Do you have a job interview soon? If yes, congratulations! Landing an interview is a major step to securing a new job. Of course, getting an offer isn’t a done deal; you need to do well on the interview.

Here are some job interview mistakes most everyone has made at one time or another. Make them at your peril.

1) Not knowing anything about the company with which you’re interviewing. First of all, you should have customized each and every (that’s right, each and every) resume and application you submitted. Which would have entailed doing some research about the company’s background, its goals, its challenges (hint: mentioning this goals, etc. in a cover letter helps you truly stand out among applicants). But if the gods smiled upon you and you managed to snag a job interview without knowing a thing about the company, that needs to change and change mighty fast!

For one thing, your interviewer is going to ask you why you want to work at the company. Or she may ask what you what you know about the company. The more you know, the better. If you know very little, you can pretty much expect a very short job interview.

2) Asking about salary, benefits, etc right from the start. If the hiring manager or human resources staffer asks you if you have any questions, do not ask how many vacation days you could receive, about health benefits, etc. Save these questions for the second or even third interview. (In fact, the hiring manager probably will tell you about them right before she offers you a position. Asking these questions shows you’re not interested in showing what you can do for the company — what problems you can solve — but what the company can do for you.

3) Probably the worst thing you can do in a job interview is not show a company how hiring you will benefit it. You should couch your previous successes and accomplishments in ways that let the hiring manager know you can do the same for her. “Just last month I streamlined our distribution process, saving my employer more than $10,000 a year.” “I know Microsoft Office so well, I’ve been asked to give training seminars for people who need their skills upgraded.”

If you live in the Tampa Bay Area and are looking for great employment opportunities, contact StaffEx. We have an “in” with some of Tampa’s best employers and, with our help, you’ll soon find yourself working in them on fantastic temporary, temp-to-hire or even direct hire assignments. Call or e-mail us today.