As an interviewer, what mistakes do you wish candidates would stop making?

Question

For me, it's when a candidate doesn't ask any questions, or, just asks one, generic one but doesn't really listen to the answer. An interview is a two-way street; take advantage of the time you have to speak to your potential next boss! What about you?

Amanda Neighbours · Answer

I think about the biggest mistake I ever made in an interview:  I had a great interview with the Hiring Manager over the phone.  I asked questions, I knew the company, we really clicked.  He was about 15 minutes late for the interview and had a hard stop.  He asked if I wanted to connect again later that afternoon because he wanted to give me the same amount of time that he was giving other candidates.  Because I thought everything had been going so well, I said, 'No, that's okay.   I'll just wait to hear from you on next steps.'

Yikes...

What a silly move!  He was offering me MORE of a chance to connect with him and sell myself for the position and I. TURNED. IT. DOWN.   His tone changed and I knew immediately I had messed up, but we ended the conversation right after.  I sent the follow up email, thanking him, but the damage was done.

Needless to say, I didn't get the job.  I didn't even get the 2nd interview.  If a hiring manager offers more time, TAKE IT! :)

Anonymous · Answer

When people give really long responses to 'Tell me about yourself'- I prefer it to be a starting point, but once had someone take 10 minutes to answer the question!

Tabbi Kinion · Answer

When it is obvious someone has not done their homework about the organization. It doesn't take much to look over the website, check out the mission, and do a little homework if you are going into an interview. I've never hired someone who obviously hadn't bothered to prepare.

Lindsayyyyyys · Answer

When discussing salary, they bring up personal logistics reasons why they’d like to negotiate it higher. I.e. family, bills, etc. I understand cost of living, that is different. But candidates should be negotiating for higher pay due to merit rather than personal reasons nearly everyone else has as well!

Kathleen Beeman · Answer

I second the long responses and especially when the response has nothing to do with the question or job. I had someone drone on and on for 20 minutes about a technology that they loved to use and how they met the creator of it when it was unrelated to the job and a technology we don't use. It is helpful to always make the answers relevant to the role and showcase your fit!

Anonymous · Answer

Too many candidates forget their resume.

Maggie B · Answer

Going along with the 'too long' responses - there's also 'too short.'  Give me a little detail - tell me a story about what we're discussing, give me some context.

Orlagh Costello · Answer

People who don't answer the questions I ask. 'Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a conflict of priorities in work' - the answers I've had to that question range from 'Oh my managers have always given really clear priorities so there is no conflict' to ' it's not my job to worry about things like that'. Seriously??? Also when asked how they handle interpersonal conflict, answer, 'I've never really experienced conflict like that'.  Well now, that makes me think you're lying...

Anonymous · Answer

Playing hard to get and acting as if you are just putting feelers out. Nobody wants to hire someone who isn’t 100% sure they want the job and to work for that company.  Or to be a candidate’s back up choice. When interviewing, always be excited about the opportunity and sell yourself to the interviewer. If they feel like they need to convince you to take the job, they will move on to somebody else.

As an interviewer, what mistakes do you wish candidates would stop making?

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