3 Interview Myths That Could Hurt Your Chances of Getting the Job

As one of the leading recruiting agencies in Houston, Murray Resources knows that when it comes to job interviews, there are some commonly held beliefs that aren’t necessarily true. But to ensure you perform well and stand out among other candidates, you need to know the truth.

To help you in your job search, here are a few of those myths debunked:

Myth #1: You can’t show any weaknesses.

Most interviewers ask you about weaknesses or mistakes made. Try to answer these questions honestly, without the typical “I’m a perfectionist” response (which a good interviewer will see right through). When you do, though, keep in mind that you shouldn’t just be talking about a weakness. You should be talking about how you’re working to improve it or lessons learned from a mistake you made.

Everyone has weaknesses and flaws; even the best candidate. But it’s what you learn from them and put into practice that will truly make you stand out in the eyes of an interviewer.

Myth #2: You have to wait “your turn” to ask questions.

It’s true that you should go into a job interview with a list of questions that will help you to learn more about the opportunity. But you don’t necessarily need to wait until the end of the interview to ask them. Instead, if the interviewer brings up a topic related to one of your questions, ask it then.

Remember, a job interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. Both you and the interviewer are trying to determine whether you’re a good match for the position.

Myth #3: You need to be ready to talk about a litany of skills.

When the interviewer undoubtedly asks why they should hire you, don’t respond with a list of skills and strengths, like “I’m a hard worker, I’m a team player, I work well independently, etc.”

Instead, before the interview, think about the one or two skills or strengths you have that are most important for the position and then expand upon them with specific examples.

For instance, “I’m a team player. In my last position, I was an integral member of a team tasked with launching the company’s new website by an ambitious target date. Not only did we beat expectations, but we were also able to begin on Phase II of the project earlier than anticipated as a result.”

Need More Help Nailing Interviews?

If you do, let Murray Resources know. As one of the leading recruiting agencies in Houston, we can help you with the entire job search process – from preparing for interviews to finding job opportunities that are a good fit for your skills and background.

Ready to get started? Contact us today.