Employment Readiness
Don’t Make These 3 Job Interview Mistakes
You've been working hard, showing up to your job sites early, staying late, and proving yourself through temp assignments. Now you're ready to take the next step toward permanent employment. When that job interview opportunity comes up with a company where you've already worked as a temp or somewhere new, you want to make sure you don't blow that chance with these common mistakes.
Not Researching the Company
You might think that you don't need to prepare for the job interview because you've done the work before or have been working with this employer as a temp for a while. That's a mistake. There's a difference between knowing how to do the job and understanding how the business operates. Researching not only what the company does but also how your work can contribute to those goals will go a long way in helping you stand out from other applicants.
If you've been working there as a temp, pay attention to what you hear around the workplace. If it's a new company, do some basic research online. By the time you arrive at your interview, you should know:
-
The company’s main customers
-
The kind of work the company does
-
Where are they located, and do they have multiple job sites
-
What challenges is the business facing, and how will hiring you help them overcome those challenges
-
What makes this company different from its competitors
Preparing for the interview will prove you’re not in it for just the paycheck. You’re there because you want to be part of the team.
Giving a Weak Answer to the "Weakness" Question
This question trips up many people, but the key is being honest without hurting your chances of being hired. Instead of focusing on a weakness, talk about what you’re doing ot improve. Answering this way will show that you take responsibility for your career and are always looking to get better.
For example, if you’re interviewing for an excavator job, don't say you haven't worked with heavy equipment for a while. Instead, you say you're brushing up on heavy equipment skills and safety to prepare yourself for this position.
Not Talking About Your Accomplishments
You might think your work history isn't impressive enough to brag about, but you're wrong. You've accomplished a lot, especially since you’ve been getting steady work through your staffing agency. All you need to do is recognize and present them correctly during an interview.
How can you start figuring out what your accomplishments are? Think about times during your job assignments when you:
-
Showed up consistently when others didn't
-
Learned a new skill or how to operate new equipment quickly
-
Helped solve a problem or made a worksite safer
-
Got positive feedback from supervisors or coworkers
-
Were you asked back to the same work site multiple times
Instead of saying "I'm a hard worker," give specific examples. Were you the only person who showed up on time to a worksite? Did you recognize a safety hazard on the warehouse floor and worked with your supervisor to resolve it?
You've already proven you can do the work through your temp assignments—showing up on time and prepared, working hard, and learning quickly is exactly what employers are looking for. Don't let interview nerves keep you from permanent employment.
