AVOIDING COMMON
INTERVIEW MISTAKES
(Career Services and CWE Handout)

The following reasons were given by 153 Personnel Directors as to why students were unsuccessful in the interviewing process. Study these to sharpen your interviewing skills. 

 Overbearing, overaggressive, conceited, superiority complex, know-it-all attitude. 
 Inability to articulate self clearly, poor voice, diction, and grammar. 
 Lack of planning for career, no purpose or goals. 
 Lack of interest and enthusiasm. 
 Lack of confidence and poise, nervousness, ill-at-ease.
 Overemphasis on money, interest only in best dollar offer. 
 Poor scholastic record, just got by. 
 Unwilling to start at the bottom, expects too much. 
 Makes excuses, evasiveness, hedges on unfavorable factors in record. 
 Failure to participate in activities. 
 Condemnation of past employers. 
 Marked dislike for school work. 
 Failure to look interviewer in the eye. 
 Lack of knowledge of field or specialization. 
 Lack of appreciation for value of experience. 
 Failure to express appreciation for interviewer's time. 
 Poor handling of personal finances. 
 Late to interview without good reason. 
 No interest in community activities. 
 Lack of tact. 
 No interest in company or industry. 
 Lack of maturity. 
 Too much name dropping. 
 Lack of vitality. 
 Unwillingness to relocate. 
 Poor personal appearance. 
 Cynical. 
 Limp, fishy handshake. 
 Unconventional moral standard. 
 Unstable married life. 
 Intolerant, strong prejudices. 
 Friction with parents. 
 Narrow interests. 
 Sloppy application. 
 Inability to take criticism. 
 Merely shopping around. 
 Radical ideas. 
 Wants job for only a short time. 
 Never heard of company. 
 Little sense of humor. 
 Indefinite response to questions. 
 Parents make decisions. 

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CAREER SERVICES & COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE
SCC 972.881.5781/G103; PRC 972.377.1781/F109; CPC 972.548.6747/A108

Copyright © 2005 Collin County Community College District.  All Rights Reserved.
Last revised by Deborah Anglin, May 2005