Critical Mistakes to Avoid for the Candidate

During the interview, certain behaviors or comments can seriously damage your candidacy, regardless of your qualifications.

Being aware of these critical mistakes and actively avoiding them is critical to maintaining a professional image and increasing your chances of success.

Being boring or generic

Mistake: Giving predictable, abstract answers without concrete examples. Not showing enthusiasm or personality.

Impact: You become a forgettable candidate. The interviewer will find nothing to differentiate you. Remember, the biggest danger is to leave no impression.

How to avoid it: Prepare stories (STAR), show genuine passion and connect your answers to the specific needs of the company.

Repeating only what the resume says

Mistake: Limiting yourself to reciting information that is already on your resume.

Impact: It's redundant and boring for the interviewer, who already has (or should have) your resume in front of them. It does not add value to the conversation.

How to avoid it: Use the interview to go deeper, give context and examples to what is written. Focus on accomplishments and learning, not just listing functions.

Talking about religion or politics

Mistake: Introducing religious or political topics into the conversation, unless the position is specifically in such an organization.

Impact: Risk offending the interviewer if you have different views. It can make the conversation uncomfortable and divert attention away from your qualifications.

Unprofessional in most work contexts.

How to avoid it: Keep the conversation focused on professional and job-related topics. Be "politically correct" in the sense of being respectful and neutral.

Excessive self-criticism or embarrassing yourself

Mistake: Criticizing yourself in an exaggerated manner, highlighting your shortcomings unnecessarily or telling very negative anecdotes about your past performance.

Impact: You project a lack of confidence and may sow doubts in the interviewer about your abilities.

It is one thing to show self-awareness (by talking about weaknesses in a constructive way) and another to sabotage your own candidacy.

How to avoid it: Focus on your strengths and accomplishments. If you must talk about a mistake or weakness, do so by following the strategies already discussed (learning, improvement plan).

Complaining (about traffic, weather, past jobs)

Mistake: Expressing complaints about traffic, bad weather, or (very important) about your previous employers, bosses, or coworkers.

Impact: You project a negative attitude, which is a major disincentive to hiring. Criticizing past jobs suggests you might do the same in the future.

How to avoid it: Maintain a positive attitude at all times, even when discussing challenges. Focus on solutions and learning, not problems or blame.

Cursing or using inappropriate language

Mistake: Using profanity, vulgar slang or overly informal language.

Impact: It is highly unprofessional and can offend the interviewer, regardless of how the interviewer speaks. It gives a very bad image.

How to avoid: Maintain professional and respectful language at all times, as if you are being recorded for a wide audience.

Lying or gross exaggeration

Mistake: Making up experiences, dishonestly inflating accomplishments, lying about titles or responsibilities.

Impact: If you are found out (during the interview or afterward, when checking references), you will lose all credibility and the job offer. It can damage your reputation in the long run.

How to avoid it: Be honest. You can present your accomplishments in the most favorable light possible (focus on the positive), but don't misrepresent reality.

Aggressively debating or contradicting the interviewer.

Mistake: Getting into an argument, trying to prove the interviewer wrong or adopting a confrontational attitude.

Impact: No one hires someone who made them feel bad or ignorant. Winning a debate means losing the job offer.

How to avoid it: Listen respectfully, even if you disagree. You can express a different point of view diplomatically and constructively, but avoid direct confrontation.

Being too informal or treating the interviewer as a friend.

Mistake: Exceeding confidence, making inappropriate jokes, using your first name without permission (depends on the culture), sharing