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Culture & Careers Blog Post

Landing Your Dream Job: What to avoid during an interview

You said everything right in the interview, but you still didn’t get the job.

What went wrong?

Here are some common interview pitfalls that could prevent you from landing your dream job.

Lack of Preparation.

Since you’re reading this article, it can be assumed that you are preparing for an interview. This is a great first step!

Preparing for an interview can eliminate nerves and make for more of a conversation with the interviewer.

Research the company. A law firm in New York City is going to have a different vibe than a progressive tech firm in LA. Every organization is different and will have its own personality.

If you can, find out who you’ll be interviewing with and search for them on LinkedIn. It is a lot less nerve-racking to go into an interview with a familiar face.

Masking weaknesses as strengths.

A common question asked in an interview is “what is one strength and weakness of yours?” People tend to try and mask their weakness as a strength such as “I am overly organized.” Try instead to take your real weakness and find a pleasant way to say it.

For example, if you lack a team player attitude try “sometimes, I find it easier to work alone than in a team setting.” Be honest. Everyone has a weakness in the work-place and showing the interviewer that you are authentic is key.

Being ingenuine during an interview will not get you far. Most of the time, the interviewer can see right through it. Be yourself.

Bashing previous employers.

No interviewer wants to think that you will go bashing them in the future.

Talking negatively about your current or previous employer is unprofessional. Of course, it is important to discuss challenges in your previous positions and that is okay. Be sure to do it in a constructive way.

Too many filler words.

Everyone gets nervous and it is common to add in “yeah,” “um” and “like.” To avoid this, practice what you’re going to say. This will help eliminate those extra words and you will have more confidence.

“I don’t know.”

There is always a better response than “I don’t know.” Remember you have come prepared for this interview and you do know. It is ok to take a second to respond.

Speedy Money Talk.

Let the interviewer bring up pay first. Chances are they will talk about it during the interview process.

Too much zeal to get straight to compensation may alert the interviewer that money is more important than the work performed. Compensation is a key part of any job search, but it has its time in the interview process and that is not within the first few minutes.


The interviewer is determining whether your skills and personality are the right fit for the job. Everything you say in a job interview factors into the hiring manager’s decision. Go in with a positive attitude and remain professional and your confidence will show.


These are just a handful of mistakes to avoid during an interview. Check out this episode of the Work Awesome podcast for more!


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