After a lot of hard work, you set a date for an interview at your dream job. As the date arrives and you head out for the site visit, you’ll finally get your chance to impress your future colleagues.  The objective of an interview, for both the hiring party and the person being hired, is to evaluate if there is a professional match and if an offer of employment/partnership is forthcoming. Assuming this is a job for which you wish to receive an offer, here are Five Job Interview Pitfalls to avoid:

1)      Arriving Late: Traveling to a new city often requires a bit of research to get your bearings and know the lay of the land.  Take time, pre-interview, do  online research, and see how long it will take to get from your hotel or airport to your interview location.  Plan for traffic, leave early enough to arrive at least 20-30 minutes prior to the set meeting time. If traffic is not an issue, just wait in the car for a few minutes.  Being on time is literally your first in-person opportunity to make a good impression.

2)      Dressing inappropriately: Just after on-time arrival, your second chance at a first impression comes with your attire. The way you dress, according to some, can say a lot about you as a person.  We all have our own style, but professional dress is usually required for job interviews. No matter how casual the location, candidates should always dress up for the interview. Dress and look the part of a Professional.  If you are working with an in-house recruiter to schedule the interview, feel free to ask him or her about appropriate attire for your interview.

3)      Coming unprepared: A job interview is the first step in the process of what many consider to be a professional marriage. If you accept a position with the organization, it very well could be where you spend the next several years of your life.  Come prepared to ask questions about the opportunity, organization and community.  Be engaged throughout the interview process.  As a contingency based physician recruiter, the feedback I would dread is “your candidate asked no questions,” which was almost always follow by “and didn’t seem very interested”.

4)      Bringing up Money too Soon: Don’t make the topic of compensation the first, last or main talking point.  Let the conversation of money come naturally. Let the hiring entity broach the subject first.  Speaking too soon on the subject can price you higher than the hiring entity expected or leave you in a position of low balling yourself out of thousands of dollars.  It’s best to be patient and negotiate later.

5)      Not Closing the Deal: You’ve come this far, don’t blow it now by leaving your interview with just a handshake and a smile.  ASK FOR THE JOB! This simple step of saying “I would like to see an offer,” or “I want you come work with you,” is the best way to insure that your message gets across the table.  If you’re not positive you want the job at the conclusion of an interview, asking for an offer still makes sense, as reviewing a contract allows you to evaluate the position further.

If you need to schedule a successful interview, find healthcare jobs at HospitalRecruiting.com!