Things not to do at interview........

Swindale Parks' Top Tips to help you secure your next Sales or Marketing & Creative job...........

If you are smartly presented, adhere to basic social etiquette and contribute sensibly to a progressive meeting then you are well on your way to your new sales or marketing job. However there are some blunders to avoid:

Don’t be late, but if you can’t avoid it make the call – and don’t say it’s because you overslept!
Don’t drop your guard - your interviewer may be relaxed but you need to keep your wits about you - so, answer questions concisely, without waffling, and maintain a professional body posture at all times.
Don’t think you can wing it; preparation is a must – if you know very little about your prospective future employer then this just makes you look ignorant (and quite frankly you don’t deserve to receive a job offer).
Don’t be negative, especially about former employers or bosses, this is always frowned upon.
Don’t lie – by all means emphasise the positive and minimize the negative, but most important of all be honest.
Don’t dress down – if you look the part then you’ll feel the part, and if you feel the part you’ll perform well in the interview. The shinier your shoes the more confident you’ll feel – trust me. How many times have you heard the adage “first impressions count”.
Don’t try and dominate the meeting - but play your part – afterall, interviewing is a two way process. Ask the interviewer questions that will enable ‘you’ to decide whether you want to work for him or her.
Don’t provide a reference from a disgruntled former employer or colleague – choose someone who has lots of positive things to say about you.
Don’t forget to close! Sales person or not why walk away from the meeting not understanding how you have performed? Ask the interviewer the direct question, “am I the kind of person you are looking for?” You have the perfect opportunity, as they are sat right in front of you- don’t leave it to chance!