Photo by Leeloo Thefirst:  

Great news – you’ve got an interview! Hooray! Yet once the initial elation fades, nerves can set in. Even though you know you can do the job and have your recruitment consultant cheering your corner, some age-old fears might still circulate in your mind: the dos and don’ts of interviews. Common interview myths such as: can this boost your chances? Will that scupper them?   

Never fear. We’ve trawled our collective, extensive experience to lay to rest some of the most notorious interview myths – and alleviate your concerns.  

Interview Myths: True or False

1. You can do too much preparation: TRUE 

The way we prepare for an interview differs between personalities. Some people will store answers to common competency questions in their head, while others write reams and reams of notes. While doing little or no preparation is a bad idea, did you know that doing too much is equally inadvisable? We’ve seen candidates appear robotic when delivering all of the information they consumed, while others have – in their attempt to illustrate how prepared they are – gone off on irrelevant tangents. Neither case showed them in their best light, which is a real shame.  

Top tip: it’s good to prepare, but don’t forget to be yourself; the interviewers want to get to know the true you. Ask your consultant if you need advice on how to prepare. 

2. You must dress professionally: TRUE…ish 

It used to be expected that even for a part-time Saturday job, you’d wear a suit for the interview. Though the strict formality of those days might have gone, we still advise our candidates to dress smartly. Not only does it give the impression that you are a professional and are serious about the role, it can also help to put you in the right frame of mind for an interview. It’s all about psychology, see? This applies also for video interviews, though if you’re wearing pyjama bottoms on your lower half, out of sight, remember not to get up before the call ends! 

Top tip: decide on an outfit in advance to avoid any last-minute wardrobe panic. 

3. If you’re late, you’re screwed: FALSE 

Here’s the thing: punctuality is good manners. However, we all know that unforeseen problems can arise, making that 10 am interview time an impossibility – be that for a video call or face-to-face meeting. The good news is that most interviewers will have sympathy and will reassuringly (demonstrating that they really want to see you) reschedule via your recruitment consultant. The key thing is to notify us as soon as you know there’s an issue. Yes, a flat-out no-show would likely result in the application process ending there and then but having the courtesy to get in touch and explain won’t do your prospects any harm.   

Top tip: store your recruitment consultant’s number on your mobile phone for quick and easy recall, should the unexpected happen.  

Bonus top tip: we’ve seen candidates left flustered and panicked in these circumstances, so request that the interview is rescheduled leaving enough time for you to catch your breath and collect yourself.  

4. You can’t take in notes: FALSE 

We do our utmost to prepare (to the right level) our candidates for an interview and if taking notes boosts their confidence, then so be it. It’s perfectly acceptable to bring in a notebook (avoid loose sheets of paper, which don’t look quite so professional) and refer to it – after all, many candidates have notes out of view during video interviews. Interestingly, what we’ve found is that nine times out of ten, a candidate doesn’t actually use the notes, but having the book to hand provides reassurance.    

Top tip: as a courtesy, ask the interviewers before referring to your notes. They won’t say no. 

5. Interviewers are trying to catch you out: FALSE

Everyone gets nervous at the prospect of an interview, it’s only natural, but please remember that an interview isn’t a grilling, it’s not the CV stage of The Apprentice and interviewers are not trying to catch you out. An interview should be a two-way conversation in which both parties get to know each other better. It’s your chance to talk about all your achievements and discover more about the company. Searching for quality applicants is tough for employers right now, so if you’re invited to an interview, it’s because you tick all their boxes, so there’s no way they’d ask questions to deliberately trip you up.  

Top tip: think of an interview as your opportunity to discover how you feel about the company, it might make you feel a little less anxious. 

Photo by Anna Shvets 

6. If you don’t have sector experience, you won’t get the job: FALSE 

Sector specialism is a trend that we’ve seen our clients move away from lately. Instead, they are looking for skills and expertise that could have been gained in any industry. This creates a wider, more diverse pool of talent from which to recruit and the successful applicant might bring exciting, new ideas that can help drive the business forward. A case in point close to home: the Parity Academy hires fabulous people who have backgrounds outside of recruitment but who possess transferable skills which enhance the role of a consultant – and everyone has progressed into a successful career. 

Top tip: As interview myths go, this is one that we hear the most – but you don’t need to worry if you haven’t worked in a specific sector. Our experts know exactly where your skills best fit and can help you get that brilliant new job. 

7. The job will always go to an internal candidate: FALSE 

This is a common interview myth which is often used as a lazy excuse to explain why a candidate was unsuccessful, but our own experience has shown that internal candidates don’t always get the job. You’re not there just to ‘make up numbers’ or so the employer can ‘go through the motions’; employers don’t have the time to mess you about. If you’re at an interview, it’s because you’re a credible candidate who has something they’re looking for. Besides, if roles always went to internal candidates, then recruitment agencies wouldn’t need to exist, and there are plenty of us, so…  

Top tip: emphasise your personal skills, expertise and achievements to demonstrate what you can bring to the company.  

8. Long notice periods are off-putting: FALSE

Naturally, an employer wants you to start your new role as soon as possible, but everyone knows that employees are contractually obliged to work a notice period. This gives a company time to find a replacement and so is respected and expected. You might be asked for your notice period at the interview – this is good, it means expectations can be managed, so don’t worry if it’s lengthy, this being bad is on of the common interview myths. Ultimately, if a company wants you, then they’ll be prepared to wait for you. 

Top tip: depending on your role/company, you may be able to negotiate your notice period. We can give you some tips on how to manage this. 

9. Thanking your interviewer wins you the job: FALSE 

Another one of the common interview myths refers to sending a separate thank you email following an interview. It’s something we’ve read about but is definitely not standard practice. While saying thanks as the interview concludes is normal, there’s no requirement to get in touch afterwards to specifically convey your gratitude. There’s a fine line; in some cases it can appear off-putting or desperate, in others, it might be warmly received. Ultimately, though, you won’t lose the job if you don’t send a subsequent thank you note. That said, if you haven’t been contacted for a week or so, you could use the thank you email as a prompt for feedback.   

Top tip: We’re always pleased to get feedback from our candidates on how the interview went and can pass on any messages. We’ll also instigate feedback from the interviewers and keep you in the loop. 

Have you ever experienced any of these interview myths yourself? Or know of any others we can debunk? Tell us. If you’re looking for your next job and would like support and guidance from a top-performing consultancy, then please get in touch, we’d love to help you.