Tips on how to handle some avoidable mistakes in interviews.

1. How to Avoid Top 10Interview Mistakes

2. Lying 1 It doesn’t work After a point you will need to back it up with substance By all means gloss over the unflattering parts Outright fibbing doesn’t work

3. Slating your Current Company or Boss Job interviews are not the time to seek revenge Interviewer will be listening to you and wondering what it will be like to work with you Interviewers draw massive conclusions from your answers Your answer about your boss may be interpreted as your ‘standard’ way of thinking. Makes you look bad, not your employer 2

4. Being Rude If it happens inadvertently, apologize calmly and genuinely If you dwell on it, it will affect your performance What’ s rude? Avoid jokes and sensitive topics Do not be too ‘pally’ with the interviewer Remember Anyone you meet could be involved in the selection process Blanking the receptionist or talking down to the junior members of staff could cost you the job. 3

5. Complaining 4 Complaining about something shouldn’t serve as the icebreaker in the interview. It may seem completely harmless to you but may make the interviewer completely switch off Don’t let the complaining set the tone of the interview.

6. Talking about people you don’t get on with at work 5 Companies realize the importance of interpersonal relationships in the working environment. If they ask you about difficult people or situations, make sure you hold back from character assassination and blaming others. It won't do you any favors If you accidentally do "break" this rule, apologize and explain what you "really" meant.

7. Not Being Prepared 6 Re-read the relevant version of your CV and the job advert, just before the interview. Many don’t remember what they wrote in the CV And if you remember what type of person the job advert was looking for, it's easier to demonstrate that you have those qualities. Make sure you've brought with you everything you were asked for – stationary, support documents etc.

8. Appearing too nervous or too confident 7 If you appear too nervous they'll think you're not confident enough to do the job However, appearing too confident will make them think you won't fit into the team. If interview nerves are an issue for you, it's worth getting practical help from a professional, such as an interview coach.

9. Making a weak First Impression 8 A lot of "don't want to hire them" decisions are made in the first few minutes of contact. If you make a strong first impression, the interviewer will be more inclined to overlook "imperfections" in your answers.

10. Not Having Researched the Company 9 The more famous the brand, the more they will expect you to have done your homework Researching the company shows you're serious about the job

11. Making a Mistake while Taking a Stand on Something You don’t want to make a mistake but you might at times. Be prepared to simply say "sorry, that's not what I meant!" This requires you to actually be paying attention to the interviewer, rather than yourself Once you've apologized, leave it there, take a deep breath to help you relax and move on with the interview. 10

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