3 things: never do at an interview

You have passed the first hurdle on the road to getting a new job. You have submitted your resume and your application has been selected out of hundreds of other applications. You have been called or emailed and you have been invited to come in for a preliminary interview. As you prepare for the interview, you look at possible interview questions, prepare an outfit and print a revised version of your resume. Although you should concentrate on the correct aspects of the interview process, you should also focus on the things that you shouldn't do. Below are three things you should never do at an interview.

Inappropriate Clothing.

It is a well-known fact that the first impression is the most important impression. This being said, make sure you dress appropriately. If everyone in the company wears suits, then make sure wear a suit. If the company's policy is business casual, make sure you follow this protocol. If you don't know what the dress code is, look on their website to see if they have company pictures and model your outfit after what you see the other employees wearing. Along with clothing, make sure your hair, jewelry and makeup are conservative and low-key. You don't want to bring negative attention to your wardrobe. If you have doubts that you should be wearing something, then you probably shouldn't be wearing it. Keep everything simple and neat. That means leave the big, gold hoop earrings at home and don't choose interview day to don your new lime-green 3-inch nails.

Communication.

Lack of or too much communication can make or break an interview. Words matter. Words can excite and ignite people or they can deflate and defeat. Be very careful when communicating during an interview. Choose your word choices carefully and keep your answers on topic and concise. Do not make your answers long and wordy. On the other end of the spectrum do no make your answers so short that you do not effectively answer the question. Answer the interviewer's question and try to find common ground. Do not elaborated on your pet dog Jimmy's potty training adventures.

Lack of Research.

Researching a company is a vital step in the overall interview preparation process. Take time to look into the company's mission statement. Check out the company's values, goals and other important details. Make sure you research the departments within the company and specifically the department in which your potential job is housed. Also check out the history of the company. Make sure you know the CEO's name and other important leadership. Just remember, nine out of ten recruiters will ask you about some aspect of their company. Don't skip the research.