You may be concerned that your rehearsed response to the question, “What is your greatest weakness as an employee?” is far from perfect, but at least you know well enough not to ask your interviewer to buy you a lunch. Get some laughs from the Wall Street Journal’s Big Blunders Job Hunters Make. Need more? Check out CareerBuilder’s Top 10 Interview Mistakes.
Complaining about your previous employer is probably the one mistake that I see smart people repeat. Focus on why the job you are interviewing for is right for you, not the reasons why your old job was wrong. If asked during an interview why you left your previous position, you can answer honestly, but don’t go on at length.
Other clueless mistakes that I’ve seen that were not mentioned:
- Casual swearing
- Chewing gum
If you’ve ever beat yourself up over an interview misstep, some of these major lapses-in-judgment ought to make you feel better.