be to get the job. If you do your research before you interview, you should already know this information anyway. The best time to bring up this information would be when they have extended you an offer and begun the negotiation process.