By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
EP 3051 These are critical mistakes individuals often make during job interviews without realizing the negative impact.
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Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we’re tackling something really crucial if you’re out there in the job market, interview mistakes. And we’re not just talking the really obvious blunders.
We want to dissect those subtle errors, the ones that, well, they can trip you up, even if you’re a fantastic candidate. Exactly. It’s quite surprising how often really qualified people stumble, not because of skills, but just how they come across in that interview room, or the virtual room these days.
So we’re going to unpack a whole range of these missteps, everything from that first tell me about yourself question. Always tricky. All the way to the questions you should be asking at the end.
OK, so our mission here is to give you, the listener, a real edge. If you understand why certain things raise red flags, well, you can avoid them. Yeah, boost your chances significantly.
OK, let’s dive in. Right. So first up, a really common one, oversharing, just talking too much, maybe losing focus.
Yeah, the rambling. Yeah. Nerves kick in, right? Absolutely.
You feel you need to fill the silence. And sometimes, well, you fill it with stuff that’s just not relevant. It’s like that nervous energy.
You just want to sort of word vomit your whole life story. But you have to remember what they’re actually looking for. Precisely.
They’re trying to figure out, do you have the skills, the experience for this specific job? Right. So when they say, tell me about yourself, and you launch into, I don’t know, your first summer job stacking shelves, or your pet’s name. OK, maybe not the pet’s name.
Hopefully not. But things that aren’t really hitting the mark for this role, it kind of suggests you might struggle to focus on what’s important. Yeah, makes sense.
So less life story, more professional highlights real, tailored to the job. Exactly. Keep it concise, maybe around two minutes for that opening, any longer.
And you dilute the core message, which is why you’re a great fit right here, right now. Got it. OK, what’s next? Another common trap? Bad-mouthing previous employers.
Oh, this is a big one. It’s tempting, though, isn’t it? If you had a bad experience, you kind of want to vent. It is tempting, understandably so, sometimes.
But it just doesn’t reflect well on you. Because the interviewer is sitting there thinking, what are they going to say about us in a year or two? Exactly. It raises questions about professionalism, negativity.
Are you going to be a good team member? So even if the last place was a disaster? Find a different way, a more constructive way to frame why you left or why you’re looking. OK, so what’s the alternative, then? Focus on the positive, on what you’re seeking. Talk about the future.
Maybe you want more growth, more responsibility, a more collaborative team. So pivot from the negative past to the positive future you want. That’s it.
Keeps it forward-looking, professional. Strategic. I like it.
OK, what about long-term goals? When they ask, where do you see yourself? How do you avoid making it sound like you’re just passing through? Yeah, that’s another tricky one. If you start talking about plans that, well, clearly don’t involve sticking around in this role for long. Starting your own totally different business in six months.
Or switching careers entirely soon. Right. That’s going to raise commitment concerns for this specific job.
So even if you do have those bigger, different plans brewing, maybe keep them under wraps for now. At the interview stage, yes. It’s usually best.
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Focus instead on your professional development within the company. How you want to grow there. Exactly.
How you see yourself learning, taking on more, contributing to their success. You want to show you’re invested in this opportunity, even if your five-year plan looks different privately. Right.
Makes sense. OK, another one I’ve heard about sounding desperate. Oh, definitely.
A big red flag. We all need a job, but there’s a way that comes across badly. Absolutely.
Saying things like, oh, I’ll take anything, or honestly, nobody else is calling me back. Ouch. Yeah, it’s alarming for employers.
They start wondering, well, why isn’t anyone else calling you back? Is there something wrong here? It makes them doubt your qualifications, maybe. Or your confidence. Exactly.
It suggests maybe you don’t value yourself, or maybe you aren’t actually a good fit if you’re that desperate. So the better approach. Focus on the why.
Why this job? Why this company? Frame it as a positive choice. Like, I’m choosing you because. Precisely.
Highlight your genuine interest in the role, the mission, the team, whatever resonates. Make it sound like a deliberate decision, not a last resort. OK.
Now let’s talk personal stuff. Yes. Discussing personal issues.
