13 defects that can torpedo your job interview

April 19, 2024

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

If you are one of the lucky candidates who has reached this point, it means that something of your Curriculum Vitae has caught the attention of the recruiter. Now is the time to make clear that you are the ideal person for the job that is offered, so you must be careful and not let this great opportunity stay in nothing . So, beware of exposing certain flaws in job interviews.

Job interviews today

Those people who are not experts in the selection of personnel surely do not know what interviewing competencies are, an interview format that is widely used today.

This type of interview offers 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 competences, which are the technical skills, motivations, attitudes and values, what we know how to do and the knowledge and training that we have 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 their characteristics

Interview by competences helps the interviewer and facilitates the work, because you can know what is looking for you exactly in advance to be able to evaluate you more efficiently. Competency interviews aim to measure these individual qualities and help identify, through different questions, whether or not you have competencies for that particular workplace.

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

The response of the interviewee will help the recruiter to evaluate their competences, and determine if the candidate knows how to solve problems in times of stress, if they have initiative, leadership capacity and if they lose nerves or not in situations in which the demand is greater.

Related article: "How to face an interview by competences: 4 keys to get 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 should leave a good impression for the recruiter to choose 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 opportunity for the recruiter to meet you and think about whether you are a good candidate for the position. Now that you've read this article and you know what competency interviews are, It is necessary that you know that you must take the interview more or less prepared .

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

Likewise, It is also important that you know the organization and the details of the company , because this shows that you are interested in working with them. Do not fall into the error of being unprepared.

2. Lying about your information or experience

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

3. Speak badly 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 it can give you information about how you are. Do not take this question as an opportunity to bring out some grudges you may have towards your old company or towards your former bosses. Better leave a good taste in your mouth and do not speak ill of them.

4. Arriving late

If there is something that is going to automatically eliminate you from the candidacy for a job, it's late . If you are not able to make such an important appointment on time, how are you going to do it in a job every day? If you want to make a good impression, try to get there on time.

5. Dressing inappropriately

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

6. Show insecurity

Generally, companies want people who have confidence in themselves and who contribute something to the organization, with initiative and enough effort to successfully perform 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 advice to improve your self-confidence, you just have to read our article: "How to increase your self-confidence in 6 steps"

7. Do not show good body language

When you do not trust yourself or lie during the job interview, you often show body language that does not match what you say. 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 their interview .

8. Neglecting the correct verbal communication

Communication is essential in the interview , and neglecting the situation in which one is sinning from an excess of confidence, 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 compromised information or use vulgar vocabulary or too colloquial expressions. Better to use formal and respectful vocabulary, yes, without losing the naturalness.

9. Interrupt the interviewer while talking

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

10. Talk 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 vacation or salary. Better to wait for the interviewer to talk about it or wait at the end of the interview to make the comment in a subtle way.

11. Lack of interest

And this may show a lack of interest in the position, as well as not worry about preparing the interview . Companies want motivated people, who will work hard for the company to succeed. If asking about the entrance holidays, it can be bad. 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 defects

It is very frequent that in the job interview they ask you about your faults and your virtues . These questions follow the procedure of the competences interview, in which you try to find out your degree of sincerity.

To say that you have no defects is unreal, so the correct answer would be that you have some defect. Now, you must be careful when answering this question. If you say that you are an aggressive person, you will probably be discarded for the position at the first exchange. On the other hand, if you say that sometimes you can be a 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.

If you know other cheating questions, you can read our article: "Job interviews: 8 cheating questions (and how to manage them successfully)"

13. Make it clear that you do not like team work

Another cheating question that can make you usually refers to whether you like teamwork or individual work. Teamwork is one of the competences most valued by recruiters , so a company will not want to have someone on their team who is on their own

If you want to be successful, try to make it clear that you like to work with others, since you consider that it is beneficial for the performance of the organization and to obtain better results. The unit makes the force.