You’re on the move in your career, your CV is on point and doing its job (you’re landing interviews.. happy days!). I can almost see you now, tapping away at your laptop, researching the organisation and preparing for interview questions to within an inch of your life. The big day comes and you feel like you do alright in your interview, but the truth is something’s not working, and the job offer you nervously wait for never arrives.
⏳ The Terrible Wait After Your Interview Ends.. Begins..
The relief of coming our of your interview without too many battle scars is quickly followed by waves of anxiety. The lack of response over the days to come can be painful, only to finally come to a jarring end with a ‘thanks but no thanks’ email (and that’s if you’re lucky enough to get any communication back at all). So that’s why I’m sharing my top career coach interview confessions on the 3 interview mistakes that sabotage your job offer (so you don’t have to make them, too).
💔 The Sting of Rejection
At best you’re frustrated, at worst, devastated. I know so much change might be riding on the back of that job offer… where you spend your days, what you do with your time, the money you earn and the lifestyle which comes with it all. Let’s face it, from moment you got that sweet invitation to interview, you visualised it, you could literally see yourself in that role.
👀 I’ve Seen A Thing Or Two; Let Me Pull Back The Curtain
Listen, I’ll be straight up with you as a career coach and ex recruitment agency owner. I have interviewed hundreds of people over the years and coached even more. And I’m going to share with you a couple of things I know people tend to falter on, and what can blow it at the final hurdle. Stand by, for my top career coach interview confessions and the moves that I’ve seen that can definitely mess it all up.
💥 Career Coach Interview Confessions: The Three Sabotage Moves I See Happen:
Sabotage Move 1: You assume they know what you can do from your CV or Application
You make the assumption they have read your application and CV fully.. and remembered it word for word. I can confidently tell you, they haven’t. And even if they did, they’ll have a ton of information to remember for each candidate they meet. And honestly, who has the time to read an entire CV anyway?
👉 Prevent it happening: Always position yourself in the interview conversation from a place of knowledge sharing, not just filling in the gaps. It’s up to you to share the right story and offer the right information. Memorise your CV, especially the dates you worked at organisations over the last 10 years.
Sabotage move 2: You’re awkward blowing your own trumpet
Skimming over or missing out on the opportunity to demonstrate your value is nothing short of a sin. If you can’t tell them the good stuff about you, how are they supposed to know? I get it, saying positive things about ourselves to others is not something we do often, and can feel strange.. but now is not the time to be shy.
👉 Prevent it happening: The best candidates are the one which can speak positively about most things, but definitely about themselves. If you cannot see the good in yourself, what are the chances that you see the good in others? Even if it doesn’t come naturally to you, the interview is definitely a time for a glass is half full attitude.
Sabotage move 3: Waffling
Keeping your fingers crossed and hoping for the best and having no clear idea of the important bits you want your interviewer to specifically know about you.. is not good. This is likely to end up with verbal garbling or weak sentence endings to your answers. And you create zero impact.
👉 Prevent it happening: Prepare little stories in advance which you want them to know about about you. Stories where you talk about your qualities, those which reflect what they are looking for in the job role. You should have 3 -5 positive stories ready to share which demonstrate your skills, strengths and how you fit the role.
⭐ Career Coach Final Thoughts
So, there you have it. My career coach interview confessions and the 3 mistakes you could be making which can sabotage your offer. Now over to you; check before you arrive for interview (or join the Teams call) that you have etched a copy of your CV on your brain. Know the stories you are going to share. Keep things positive and leave each answer with a sweet, sweet uplift at the end. And finally, know exactly what YOU want THEM to know about your before you even start.
If you want more insider tips and the deal breaker moves to avoid before your interview, watch my free mini training
I’m Zoe, Master Career Coach, Interview Specialist and Ex-Recruitment Agency Owner. I coach to create success in the job search space, and I love to teach people how to interview really well, so they can get offers for the jobs they really want. I share knowledge and guidance through coaching and digital courses, and lots of freebie tips & hacks, all designed to give you real-world, transformative support so you know how to get the job you deserve.