Where’s the line in an interview? Yeah, tricky territory. Generally, it’s best to avoid bringing up personal medical conditions early on, especially if they don’t affect your ability to do the job’s core function. And if you need accommodations? That’s a conversation for after a job offer, not before.
Keep the initial interviews focused on your skills and experience. Right. What about other personal things? Politics, salary history.
Politics. Just, no. Avoid it completely.
It’s a minefield. Even if you think you know the interviewer’s views, too risky. Agreed.
And previous salary? You’re usually not obligated to share that. If they ask, you can pivot. Politely shift to discussing your expected salary for this role based on your research and experience.
Good pivot. OK, now this is an interesting one. The we versus I balance when talking about accomplishment.
Ah, yes. The subtle art of attribution. It’s important.
If you only say we, especially for collaborative projects. They don’t know what you actually did. Exactly.
It obscures your individual contribution. They’re left wondering, OK, the team did great, but what was your specific impact? But then if you only say I, I, I. Then you risk sounding like you’re not a team player, maybe a bit arrogant or self-centered. So it’s a blend.
It’s a strategic blend. Use I when you’re talking about your specific actions, your direct responsibilities, the results you drove. Use we when acknowledging the team effort, the shared success.
Showcase individual impact and teamwork. OK, related to that, how do you sound confident without tipping over into, well, cocky? It’s a fine line, isn’t it? Confidence is about clearly stating your skills, backing them up with evidence. Arrogance is more like boastfulness, maybe dismissing others.
So how do you hit that sweet spot, knowing you’re good, but not sounding like you think you’re the only one who’s good? Quantify. Quantify your impact whenever you can. Don’t just say, I improve sales.
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I increased sales by 15% in six months by doing X, Y, and Z. See, specifics, data. Right, tangible results. And show some humility.
Acknowledge team members. Show you’re open to learning. Avoid sounding infallible.
Data plus humility, got it. Now prep. Everyone knows you need to prepare, but can you actually over-prepare? Oh, absolutely.
You can if you memorize answers like a script. You sound like a robot. Exactly.
It lacks authenticity. Interviewers want a real conversation, get a feel for your personality, how you think. A script just creates a barrier.
So know your stuff, have your examples ready, but deliver it naturally. Precisely. Know your key messages, your stories, but be present, be genuine.
Respond to the actual question in the moment. Okay, and what kind of prep actually matters? Because people can focus on the wrong things, right? Very common mistake. Spending hours memorizing, I don’t know, the names of CEOs from 10 years ago, or obscure company history.
Stuff that isn’t really relevant to the role today. Right. What does matter is understanding their business now.
What are their products, their services? What are their recent challenges or successes? And critically, what does this specific role entail day to day? What are they looking for? So connect your skills to their current needs, not their ancient history. That’s the key. Show how you can solve their problems, contribute to their goals.
And interviews aren’t all the same, are they? Different stages mean different approaches. Definitely. A first round screen is different from a final panel interview, assuming they’re the same as a mistake.
What’s the difference typically? Well, the first round might be more about basic qualifications, just checking the boxes. Later rounds dig deeper into strategic thinking, cultural fit, problem solving. So Taylor, you’re prepped for each stage.
Exactly. Know the goal of that specific interview. Okay, let’s shift gears slightly.
Executive level interviews. Are there specific mistakes common at that senior level? Yes, there are distinct pitfalls there. One big one is focusing too much on the past, just recounting old achievements.
But isn’t your track record important? It is, but it’s not enough. At the executive level, they’re hiring for the future. They need to see how your past experience equips you to tackle their future challenges and opportunities.
So less, here’s what I did, more, here’s how my experience helps me solve your problem. Exactly. You need to shift the conversation from evaluation, them judging your past, to collaboration, talking strategically about their future and how you fit into it.
That’s a significant mindset shift. What’s another executive mistake? Just telling stories from the resume without pulling out the principles. What do you mean? Just saying, at my last company, we did this project, without explaining the thinking behind it, the leadership approach, the values that drove it.
They need to see how you think and lead, not just what you did. Because they might think, okay, that worked there, but we’re different. Precisely.
