Nothing is more frustrating than knowing that you failed to accomplish something, but having no idea why. This is part of why not getting called back for a second interview is so frustrating. Assuming you didn’t make a large blunder that you can point to during the interview, it can be pretty tough to figure out where you went wrong. It could be something that happened during the interview, but it could also have nothing to do with the interview itself. Today we are going to look at some common pitfalls to avoid, and make it easier to get a second interview!
Clean your Online Presence! It does not matter how great your resume is, or how well you interview, if your social media presence is offensive you will not get hired. Make everything that you would not want an employer to see private, get rid of any statuses that speak ill of former employers, make sure those party pictures are hidden. You should also google yourself, and see what comes up. If you find some stuff that you would prefer was not there, look into using an online reputation management service, there are a lot of free options for removing old links to embarrassing parts of your past.
Forgetting Yourself- It is important to research the company, but it is not enough. You need to do your research on yourself as well. What are your relevant accomplishments? What are your relevant skills? Remember to do a thorough inventory of your potential usefulness to this company. What would you bring to the table that others could not? It is easy to forget to refresh yourself about a lot of this stuff, as we imagine that we will remember when the time comes. If you find yourself walking out of an interview kicking yourself for not telling a specific anecdote then you neglected to do this task thoroughly enough.
Leaving Poorly- Your interview is not over until you are out of eyesight and earshot. You are still being interviewed as you walk out of the hiring manager’s office, through the hallways, and even as you exit the parking lot. Do not forget this and drop the professional act before you are completely out of sight. Do not make phone calls, do not check Facebook, do not cut anyone off in the parking lot. Remember that you are still under scrutiny, and do not do anything that a model employee wouldn’t do until you are far away.
Not Following Up- If you are forgotten about you will not be hired. Remember to send a thank you note to every interviewer, and to follow up a few days later with any last questions or additional pieces of information. This will keep you fresh in everyone’s minds for a little longer- thereby increasing your chances of getting hired.
Though there is no way to know for sure what went wrong during the interview process, if you attend to these things your odds of getting hired will increase! These common pitfalls destroy many candidates chances every day, so do your best to avoid them.