Our top 10 DON’Ts for your next interview

19 July 2017 Megan Swan

Panel Interview Stock

Have you ever left an interview and questioned why you didn’t get the call back you wanted? Resolver Recruitment decided it’s time to share our insider tips on interviewers pet hates and big no no’s from an interviewers perspective. Below are our top 10 DON’Ts for your next interview, take these on board and ensure your next interview is a successful one; where you leave a lasting impression for all the right reasons!

  1. Don’t turn up late – It can be viewed as disrespectful to your interviewer’s time, if something unforeseen happens which may delay you then phone ahead to let them know out of courtesy
  2. Don’t appear disinterested – Engage with your interviewer and ask questions in return, this will ensure that you appear enthusiastic and interested. 
  3. Don’t dress inappropriately – Make sure you dress in business attire, avoid wearing ill fitting, unironed or casual clothes and limited crazy patterns; black, navy, white or grey are safest.
  4. Don’t talk negatively – Focus on the positives, don’t dwell on the negatives. Remember an interview is not the place to talk badly about a previous employer or colleague, it will only reflect badly on you.
  5. Don’t Leave your phone on – Turn your device off (or if this isn’t possible, put it on silent and turn the vibrate function off) before you go into the interview. It is incredibly disruptive if your phone goes off or you are distracted by it.
  6. Don’t forget to prepare fully – Make sure you are as prepared as possible before your interview by going over the job description carefully and researching the company.
  7. Don’t be a distraction – When interview nerves kick in some people are prone to fidgeting, but as hard as it is try and make a conscious effort to break bad habits. Don’t swing on your chair, fidget or play with a pen or document, these traits can be very off putting.
  8. Don’t Over share – Be selective about what you go into detail about with your interviewer, there is no need to talk at lengths about personal hobbies or try the sob stories - this isn’t the place. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself and let your personality shine through.
  9. Don’t dismiss the receptionist – Be polite and smile at them upon arrival, you will be surprised by how often they are asked for their opinion.
  10. Don’t Lie – Your interview will do their own research, so resist the urge to lie or even over exaggerate your skills, abilities and experiences it will come back to bite you without fail.