It happens to the best of us. Despite having the best intentions, we show up late for a job interview because of a parking snafu, we forget to print hard copies of our resume, or maybe you forget the name of your interviewer.
We’re all human and we all make mistakes, but there are those mistakes that almost always can be avoided, which is the subject of a recent article in the The Star-Ledger (New Jersey).
Always be prepared. Not doing your homework on a company you’re interviewing with is a sure-fire way to not get a call back. And it helps if you go beyond just the “About Us” section. Ask around and see if any of your friends or acquaintances know anything about the company, and check LinkedIn to see people you’re connected to who might also have a connection there. Not being as knowledgeable as you can be about a particular organization shows lack of initiative and, to put it bluntly, laziness. How can you articulate why you want to work there if you don’t know anything about it?
Always know a handful of questions you want to ask. A lot of candidates are not prepared when asked “Do you have any questions for us?” and it can sometimes appear as though you’re not prepared. So come in a few questions in mind and also listen attentively while the interviewer is speaking to pick out other questions you can ask based on the information given.
To read the rest of the interview no-nos, check out the full article on NJ.com.
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