Being professional is the call in today's world, and if you are going through the crucial job hunt phase, you would be advised by one and all around to act 'professional'. In the competitive world, having the right knowledge and work skills is just not enough for success, be it your career or the job interview which you have to face at one point of time or the other. Your attitude, which includes your frame of mind, the way you carry yourself, the way you talk, your dressing sense, your behavior and many other things account for a successful interview experience. There are thousands of candidates in line for a single job, and thus even the minor aspects are considered while finalizing a candidate. An interview is the process of assessing a candidate's suitability for any post, and it is an integral part of the hiring process. A tidy preparation is expected from a person who has to appear for the interview. We have discussed in detail the common blunders that candidates usually commit in the interview. These have been written keeping in mind the conventional face to face interview. Lack of Information: An interview cannot be taken casually and needs sufficient preparation. As part of your preparation for the interview, you need to do research and find information about the company which you have applied for. Blunders happen when a candidate is asked questions about the company by the interviewers and he/she is left tongue-tied due to lack of knowledge. This creates an awkward situation for the candidate as it is often expected by the interviewers that the candidate has some basic knowledge of the company's working and facts. You should avoid this by proper research about the company so that you do not get into any awkward situation. Inappropriate Dressing Style and Others: A lot has been written about the significance of dressing in the past. But, still many candidates dress in an undesirable way for the interview. The physical appearance of the candidate conveys a lot about the candidate to the interviewer. In an interview you have to look your professional best.

• In men, an unshaven look, disorganized hair, untidy shoes and inappropriate clothes will create a wrong impression on the recruiter.
• Women and fashion are synonymous, but while dressing for an interview, the fashion should be kept in check. Excessive makeup and making heavy use of accessories is something that the candidates should avoid. The dressing should be kept professional and simple, and preferably light colored clothes should be worn for the interview.
• As far as grooming is concerned, untrimmed nails and not shampooing the hair will also create a bad impression on the recruiter.

To avoid these mistakes you should give a thought to your dressing style, and as an extra effort in your interview preparation should take the help of a professional groomer. Wrong Talk: An interview is a formal occasion, and thus you have to be very careful about your communication skills. It is quite natural for the candidate to feel the pressure during the interview. This building pressure subsequently has an impact on the communication of the candidate. Some candidates are ignorant about the expected communication style and speak in the least desired way. This may include talking in a casual manner, or asking too many questions to the interviewer, or just speaking too much. When interviewers ask questions to the candidates, the candidates often out of nervousness or the urge to give quick responses speak irrelevant stuff. This results in blunders as you had spoken something you would have not, had you given it a thought. Another common error is candidates badmouthing their past employers. Many candidates out of frustration speak in a negative tone about their past employers. One has to avoid this tendency because it conveys to the interviewer that you don't have a positive view on life. Your talk should convey it to the employer that you are a person with a positive frame of mind. In an interview, to avoid the blunders due to communication you should maintain a calm mind and give a moment's thought prior to answering. Overlooking Etiquette: The chief reasons for interview errors by candidates are nervousness or a callous attitude. The interviewers generally comprise human resource executives and thus up to some extent can pick out bad candidates. They are good observers of people and look for a candidate who has good manners and etiquette. An interview being a formal meeting the candidates are expected to follow certain etiquette and mannerisms, not following the mannerisms can lead to blunders during the interview.

• Not greeting the interviewer; often in a hurry candidates forget to greet the interviewer. This suggests lack of etiquette in the candidate.
• An improper posture, playing with some object in hand, running your fingers through your hair while talking, shifting and changing positions, a poor handshake, or lack of eye contact.
• In an interview you are also not supposed to talk about the salary aspect; talking too freely about salary is not proper etiquette and you should avoid it.

Forgetting the Required Documents: In an interview, you are required to carry certain documents as per the guidelines of the recruiting agency. Your resume and the certificates of past academic records have to be carried to the interview. Mistakes occur when the interviewer asks for the documents and the candidate realizes that he has forgotten to bring them. Some others have been listed below. Take a quick look. Some Others

• Not reaching the interview on time, that is either reaching too early or too late.
• A candidate presenting wrong facts and getting caught by the interviewer.
• A candidate is expected to greet the interviewer after the interview has concluded; not doing this will also be taken note of.
• Using slang and a casual language tone while communicating is not a good sign at all.
• The pitch of your voice and the expression on your face should be friendly for anyone. You should not speak in a high volume or a low volume.
• In an interview you are expected to keep your cell phone either switched off or on the silent mode. An accidental ringing of the cell phone in the interview room is not a sign of professionalism.
• Running towards the interview room should be avoided. Instead you should proceed to the interview room taking gentle strides.
• A common mistake is entering the interview room without taking permission. Always remember to knock on the door before you enter.
• Last but not the least, you are expected to call up and thank the interviewer after the interview is done.

The above were some of the common interview blunders that should be avoided by a candidate. You have plenty of resources that would help you polish the skills for the interview. But confidence and composure are the two factors that have a huge impact on your chances of success in the interview. An interview is the stepping stone to a rewarding career and you should take all the effort to make it worthwhile. All the best!