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Mistakes, Trends, and Resources 41

It’s not until you start performing on the job that the employer gets to
see the “real YOU” and discover your patterns of behavior. In the mean-
time, the employer needs to be on his or her guard looking for evidence
that you may be the wrong person for the job. Make a mistake during the
job interview and you may be instantly eliminated from further consider-
ation. Therefore, you must be on your very best behavior and avoid the
many common mistakes interviewees make.

37 Mistakes You Can‘t Afford to Make

Employers readily volunteer a litany of mistakes job seekers male when
applying for jobs. These errors often constitute a body of interview humor
and job search stories that are as sad as they are hilarious. Many of these
mistakes are simply stupid, whereas others indicate a lack of knowledge,
experience, and interview savvy. Initially outlined in our companion job
search guide for college students and graduates - TheIoli Hunting Guide:
Transitioning From College to Careers (Impact Publications, 2003) - they
are well worth repeating here, since they provide a larger context for the
many questions and answers you will address in the remainder of this
book.
These mistakes are relevant to the whole process, from initially arriving
to closing the interview.

1. Arrives late to the interview. First impressions really do count
and they are remembered for a long time. Arrive late and you’ve
made one of the worst impressions possible! Indeed, regardless of
what you say or do during the interview, you may never recover
from this initial mistake. Employers wonder, “Willyou also come to
work late?”

2. Makes a bad impression in the waiting area. Treats recep-
tionists and secretaries as inferiors - individuals who may have
important input into the hiring process when later asked by the
employer “What was your impression of this candidate?” Caught
reading frivolous materials, such as People Magazine, in the waiting
area when company reports and related literature were readily
available for perusal.