Everyone knows how nerve-wracking a job interview can be but not everyone knows the common mistakes to avoid.

By Candice Chan

So you’re fresh out of university, facing ten different job interviews with no idea of what’s acceptable and what’s not. You want to be yourself, relaxed and charming but you’re afraid you’ll make mistakes and kill your chances of nailing that job you’ve always wanted.

Fear not. Here’s your guide to the most common mistakes people make at interviews so you won’t tread in their footsteps.

WHAT NOT TO SAY

Do not use Singlish
Phua Chu Kang may be funny with his lahs, lors, lehs and Singlish, but the rest of us will just sound uneducated speaking like that in an interview. Speak the best you can. Don’t give your prospective employer an excuse to write you off on the grounds of incomprehensibility, or the fact that he’ll have to send you for a “Speak Good English” course.

Do not make personal remarks
It’s not your place to comment on your interviewer’s dress sense, even if he does turn up in a pink shirt and yellow suit. A little informality is fine, but keep the conversation on a strictly professional footing.

Do not criticise yourself
If you don’t believe in yourself, who would? Being overly humble will never convince the interviewer that you’re the one for the job. Saying that you have no experience and will probably mess up or that you’re terrible at project management shows that you lack confidence. Remember that interviews are all about selling yourself and turn those into positive statements instead.

Do not lie
Don’t tell the interviewer that you’re an expert at economics when you really mean that you contribute to the Singapore economy on your weekly shopping sprees, or that you’re a top student with a full set of Fs on your school report. Given today’s methods of communication and data storage, it’s all too easy for the interviewer to verify things. The truth will be uncovered sooner or later, so it’s definitely best to be completely honest.

WHAT NOT TO DO

Do not be late
Lateness is THE cardinal sin of interviews. Not being punctual shows that you don’t care enough about the job and that you don’t respect the interviewer and his time. Set out early so you won’t get caught unexpectedly in traffic or be delayed by a flat tire.

Even if you do have a valid reason for being tardy or unable to turn up at all – a genuine sudden illness, a family emergency or something along these lines – have the courtesy to contact the interviewer as soon as possible and schedule another meeting if necessary.

Do not ignore personal grooming
Scruffy clothes, T-shirts and jeans, skirts that are too short, and excessive jewellery are generally not a good idea at an interview. The company is looking for someone to fill a position and they’d like to know that you’ll look the part if they hire you. The days of top hats and coattails are long gone, but at least make sure your clothes are clean and ironed and you don’t look like you’ve just crawled out of bed. It would be best to hide that tattoo of your mother’s name too.

Do not give a limp handshake or avoid eye contact
A hand like a dead fish suggests that you lack confidence, sincerity, or both. Shifty eyes suggest that you killed your neighbour’s dog or something equally horrifying. Shake hands firmly (making sure not to crush the interviewer’s hand), and look him in the eye during the conversation.

Do not touch your phone
Put it in silent mode and leave it in your pocket. It would be difficult for the interviewer to concentrate or take you seriously if he hears your phone ringing every five minutes, worse if that ringtone’s Blue by Eiffel 65. And he would definitely find it hard to believe that you really want the job if you take calls or send text messages while he’s asking you about what you can bring to the company. Arranging to meet your friends at Zouk can wait until after the interview.

Do not be arrogant
As a fresh graduate, you have the whole world before you. However, that doesn’t mean everyone and everything is beneath you or that you’ll definitely get the job just because you applied for it. There is no way to know everything, so don’t act like you do. Keep an open mind and be willing to listen and learn.

Do not broach the $ubject
Bringing up the question of salary before the interviewer has even managed to pronounce your name properly sends a signal that you are a calculating moneygrubber. You may be anxious to negotiate a $10,000-a-month paycheck but let the interviewer be the one to broach the subject.

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