Perhaps the most important thing to remember when going into an interview is that the hiring manager wants to hire you. They already think your background and skills are a fit, at least on paper and they now want to confirm whether or not you will be the right fit by conducting the in-person interview to learn more about how you conduct yourself.
Here are a few sure things that will sabotage your chances in the interview:
- Personal appearance which is less than professional.
- Overbearing, overaggressive or egotistical behavior.
- Lack of interest and enthusiasm — being passive and indifferent.
- Sounding desperate for a job and discussing personal financial challenges.
- Lack of confidence and poise; nervousness.
- Overemphasis on compensation.
- Evasiveness; making excuses for unfavorable factors in work history.
- Lack of tact, maturity and courtesy.
- Speaking badly about past employers, managers, projects or technologies.
- One word answers.
- Failure to ask questions about the position.
- Lack of preparation for the interview — failure to get information about the company, resulting in the inability to ask intelligent questions.