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So now you’ve got your GED Diploma! Such a great achievement. This means you can apply for a decently-paying job or go to college. Now, everything is possible!
Even when you want to apply for an entry-level position, you may attend college on a part-time basis at a later time on weekends or through a night-time program and further your education with a certificate or associate’s degree.
If you want to enter the job market, chances are you’ll be invited for a job interview when your resume and cover letter were accepted and you meet all the requirements.
So let’s take a closer look at some all-too-common job interview mistakes and also at a few pretty unusual mistakes to help you make it through the interview.
Probably all of us are able to recall an embarrassing moment at some point in our lives caused by our nerves. It may have been drawing a blank at some crucial time or spilling a hot drink on your first date, or stuttering while giving a presentation in school.
Well, at one point or another, there have been times when anxiety has gotten the best of us. And that counts for most of us.
The job interview
So let’s take a closer look at the job interview, one of the most nerve-racking events in our lives. The job interview is really perfect for this sort of typical foot-in-mouth happenings.
It’s the combination of pressure and excitement that can cloud our judgment. This leads to making mistakes, comments, and decisions that we normally wouldn’t make.
Well, the fact of the matter is that making mistakes is simply part of us being human. Usually, hiring managers and employers will let the occasional fumbled sentence or blank stare slide during a job interview. Read also this post about how to ace the job interview.
But we also hear of slip-ups that candidates simply cannot recover from. Sometimes they make mistakes so ridiculous that, even if they had any potential in the eyes of the interviewer, that’ll completely eclipse.
What type of mistakes, you may want to know. Well, just take a look at the mistakes below. We didn’t make this up. It not like you made a mistake on one of the GED tests. These mistakes were reported by hiring managers to CareerBuilder.
They reported these most unusual interview mistakes or mishaps they had ever seen. Granted, we cannot be certain if all these mistakes/mishaps were caused by nerves, but we’ll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Keep in mind that if you can beat test anxiety, you can also avoid these “mistakes.”
10 unusual job interview mistakes
- A candidate brought the book “How To Interview” with her to the interview.
- A candidate asked, “Which company is this about?
- A candidate put the job interviewer on hold during the phone interview. When she got back on the phone line, she said to the interviewer she had a date set for Friday.
- A candidate wore a Boy Scout uniform. He never told the interviewer why.
- A candidate mentioned promptness as her major strength after she showed up 15 minutes late.
- On his way to the job interview, a candidate passed illegally, cut off, and flipped his middle finger to another driver. That driver happened to be his interviewer.
- A candidate referred to herself in the 3rd person.
- A candidate took off her shoes in the midst of the interview.
- A candidate asked if he could take a sip of the interviewer’s tea.
- A candidate said to the interviewer that she wasn’t sure whether the job offer was worth “getting out of bed for.”
Now, how’s that for some 3rd-party embarrassment…
Well, before you’ll ask, “What idiot would ask a complete stranger for a sip of her tea?” please note that it really doesn’t need a mistake like the bizarre examples listed above to kill an interview.
6 all too common job interview mistakes
There are so many less ridiculous, though equally detrimental job interview gaffes that candidates make all the time, even smart ones… According to a survey conducted by CareerBuilder, the following list contains errors that job seekers, also those with a GED, make most frequently:
- Answering phone calls or texting (76 percent)
- Appearing highly disinterested (74 percent)
- Showing up inappropriately dressed (71 percent)
- Appearing highly arrogant (71 percent)
- Negative talk about the previous or current employer (67 percent)
- Chewing gum (63 percent)
So just be sure to avoid making these mistakes, outrageous or otherwise, in your job interview. Can that be so hard?
Just make sure to be optimally prepared. With proper preparation and practice, all candidates can greatly improve their interview skills. Well-prepared job seekers show more confidence. They are more articulate and relaxed. Therefore, they are less susceptible to error than candidates who don’t prepare properly.
Before your job interview, do some thorough research about the company. You should also conduct mock interviews with family members or friends and you should practice telling anecdotes that are highlighting your accomplishments.
Usually, when you’ve made it through the job interview, employers will run a background check on you. This also counts for Amazon, one of America’s largest employers. It’s simply part of the company’s hiring procedures to check if your GED is real and possible background issues.
A post-job interview Thank You Letter – So important!
So you applied for the job and the interview is over. As you reflect on how well you think it went, keep in mind the interviewer probably has quite a few people he or she is talking to.
It may be weeks before the interview process is winding down and probably, the company you applied to wants to run a background check on you as well as they want to make sure there are no risks or possible liabilities. This simply takes time.
You did your best to enthrall and impress the interviewer but if you were among the first interviewees, how can you be sure your face, name, and credentials will stay at the forefront of his memory?
The answer is an amazing thank you letter. In this day and age when letter writing is a lost skill, having that skill can mean the difference between who gets the job in the end.
When to send an interview Thank You Letter
Time is of the essence. Send the letter within 24 hours of your interview. This accomplishes three things. First doing it quickly means you won’t set the task aside and then forget about it. Second, it will take a few days to arrive.
If the interview process is moving swiftly, waiting any longer to remind the interviewer of what a great catch you are could be too late. Third, it shows the interviewer just how serious and dedicated you are about landing this job. It gives him pause to think about you again. These days, it is getting harder and harder to secure a good job so this may help.
Formats for interview Thank You Letters
Consider the job you are applying for. Take into account the type of person the interviewer was. Were they serious and all business or was there a more relaxed and casual feel to the interview?
Tailor your letter to your reader and ensure to get career advice. However, don’t make the mistake of being too casual. You are still being evaluated and what might seem like humor to you might be misinterpreted by a reader who doesn’t know you well.
What about Second Interviews?
If you are fortunate enough to get a second interview, it means you are in contention for the position. You definitely need to send another thank you letter for the interview. For all you know, the first thank you letter cinched you getting the second interview.
Make sure you emphasize your appreciation for the second interview and highlight any discussions that seemed to be the focus of it, like a particular set of skills the interviewer was interested in or your willingness to travel. This reminds the interviewer of the particular features he was impressed with about you.
Thank You Letter Tips
Thank everyone you interviewed with. If you saw several people, each person should get a thank you letter. If that is not possible for some reason, make sure you send the letter in the right format to the person responsible for making the hiring decision.
Be sure to mention your appreciation for meeting with any others who were present during your interview in the letter you send.
Spellcheck and double-check your grammar. Now would be a terrible time to botch the impression you’ve made with poor writing skills. So you better not only learn how to write a research paper but a great thank you letter as well.
If more than two weeks have passed since your interview, send a follow-up thank you letter. Yes, it is a little pushy but it is not overbearing. Someone in the decision-making process may have taken a business trip or vacation. You want to remind them you are still grateful for the interview and let them know you are still interested in their company.