8 Interview Dos and Don'ts You Need to Know About in 2022

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Whatever level you're currently at in your career, there’s no denying that interviews can make even the most confident person feel nervous.

A job interview is your first step in the door and the best time to make an outstanding first impression. Interviews allow you to display your talents, skills and provide you with the opportunity to express your desire to work for an organisation.

You only get one shot at impressing the recruiters, so you need to make it count. Throughout this article we’ll be sharing our 8 dos and don'ts, so that the next time you have an interview, you’ll make an impression on potential employees.

Interview Dos

1. Make Sure You Conduct Research

When it comes to interviews one of the most common questions that an employer will ask is ‘what do you know about the company?’ or ‘what can you tell us about our company?’.

One of the most common mistakes people make is not actually conducting research into the organisation beforehand. Ensuring you take the time to research the company, shows the interviewer that you're truly interested in the role and have a greater understanding of the organisation.

When looking into an organisation and conducting research before an interview, there are other factors that you should be considering too, these include: looking into competitors, recent news articles the organisation has been featured in and the industry itself. By doing this, you’re giving yourself the upper hand whilst standing out from other possible candidates.

2. Ask Questions

One of the most underrated and beneficial things you can do before interviewing for a role is to prepare questions you want to ask. This indicates to the interviewer you’ve taken the time to think about the role, as well as the roles and responsibilities you have, as well as, showing them you are interested in the organisation as a whole.

When it comes to interviews, you need to remember, it’s not just about the interviewer thinking you're a fit for the role. It’s also about making sure you feel you’d also be a great match within the organisational culture and if you could imagine yourself working there. By asking open-ended questions, you’re able to gain deeper insight into the organisation and ensure that it’s a great fit. We recommend having around 3-5 questions prepared.

3. Highlight Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Interviews are all about selling yourself and putting on your best face. Before completing an interview, you need to take the time to investigate the role, responsibilities and organisation, taking the time to note down what experiences and skills you can display to the interviewer.

During the interview, highlighting skills and work experiences that apply to the role you’re applying for, makes you stand out as a candidate. Sometimes, the nerves get the better of us and we want to tell them nonessential information, however, preparing yourself will help you combat this feeling.

4. Following-up

Let’s talk about following-up after an interview. This is something that many individuals feel uneasy about, and, although it may seem daunting when the interview is over if you still want to make a good impression, it’s a great method to use.

Although this email shouldn’t be a novel about why you’re the perfect candidate, it should include a thank you to the interviewers for taking the time whilst communicating your gratitude. It’s also the ideal time to ask any other questions you may have in mind, representing your enthusiasm for the role and your passion to join the organisation.

Interview Don'ts

1. Don’t Speak Badly About Old Employers

When it comes to speaking about your work experiences, you must refrain from speaking poorly about previous colleagues or employers, no matter what the circumstances are.

Speaking negatively will leave them wondering if you would do the same to them and question your professionalism. For example, you may be asked why you want to leave your existing role, and although it may be down to a toxic working environment, you can use other examples such as career progression or lack of creative freedom.

2. Being Late

Preparation is key, leave zero to chance. When it comes to interviews, make sure you depart 15-30 minutes early to allow for things such as accidents, poor directions or other problems. Use this time to freshen up your understanding of the organisation and go over the notes you prepared.

Being late to an interview is one of the biggest red flags seen by an employer, the reason being is that it shows that you're not truly interested in the role and that you have insufficient time management skills.

However, life happens, and if you do find yourself being late for an interview and still want to keep a great first impression, make sure you contact the interviewer letting them know the circumstances and your estimated time of arrival. They will be understanding.

3. Lying to Interviewer

There’s no denying that over the years we’ve all told a white lie or two, but when it comes to interviews, lying is a huge red flag that many interviewees can actually see straight through.

Embellishing the truth may seem alluring, especially if it's a position you really want, but it won’t do any good in the long-term success of your career. Your interviewer may check back on your background or get in touch with prior employers, either way, if you lie, it might come to light later down the line.

4. Don’t Talk Over the Interviewer

Two skill sets employers are always looking for their employees to have, is the capability to not only be a good listener but also have superb communication skills. Showcasing these skills will help the interviewer determine if you’d be a good fit for the role, and not talking over what the interviewer has to say, illustrates you have powerful interpersonal skills and are respectful of conversations.

In the new era of how interviews are led, video calls are a standard method used. Keep in mind that these are a little different from an in-person interview, and you may find a slight delay. Don’t worry, the simple way to avoid this is by not rushing to answer questions, remember to take your time.

Final Thoughts

Failing an interview isn't the end of the world, although sometimes it feels like it. You need to consider it as an opportunity that you can learn from, to enhance your skills for the next interview you find yourself in. We hope that these dos and don’ts will enable you to feel more confident when attending your next interview, and even bring to the surface some mistakes you might already be making and how you can modify them.

If you still find yourself struggling with interviews, why not find someone to help you? Mentors have been there, had the t-shirt, as well as knowing a thing or two about interviews. Mentors are a wonderful way of not only learning more about ourselves, but the skills we need to get the roles we desire. They can help counsel you on your journey of strengthening your interview skills whilst allowing you to gain a better and more in-depth knowledge of the industry itself. You can find a mentor by signing up to PushFar, the world’s leading mentoring and career profession platform, for free today.