An HR Consultant Shares the Most Common Interview Mistakes

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with human-resources consultant Melanie Shong Helm, owner of HR Common Sense Solutions in Daytona Beach, Florida. Her identity has been verified by Business Insider. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I’ve worked in human resources for more than three decades. These days, I run my own consulting firm and conduct more than 1,000 job interviews a year on behalf of mostly small-company clients in a range of industries. Junior, mid-career, and senior candidates all make mistakes.

A classic one is showing up late. It still happens. A few weeks ago, a candidate for a senior supply-chain position was a few minutes late for an interview with me. The next day, he was about 30 minutes late for an interview with a director. He didn’t get an offer.

I don’t ask for excuses or want to hear them. If someone can’t get to a job interview on time, they won’t get to a job on time.

Another common flub is when candidates speak poorly of their current or former colleagues. Don’t do this. Getting along with your coworkers and having positive work relationships are critical.

During a recent interview for an assembly-line position at a manufacturing plant, a candidate described his former teammates as lazy and bad at their jobs. He had nothing positive to say about anyone. He didn’t get an offer either.

Job seekers also frequently err by sharing too much information about medical-related issues or caregiving needs. I don’t ask questions about those things, but sometimes candidates weave them into their answers.

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Recruiters should only want to know if you are a good fit for the role. Put your personal issues aside and focus on what makes you the right hire.

If the job is 40 hours a week and you need 20 hours to care for a loved one during the middle of the day, then maybe you shouldn’t be applying for it. If getting the job would mean you could now afford in-home care, then make that assessment on your own.

You can always say no to a job offer, and you can always negotiate. Maybe you need every third Wednesday off because you have to take your child to therapy. If you land an offer, say I have one concern that I think we can solve, and lay it out.

Lastly, many candidates fail to send thank-you notes to the people who interviewed them. But doing that shows good manners and can help you stand out.

I once worked for a large corporation with more than 26,000 employees. The vice president of engineering had a shelf where he kept the few thank-yous he had ever received from interviewing people. He often talked about how much that impressed him, and that’s why he saved them.

No matter the level of the position you’re seeking, take a few minutes to send personalized thank-yous to each interviewer by text or email. At some point, you were provided an email address or phone number for the person interviewing you.

If you really want to shine, look up the company’s physical address so you can send a handwritten thank-you. It will be worth its weight in gold.

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