# The worst mistakes in an interview situation



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

According to a Middle East business website, they are as follows:

(not a bad list but I reckon there are worse mistakes than some of these)

1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early.
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.
7. Forgetting the name of the person you're interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your resume and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own resume.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying "you know," "like," "I guess," and "um."
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show.
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.


Whilst it does appear that common sense is a rare comodity, this might be of some use to those moving to the Middle East from other parts of the world.

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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

That sounds awful. Job interviews are something I hate with a passion, they should have 2 purposes. 1. Ensuring your CV checks out. 2. Ensuring your personality is a good fit for the organisation.

It does remind me of when I was interviewing some girls for a receptionist position here a few months ago. One girl turned up an hour and 15 minutes late with both of her parents. I felt a bit sorry for her because she was very nervous, but when I asked her what her strengths were and she said punctuality, I almost lost it.


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

If in Middle East (Arabic) countries in particular, ....... sitting with your legs crossed so the soul of your foot is shown to your host ..... big big no no ....

Good old George W never really got the significance of old mate throwing his shoe at him did he !!


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

So true...

One girl came to me for interview here in Dubai, she was repeating word "sh.t" ten times and was talking bad about her current boss, who actually was more polite and gave a good recommendation of the girl (maybe cuz she wanted to get rid of her)))) horrible horrible experience! of course, I didn't hire her...


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Bringing their parents? WTF????


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

Andy Capp said:


> Bringing their parents? WTF????


Some candidates do, then your question is "Are your parents going to accompany your every day to work too??? Do I have to pay salary to them as well?" etc etc


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## M.Sharaf (Nov 19, 2008)

thanks alot , realy helpfull ...


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## katiepotato (Apr 29, 2008)

Ella_and_Yousef said:


> Some candidates do, then your question is "Are your parents going to accompany your every day to work too??? Do I have to pay salary to them as well?" etc etc


Yup - parents, several friends, spouse - have had the same thing here. Have to say I won't make my final assessment of someone on that basis, but it does create a bad first impression. 

Agree on too much eye contact - I swear I have had one candidate who did not blink once in a 45-minute interview!

I work in a male-dominated industry and one of my biggest pet hates is when I ask a candidate a question and they reply to my male panel member rather than me - literally as if I haven't spoken. Very annoying.


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## Industrial Nomad (Jan 21, 2009)

Elphaba said:


> According to a Middle East business website, they are as follows:
> 
> (not a bad list but I reckon there are worse mistakes than some of these)
> 
> ...


# 28: Bringing along "ANYBODY" except yourself is certainly career suicide, but having said that "Anybody" who actually performs #28 Might aswell top themselves regardless as "Career Success" and "Themselves" shall NEVER occupy the same plain. 

Mind you I was once interviewed in a Pub in Wanchai, Hong Kong by a guy who not only brought along his better half but also genuinely asked me if I posessed such a commodity as a "CV"......And I am certainly NOT joking on this one.

Even more disconcerting was the interviewers' genuine surprise that I actually "Politely Declined" the position offered. Not a word of a lie on this one.


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## Mohammeddin (Feb 24, 2010)

This information (I mean the rules) is very useful. But still everything depends on the particular situation. We should just be natural & that's all.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Why is it useful? Surely it's common sense?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Andy Capp said:


> Why is it useful? Surely it's common sense?


But how many times have we established that 'common' sense is actually a rare commodity? 

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## SBP (Jan 4, 2010)

I interviewed a guy back in Uk who had his fly undone! He didn;t get the job, but that was more down to fact he was ginger


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

Gingers have rights to alright!









Are you calling me Ginger?


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## SBP (Jan 4, 2010)

sandypool said:


> Gingers have rights to alright!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Might be...............


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

are you calling my dad and alcoholic? are you saying my mum sleeps with the milkman?

am I bovered though?

(apologies to anyone who hasn't seen Catherine Tate and thinks I've gone barmy)


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

sandypool said:


> are you calling my dad and alcoholic? are you saying my mum sleeps with the milkman?
> 
> am I bovered though?
> 
> (apologies to anyone who hasn't seen Catherine Tate and thinks I've gone barmy)


Are you really from the UK?


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

Indeed I am, Born in Surrey dear girl. May I enquire as to why you should ask?


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Bovered, and, enquire, the lack of capitalization, little iffy on sentence structure.

I was just curious as you had uk and I have been given a hard time because of my lack of understanding and mastering of the Queen's language as being told that a true British person does. I am about to text someone right now


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Jynxgirl said:


> Bovered, and, enquire, the lack of capitalization, little iffy on sentence structure.
> 
> I was just curious as you had uk and I have been given a hard time because of my lack of understanding and mastering of the Queen's language as being told that a true British person does. I am about to text someone right now


Still waiting for your text!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I did...


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

bovered is just how it's said by the girl in the picture. Enquire (as opposed to inquire I suppose) is because I did literature and not language and so my spooling and grammaaarrrr are bloody awful!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Sandy, I just used it to my own advantage. T'was nothing personal! If you check out your cp page, you got some Thanks for the giggle.


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

Although if you go to Ask Oxford.com you get this:

_The traditional distinction between enquire and inquire is that enquire is to be used for general senses of 'ask', while inquire is reserved for uses meaning 'make a formal investigation'. In practice, however, enquire (and enquiry) is more common in British English while inquire (and inquiry) is more common in US English, but otherwise there is little discernible distinction in the way the words are used._

So I guess my use of enquire means I am actually more British - though I have to admit to it being a fluke!


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

Nothing personal taken at all! - I am glad if I can make at least one person smile in a day!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I just get the piss taken for being a septic enough that if I have ANY chance to get in a punch to Andy... well... I have to take it!


