13 defects that can torpedo your job interview

Job interview It is a key moment in the selection process to get that job that we want so much.

If you are one of the lucky candidates to have made it this far, it means that some of your Curriculum vitae has caught the attention of the recruiter. Now is the time to make it clear that you are the ideal person for the job that is being offered, so You must be careful and not let this great opportunity come to nothing.. So, be careful with exposing certain defects in job interviews.

Job interviews today

Those people who are not experts in personnel selection are surely unaware of competency-based interviews, an interview format widely used today.

This type of interview provides more advantages and is more effective in predicting job performance than the classic interview.. It is born from the idea that we all have a series of competencies, which are technical skills, motivations, attitudes and values, what we know how to do and the knowledge and training that we possess and that make us unique. These qualities are what allow us to fit or not in a given position and organization.

The interview by competences and its characteristics

The competency-based interview helps the interviewer and makes his job easier, since he can know exactly what he is looking for from you well in advance to be able to evaluate you more efficiently. Competence interviews aim to measure these individual qualities and help to identify, through different questions, whether or not you have the skills for that workplace in concrete.

G.Thanks to this vision of competencies, what is known as the Critical Incident Interview (BEI) was born.. In this type of interview, the recruiter usually asks the interviewee to explain a situation in her life in which he has behaved in a certain way. For example: "Tell me about a situation in your old job in which you had to solve a problem with some clients?".

The interviewee's response will help the recruiter to assess his skills and determine if the candidate knows how to solve problems. in times of stress, if you have initiative, leadership ability and if you lose your nerve or not in situations where the demand is elderly.

• Related article: “How to face a competency-based interview: 4 keys to getting the job”

Defects that can end your expectations of getting the job

Since the job interview is an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, it is necessary that you do not make mistakes and that you do not show certain common defects. Surely you are not the only candidate who aspires to get that position, so you must leave a good impression so that the recruiter chooses you.

If you want to maximize the chances of getting that job you want so much, you just have to avoid these points.

1. Go without the interview prepared

You will only have one chance for the recruiter to get to know you and think about whether you are a good fit for the position. Now that you have read this article and that you know what competency interviews are, It is necessary that you know that you must carry the interview more or less prepared.

Obviously you don't know what the interviewer is going to ask you, but you can get an idea of ​​what the requirements of the position are. If the job is for a receptionist, they will surely ask you for a series of skills, such as communication skills, teamwork, that you have ambition for that position, etc. Finding out what the requirements of the position are can help you think of possible critical incident scenarios or questions that the recruiter may ask you. It is about having a global idea.

In addition, It is also important that you know the organization and details of the company, as this shows that you are interested in working with them. Don't make the mistake of going off guard.

2. Lying about your information or experience

Lying in a job interview is not a good option. So make sure that lying does not become a weak point in your candidacy. It is one of the defects that directly disqualify you. This includes that you do not lie on your CV either, as it can be a very embarrassing situation if you are caught in the middle of an interview.

3. Talk bad about previous companies and bosses

It is quite frequent that the interviewer wants to find out the reason why you are not in the old company, because he can give him information about how you are. Don't take this question as an opportunity to bring up any grudges you may have toward your old company. Or towards your former bosses. It is better that you leave a good taste in the mouth and do not speak ill of them.

4. To be late

If there's one thing that's going to automatically eliminate you from applying for a job, it's being late.. If you are not able to arrive at such an important appointment on time, how are you going to do it at work every day? If you want to make a good impression, try to be on time.

5. dressing inappropriately

The ideal is to investigate what the company that is going to interview you is like and what the position requires. For example, if you aspire to a creative job, you may not need to wear a tie. However, if you choose to work in a serious company, you must surely dress formally. If you're not entirely sure how you should dress, you better choose to dress formally, but not necessarily a suit and tie.

6. show insecurity

Generally, companies want people who are confident in themselves and who contribute something to to the organization, with enough initiative and commitment to successfully carry out your functions. It is important that during the interview you feel confident and express how much you can contribute to the company.

• If you need some tips to improve your self-confidence, you just have to read our article: “How to increase your self-confidence in 6 steps”

7. Not displaying good body language

When you don't trust yourself or lie during the job interview, he often displays body language that doesn't match what he says. The interviewer can perceive when a person does not make eye contact, does not have a good posture, shows forced behavior, etc. One must be relaxed so that this is not a weak point of your interview.

8. Neglecting correct verbal communication

Communication is essential in the interview, and neglecting the situation in which one is by being overconfident, can have negative consequences for the development of the interview.

The interviewer is not your friend, but a person who is evaluating you. Therefore, you should avoid giving too much irrelevant or compromising information or using vulgar vocabulary or expressions that are too colloquial. Better to use formal and respectful vocabulary, yes, without losing naturalness.

9. Interrupt the interviewer while he is speaking

In a job interview you have to measure the times well so as not to seem rude, because if you interrupt the interviewer, he will think that he is talking to an anxious, disrespectful and even rude person. Therefore, first you have to listen and attend to the recruiter. You will have time to express yourself.

10. Talking about salary or vacation too early in the interview

Evidently, we all want to talk about these issues, but in the interview there is time for everything. Especially in the initial phases, it is not a good option to talk about vacations or salary. Better to wait for the interviewer to talk about it or wait until the end of the interview to make the comment in a subtle way.

11. Lack of interest

And it is that this can show a lack of interest in the position, just like not worrying about preparing the interview. Companies want motivated people who are going to work hard to make the company successful. If you ask about input holidays, it can be wrong. Now, it can be even worse not to ask anything and show that there is no interest in the position.

12. say you have no flaws

It is very common that in the job interview they ask you about your defects and your virtues. These questions follow the procedure of the skills interview, in which the aim is to find out your degree of sincerity.

To say that you are flawless is unrealistic, so the correct answer would be that you are flawed. Now, you must be careful when answering this question. If you say that you are an aggressive person, they will surely discard you for the position at the first opportunity. Instead, if you say that sometimes you can being too perfectionist, it means that you will do a good job although you may never value something that you have done well. The second answer is not a virtue, but it is not bad enough to rule out your candidacy either.

• If you know other trick questions, you can read our article: “Job interviews: 8 trick questions (and how to manage them successfully)”

13. Make it clear that you don't like teamwork

Another trick question that they can ask you usually refers to if you like teamwork or individual work. Teamwork is one of the skills most valued by recruiters, so a company won't want to have someone on their team going it alone

If you want to be successful, try to make it clear that you like working with others, since you consider that it is beneficial for the performance of the organization and for obtaining better results. Unity is strength.

• Related article: “The 5 benefits of teamwork”