You need to show the transferable skills, the adaptable leadership philosophy, share the why and the how, not just the what. Focus on the principles behind the success, okay? Anything else specific to executives? Yes, limiting the discussion just to the specific job function. That’s a mistake.
You mean only talking about marketing if it’s a CMO role? Right. Executives need to think organization-wide. Your discussions, your examples, your plans, they should connect to the broader business strategy, the impact across departments.
You see the big picture. You’re being hired as a leader for the whole company, essentially. Exactly.
Now, here’s an interesting one. Asking, what does it take to succeed here at the executive level? Why is that a mistake? Seems like a reasonable question. At junior levels, maybe.
But for an executive, it can signal a lack of initiative. You’re expected to bring the vision to help define success, not just ask for the formula. It makes it sound like you need your hand held, maybe.
Less like a leader who sets direction. Precisely. You should be offering insights, maybe even advising them on the role based on your experience.
That’s a key difference. Okay, one more for executives. Blending individual contributions.
Yes, similar to the general we versus I point, but maybe even more critical at the top. You must be able to clearly articulate your specific impact, your individual initiatives, even within team successes. Vague, we did this, answers aren’t strong enough.
Gotta own your results clearly. Okay, let’s broaden back out. General mistakes for anyone.
Drawing a blank. Huge problem. Being stumped by common questions, strengths, weaknesses, why you want the job just signals poor preparation.
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You’ve gotta practice those. Absolutely, have thoughtful answers ready. What about not actually answering the question asked? Sounds basic, but it happens a lot.
People get nervous, they pivot, they talk around the question. And the interviewer just gets frustrated. Right, or thinks you’re being evasive.
Listen carefully, answer directly, then you can elaborate if needed. Good advice, and missing chances too, as you put it, toggle up achievements. Yeah, just stating facts versus highlighting impact.
Don’t just say what you did, explain how well you did it, what the positive outcome was. Quantify it again, if possible. Sell yourself, but based on facts.
Confidently, not arrogantly. And avoid cliches. Oh, the generic answer.
Exactly, I’m a hard worker, I’m a team player. Interviewers hear these constantly, they tell them nothing unique about you. Use specific examples instead, stand out.
Definitely. We also talked about oversharing, but there’s also just general TMI, too much detail, even on relevant stuff. All right, getting lost in the weeds.
Keep it focused, concise. Hit the key points that matter for the role. And at the end, when they ask, do you have any questions? Saying no.
Big mistake, huge missed opportunity. It’s just a lack of interest, lack of engagement. It’s your chance to show you’re really thinking about it.
And to learn more, always have thoughtful questions ready about the role, the team, the company challenges, the culture. Okay, and just generally, negativity or arrogance. We’ve touched on this, but worth repeating.
Absolutely critical. Maintain a positive, enthusiastic attitude. No complaining, no cynicism.
And check the ego at the door. Confidence, yes. Arrogance, no.
Project positivity. What about just basic communication skills? Fundamentally important. Being unclear, rambling, using too much jargon, mumbling.
It all undermines you. Practice speaking clearly and concisely. Be easy to understand, easy to listen to, and underpinning all of this.
Preparation, preparation, preparation. Research the company, understand the role, know how you fit. It sounds basic.
But so many people still don’t do it thoroughly enough. It shows. Okay, final point then.
Confidence. We said don’t be cocky, but you also can’t be. Too hesitant, underselling yourself is just as bad, appearing insecure, overly modest.
It doesn’t inspire confidence in the interviewer. So find that balance. Confident but humble, know your worth, state it clearly.
That’s the goal, self-aware competence. Wow, okay, that’s a lot to keep in mind. It really is amazing how many sort of small things can add up to make or break an interview.
It really is. But the good news is most of these are avoidable with awareness and preparation. Understanding these pitfalls gives you a massive advantage.
Preparation, self-awareness, clear communication. Those are your best tools. So for everyone listening as you prep for that next interview, maybe reflect on this.
Have any of these little mistakes tripped you up in the past without you realizing it? Thinking about it now can help you approach the next one with much greater awareness and hopefully much greater success. Thanks for taking this deep dive with us.
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
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