Don’t Mess Up!

Top Ten Interview Mistakes

You Can’t Afford to Make

            I want to provide you with the most practical information on how to have a successful interview.  I also wanted to let you know about some of the mistakes teacher candidates typically made – mistakes that often doomed their chances, cost them the job, or derailed their chances for employment.  These are the mistakes that pop up often enough that they deserve your special attention.  These events happen so frequently and in so many interviews across the country, that they seem to be persistent – a virus that far too often sneaks its way into an interview and “contaminates” any chance you have of getting hired.  Following are the biggest “boo-boo’s” teacher candidates make in their interviews:

      1.  Uses a Cell Phone

      Here’s a fact of life: your cell phone will not help you get a job, but it does have the potential to make sure you never do get a job.  Here’s the best piece of advice I can give you, and I know it will be painful for some: leave your cell phone in your car.  DO NOT take it into the school, DO NOT take it into the interview, DO NOT even think about it.  If you spend any time on your cell phone while in the school or in the interview you will be sending a very powerful (negative) message to the interviewer: my business is more important than your business.

      2.  Is Tardy

     First impressions count!  Get to the interview late and you will make one of the worst impressions ever.  It makes no difference what your reasons are or what kinds of excuses you use (one of my favorites - “Your secretary gave me really lousy directions.”).  If you are late, you are out!  In case you think this is not a common occurrence, one recent research report showed that 50 percent (yes, 50 percent) of job candidates were tardy for their interviews.  If you really want the job, then you’ll really be on time.  Don’t be rude, be punctual!

      3.  Presents a Poor Appearance

      O.K. here’s your basic list:  Don’t wear clothing inappropriate for an interview, get rid of any body jewelry, cover up any and all tattoos, don’t use an excess of perfume or after shave lotion, take a bath or shower (with real soap) the morning of the interview, use a deodorant, go light with the jewelry and the makeup, get a haircut or a hair styling, trim your nails, brush your teeth and use a mouthwash, ditch the gum and cigarettes, and put on your best smile.  One more thing: don’t drink any alcohol before an interview.  You definitely won’t be doing yourself any favors.

      4.  Lacks confidence

      If you don’t walk into the school or into an interview room with a degree of self-confidence you will be putting yourself at a disadvantage.  Practice all the tips, ideas, and strategies in Ace Your Teacher Interview and you’ll have the confidence you need to impress an interviewer and do well in the actual interview.

 

      5.  Is Not Focused

      Jumping around from topic to topic, not completing an answer, losing your focus, stopping and starting several times when responding to a question, and a plethora of incoherent or incomprehensible thoughts will surely doom any interview.  Trust me, it happens – more than you might imagine – and if it continues, it is a sure sign that the interview will probably end prematurely.

(Next Posting: Five More Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make)