Saying something during small talk which ends your chances of success
When greeting your interviewer, they might make small talk and ask how your journey in was. If you’re flustered because you’ve just driven around a roundabout five times while arguing with your sat nav, you shouldn’t admit this to the interviewer.
It’s easy to say something out of the ordinary once you’re nervous, but if you admit you couldn’t find the building, your interviewer could mark you down as unreliable. They may think you’re aren’t good at organising and didn’t prepare for the interview.
In this type of scenario, it’s best to let the interviewer do the brunt of the small talk in case you say something that could harm your chances of success. By all means, ask the interviewer how their day is going if they appear chatty. But if you’re nervous, perhaps keep the small talk to a minimum.
First impressions count and you don’t want to give the interviewer an excuse to make a decision on you before you’ve had a chance to impress.
Not answering in enough detail when you’re wary of the question
If you do feel nervous, you may fall into the trap of not saying enough because you’re wary of an interview question. Once you’re breaking out in a cold sweat, you might not want to reveal much about yourself in case it harms your chances.
However, if you don’t expand on your answer, the interviewer could pick up on this and may believe you’re dodging the question.
If you relax and build on what you’re saying, your response will be more impressive than if you keep everything inside because you’re nervous. Bear in mind that the interviewer is not trying to catch you out, and in many instances, there is no right or wrong answer. Being candid rather than holding yourself back could also set you at ease for the rest of your interview.
Disclosing too much information
When an interviewer asks you a question, your nerves could also work the other way and force you to reveal too much information. If you’re asked why you want to leave your job, you could fall into the trap of being too honest and say it’s because you’ve fallen out with your manager, for example.
You might be eager to get your answer out when you’re nervous. However, it’s perfectly okay to take a moment to consider your answer to ensure you provide a more suitable response. So, if you think you’re about to drop a bombshell, pause, think about your answer, and ensure your it’s honest and professional.
Providing cliché answers to the difficult questions
If you encounter a difficult interview question, you might be tempted to give a cliché response when the pressure is on. When asked a question which involves a lot of self-reflection, you may panic and state what you think the interviewer wants to hear.
Whether you’re nervous or not, you should avoid cliché answers because they don’t reveal anything about your skills and you could be missing a chance to show how much character you have.
In this instance, you should use a specific example to build your response and you shouldn’t be afraid to take your time. Doing this means you’ll avoid giving a throwaway response and instead you’ll answer the question efficiently and clearly.
After all, wowing your interviewer during the more difficult questions could help you get ahead of the competition.
Waffling too much without making a point
Another trap you could fall into if you’ve got the jitters is waffling too much without getting to the point. It can be tough to piece together your words when you’re nervous. But you won’t impress the interviewer if you go round in circles without stating your point.
If you feel like you’re in danger of waffling, practice answering questions within a certain amount of sentences. You should also take note of the STAR answering technique. The STAR method involves breaking your response into a situation, a task, an action you completed and a result. With this structured method you’ll get to the bones of your answer at a much more suitable speed.
Misunderstanding a question
It can be easy to misunderstand a question if you’re nervous because you might be more focussed on worrying about what’s coming next, you might be eager to impress or you might have zoned out a little.
When you’re nervous, listen harder to your interviewer. Make sure you focus on the question so you keep a clear head and avoid misunderstandings. If you think you’ve misunderstood a question, it’s fine to ask to hear it again or to ask the interviewer to clarify. Your interviewer will respect your honesty and you’ll be able to answer the question to the best of your ability.
Don’t fall into these job interview traps
While these tips are geared towards people who feel nervous during interviews, anyone can use them during the trickier parts of interviews. If you do become nervous, take a moment to consider your answer and you’ll shine. In the meantime, you might find our guide on how to dress for an interview useful.
