No matter how hard you rehearse, you will likely mess up at least one interview question during the course of your first face time with your potential boss. With so many questions to keep track of, no one expects you to be perfect. How you handle these job interview mistakes can make or break whether or not you get a call back.
Most of the mistakes you make on an interview question revolve around behavioral questions, such as ones about teamwork or your weaknesses. Perhaps you failed to mention teamwork because this interview is all about you and no one else. Maybe you forgot to practice the speech about your perceived weaknesses. Despite flubbing these five key questions, there is still hope for you after you walk out the room.
Show how much you enjoy working on a team by reducing the number of "I" responses with how you liked group work. Instead of relating how "I" caused a company's growth to increase by a certain percentage, tell how your team came together to finish a big project that added more revenue to the company. One person, no matter how talented, cannot be responsible for the entire bottom line.
Focus on positive aspects of your previous work experience, even if your former boss is a jerk. Having a chip on your shoulder from your last position may carry over into a bad attitude with your prospective company. Don't waste a valuable interview question by dwelling on the past. Instead, talk about the positives with regards to leaving. Don't blame your boss; blame downsizing, layoffs or the economy.
Keep the interview about job-related things. When your future manager says, "Tell me about yourself," do not go on and on about Fluffy the cat at home. Turn it around and say how you play softball every summer because you love being part of a team. Or, relate how you home-cook your dinner every night since you take pride in accomplishing a task. These hobbies tell your employer about yourself while maintaining relevancy to the interview question and to the job for which you applied.
Talk about your greatest weakness, but also how you strive to overcome the weakness. One of the big job interview mistakes revolves around negative thinking. You can still be positive about a weakness; just describe how you try to show up to work on time by setting your clock behind a few minutes rather than tell your interviewer that you are always late.
Express interest in each interview question, no matter how mundane it may seem to you. No potential employer wants a bored employee. Showing your interest, and even owning up to a mistake, can still land you the position. If you recognize your error, correct yourself, remain confident and stay positive. No one is perfect. Be good-natured about the mistake you made in the interview, and take responsibility for your humanity, because everyone flubs up at some point.
No single interview question will make or break your face time in front of your future boss. However, your good attitude towards each question can tip the scales in your favor over other candidates.
Photo courtesy of franky242 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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