Addressing Answers To Only One Person
If you’re addressing all of your answers to one senior person in the interview panel, you may end up offending the sensibilities of the others. You may give the impression of being rude in your behavior. If you’re being interviewed by a panel of recruiters, you should acknowledge each of them by looking at them and answering to their questions.
Alison Green said in a recent article:
“If you’re interviewing with more than one person at a time, it’s important to make sure that you’re looking at and speak to all of them. Sometimes candidates will address their answers only to the person they believe is the most important one in the room, which comes across as remarkably rude!”
Interrupting The Interviewer
Another way to mess up an otherwise good interview is to interrupt the interviewer when they are speaking. Recruiters are senior people who like to be respected and valued. Interrupting them to make a point may convey that you are not a team-player and would like to hog the limelight. This may tick off the employers, creating a negative impression about you.
Not Paying Attention
Don’t be consumed by your own thoughts or on your achievements in presenting yourself in the best way. Be fully present during the interview. Pay attention to what the recruiter is asking of you and answer to the point. Take your time to answer the question and don’t provide extra information. Else, your answer may not be satisfactory and you may end up missing the point altogether. This is likely to turn the interviewers off.
Elizabeth Koprowski said in a recent article:
“Interviews aren’t just about questions and answers, and as we’ve already established, you should approach the process like a conversation, or more accurately, a professional discussion. Think of the interview as a meeting, listen carefully to what the interviewer says, asks, and implies, and find ways to address their needs. Be an active listener, and use the tone of the interview to your advantage so that you can present information about yourself or your skills that will help the interviewer understand how you will contribute to the company.”
Saying Too Little Or Too Much
Talking too much or being reserved in your replies can also ruin a perfectly good interview. The idea of an interview is to get to know more about the other party and establish a rapport to share and request for information. Be prepared to ask questions and show a genuine interest in the position and the company.
It’s a good idea to know if you are messing up an interview, by your behaviour, body language or attitude. This will set you up for success in the long run and give you a great career opportunity.