Mistake: Being late for the interview Solution: Once you realize you’re going to be late, make the call. Whether it’s car issues or an accident in traffic, some issues will make you late even if you left early. Call and explain this to your interviewer. Don’t be too verbose or panicky. Give them your estimated time of arrival and offer to reschedule the interview, as your interviewer may have a very tight schedule. Don’t just show up late. This shows a lack of concern for the interviewer’s time. Mistake: Forgotten resume Solution: You’ve prepared for this interview for hours and as soon as you sit down and the interviewer asks for a copy of your resume, you suddenly realize that you left it on the kitchen table. Don’t panic. Keep your cool, and explain what happened. The interviewer might has the ability to print an extra copy there, or you can give them a rundown of what they would have read on paper. If you have a tablet and can pull it up quickly, do so. Do not look deflated and upset. This is not a good start to an interview. Show them you can get over it quickly and focus on moving on. Mistake: Cell phone goes off Solution: You swore you turned off the ringer on your phone, but there it goes, loudly blasting your favorite song and interrupting the interviewer. Immediately reach down and turn it off. Don’t bother looking at who called, just shut it off. Say something like, “So sorry, this thing has a mind of its own. You were asking about why I left my previous job?” Always segway into the conversation with what your interviewer was last saying. Your interruption may have made the interviewer lost her/his train of thought. Mistake: Spilled coffee on clothing Solution: You definitely shouldn’t be eating/drinking in your interview outfit, especially not while driving. But, if you just had to sneak in that last-minute cup of joe and it ended up on your suit, you have a few options. If you have time and can afford it, purchase a replacement shirt/pants at a nearby department store. If you carry around an extra outfit like some professionals, resort to that and change in the nearest public restroom. Try to cover the mishap with your jacket if you can. If you have no options, just make a joke of it and apologise briefly. Something like, “Murphy’s Law has verified its existence,” while pointing to the spot. Mistake: You blank on a question Solution: Your interviewer has just pulled out the ace and asked a question that has you completely stumped. You blank and can’t think of what to say. Quickly recover from your deer-in-headlights moment by recognizing aloud that your interviewer’s question was a very good one. Answer as honestly as you can. If you’re focusing too hard on the smartest thing to say, you could be left with a long awkward silence. Even if you’re articulating a brilliant answer in your head, taking too long will look bad and make the interviewer uncomfortable.