Not Smiling or Smiling Too Much

Keeping the proper facial expressions during your interview is a complicated balancing act. A joyless expression can make you appear that you don’t want to be there and are likely not pleasant to get along with in the workplace. Constantly grinning during the interview can make you look very artificial.

The goal is to smile when necessary without going overboard. This helpful hint sounds easy, but sometimes in the nervous haze of an interview, you can forget this basic advice unless you concentrate on remembering it.

Showing Up Late

Employers want employees who will report for work on time. The reason should be obvious: Think about a time in your life when you counted on someone to help you only to have that person arrive 30 minutes late. Your interview is your first chance to prove to your potential boss that you will be responsible and show up at work each day.

Of course, sometimes setbacks such as traffic get in the way of your timely arrival. When you have a job interview, however, be sure to leave extra time to get to the interview. If you arrive for your interview with time to spare, find a coffee shop and review your preparations.

Not Doing Your Homework

Your prospective employer didn’t come into being the moment that you received the call for the interview. The company has probably been around for a while, leaving a trail of information for you to use when preparing for your interview. Even if the business is a startup, you can likely find press clippings about the company or the people who founded it. Knowing about the company allows you to give answers and formulate questions that specifically relate to the business.

Leading a Conversation With a Question About the Pay Rate

Finding out exactly how much the position you are interviewing for pays is likely a big concern for you. But you should know when and how to ask the question. You don’t want to lead with a question about money, as the timing can send the message that the payout is your only interest.

Companies want employees who remain interested in more than the number on their checks on payday. The best time to ask about salary is at the end of the conversation, the point at which the interviewer asks whether you have any questions. Try to have two other questions to ask, and put the salary question in the middle.

Checking Your Smartphone

Using modern smart devices — for example, the latest cutting-edge smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge on a fast network such as T-Mobile's 4G LTE — is a great way to coordinate your work and personal lives by using constant connectivity and moving data across platforms.

Unfortunately, smartphone use also breeds bad habits. Many of us check our phones almost constantly to keep up with various information feeds. But when you reach for your phone during an interview, you send the signal that you are not paying attention, a move that no boss likes. Instead, mute your phone and leave your device in your pocket so that you don’t distract yourself during the interview.

Wearing Too Many Accessories

Accessories such as watches, earrings, and jewelry are a way to express your individuality. However, wearing too many — or even the wrong types of — accessories can give your look a crowded and unprofessional edge by making you appear too cluttered and disorganized. Instead of picking up your usual combination of watches, bracelets, and necklaces, give some thought to simplifying for the day, with maybe a professional-looking timepiece and a couple of jewelry items to bring your outfit to life.

After all the worry and preparation, nothing compares to the feeling of knowing you nailed the interview, especially when you avoid these mistakes.