Interview Mistakes

I have had a professional interview before. It was not for a full time job but a summer job, so I don't think the questions were as tough as what you should expect for an entry-level job interview. They were only taking me for the summer so I could get some experience and they could get some summer assistance, and they only needed to know that I was competent enough for that. I think my interviews generally went well. Generally the main things I was asked were to talk more about what was on my resume. I was asked where I went for my study abroad semester, and which cities were the best. I was asked about projects at Clemson. At my very first interview I was incredibly nervous because I didn't know what to expect. My hands were trembling as I flipped through my portfolio pages. I didn't get the job, but I probably wouldn't have anyway because they had already filled the position and I had an interview because of a communication error. But there is really nothing to be nervous about. I was never asked a 'greatest weakness' question or anything like that. Maybe it is different for other job descriptions though.

I agreed with most of the mistakes, but I don't know why it didn't mention the common mistake of not asking a question at the end of the interview. It did say that the questions you ask should be good ones, not questions like "does this company do so and so work," which you should know already. I thought that the last one about syncing your overall composure with the interviewer was a good one, ie joking around vs. serious, because your body language and mood will give the impression that you are like the interviewer, and people like people who are like them. The practice thing was good advice, and I think that the Clemson Career Center gives mock interviews to help you with that.

On another note, number 2 was "don't treat the secretary poorly," and the explanation looked like it was an explanation for a different question. I don't know whether that was an error, but I would like to hear the answer to that question because I didn't know that interviewees tended to treat the secretary poorly.