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## sandypool (Sep 12, 2009)

Okay well for some reason YouTube doesn't work in Al Ain but if you search for "Catherine Tate" and look for a video with the character I put a picture up of on the previous page you will get a very good intro to how us "Yoof" in England often speak. It's satire, but what makes it funny is how accurate it is. This should be lethal ammo against any criticism of your English usage. Guard it well and use it infrequently - and tell no one where you got the information!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Jynxgirl said:


> I just get the piss taken for being a septic enough that if I have ANY chance to get in a punch to Andy... well... I have to take it!


Bloody septics......


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## haval (Apr 14, 2010)

I think it is sometimes unfair to judge the persons future within few minutes of an interview .
i bet that some are qualified but they feel shy or afraid during the interview and then they lose it 
Iam a person who is qualified but when i look at a female interviewer , I sometiemes forget what i want to say.


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

haval said:


> I think it is sometimes unfair to judge the persons future within few minutes of an interview .
> i bet that some are qualified but they feel shy or afraid during the interview and then they lose it
> Iam a person who is qualified but when i look at a female interviewer , I sometiemes forget what i want to say.


Er, the whole point of an interview is to judge if someone is suitable for a job... :confused2:

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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

> Iam a person who is qualified but when i look at a female interviewer , I sometiemes forget what i want to say.


is it ok if the interviewer is male?


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## Mohammeddin (Feb 24, 2010)

One more thing about interviews.  Sometimes the employer speaks rude to you, asks private questions (why are you not married, for example), starts smoking, makes you wait for for a long time, etc. This is because he/she wants to see if you can bare stresful situations. If you are irritated, you will not get the job. Very often they use such tests when the job is connected with people (cashiers, receptionists, secretaries, etc). So be patient & polite


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Mohammeddin said:


> One more thing about interviews.  Sometimes the employer speaks rude to you, asks private questions (why are you not married, for example), starts smoking, makes you wait for for a long time, etc. This is because he/she wants to see if you can bare stresful situations. If you are irritated, you will not get the job. Very often they use such tests when the job is connected with people (cashiers, receptionists, secretaries, etc). So be patient & polite


Or you can maintain your professional integrity and stand up and walk out. I've left interviews before and I would do it again.


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

haval said:


> I think it is sometimes unfair to judge the persons future within few minutes of an interview .
> i bet that some are qualified but they feel shy or afraid during the interview and then they lose it
> Iam a person who is qualified but when i look at a female interviewer , I sometiemes forget what i want to say.


next time you just need to make sure you see enough women before your interview, so you don't have to stare at your female interviewer like she's an alien :eyebrows:


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## Industrial Nomad (Jan 21, 2009)

Ella_and_Yousef said:


> next time you just need to make sure you see enough women before your interview, so you don't have to stare at your female interviewer like she's an alien :eyebrows:


Sounds like a good enough 'Professional" reason to pop into the nearest GO-GO bar for a couple prior to the interview to me


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## St Arthur (Mar 16, 2010)

Industrial Nomad said:


> Sounds like a good enough 'Professional" reason to pop into the nearest GO-GO bar for a couple prior to the interview to me


or request interview to take place there!


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

St Arthur said:


> or request interview to take place there!


good idea if you trying to get a job of waiter or barman


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## Industrial Nomad (Jan 21, 2009)

Ella_and_Yousef said:


> good idea if you trying to get a job of waiter or barman


Don't try to tell me that you've never auditioned as a "Poledancer", Ella


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Mohammeddin said:


> One more thing about interviews.  Sometimes the employer speaks rude to you, asks private questions (why are you not married, for example), starts smoking, makes you wait for for a long time, etc. This is because he/she wants to see if you can bare stresful situations. If you are irritated, you will not get the job. Very often they use such tests when the job is connected with people (cashiers, receptionists, secretaries, etc). So be patient & polite


That is appalling and very rude behaviour from an interviewer. The interview process goes both ways and why on earth would you want to work for someone who treats you that way from the start?

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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

Elphaba said:


> That is appalling and very rude behaviour from an interviewer. The interview process goes both ways and why on earth would you want to work for someone who treats you that way from the start?
> 
> -


Unfortunately many employers still think that they make a big favor to people if they interview or hire them... They can't get that for money they pay people actually work eace:


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

jander13 said:


> is it ok if the interviewer is male?


Why ???? Its not a date its a job interview !!! :confused2:

I'm with Ella and Yousef on this one ....


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

Industrial Nomad said:


> Sounds like a good enough 'Professional" reason to pop into the nearest GO-GO bar for a couple prior to the interview to me[/QUOTE
> 
> "Go-Go bar" .... ...... bend over and show me your growth rings .... must be as old as me !!!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Ella_and_Yousef said:


> next time you just need to make sure you see enough women before your interview, so you don't have to stare at your female interviewer like she's an alien :eyebrows:


He'll probably dribble and make gurgling sounds too....

Honestly It never ceases to amaze me that men (esp in this country) have absolutely no idea how to treat a woman be they a future boss or wife?

Just none!


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## SBP (Jan 4, 2010)

And not just the locals.........................


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

Andy Capp said:


> He'll probably dribble and make gurgling sounds too....
> 
> Honestly It never ceases to amaze me that men (esp in this country) have absolutely no idea how to treat a woman be they a future boss or wife?
> 
> Just none!


why??  i know both: local woman-boss is well-treated by her local male colleagues and quite many men looking well after their wives... i think it depends on the circle of people you are dealing with...
... i know bad treats too however, disgusting!!!


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