(gentle music) <v ->Hello and welcome.</v> I'm Anne Jordan and I'll be your host. We're going to discuss some of the most common interview mistakes job seekers should watch out for. Mistake number one: not reviewing your resume and LinkedIn profile before the interview. If someone asks you a question about your resume, it's wise to be prepared to answer it off the top of your head. Now, that may be hard to do if you haven't reviewed your resume in a while, or if you've been customizing your resume for each job you apply for. It's also a good idea to make sure your resume matches your LinkedIn profile. If an interviewer or recruiter finds any discrepancies between the two, they may see that as a red flag. Mistake number two: sharing old stories. Sharing stories from 15 or 20 years ago can make you seem dated. So you may not wanna talk about everything you've ever done, and try to avoid rambling too. Get straight to the point of what the question is about, and use recent, relevant anecdotes to illustrate your strengths. Now let's see what bestselling author Kerry Hannon has to say about this. <v ->You don't kind of try to brag on yourself too much</v> about all your past accomplishments, and going too far back, or you start talking about something that happened, work you did, or people you worked with 20 years ago. Now, truthfully the collapse of time it might seem like it was just a few years ago, because that does happen. But you need to be really conscious of staying present, and being able to stay focused on where you are right now, in the last couple of years of your career. But you're not too cool for school. It's not that they're looking at your resume and they just see how wonderful you are. You're there as an individual, making a new connection with somebody, and you're talking about their company and why you believe in them, and why you think you can help them. So it's very important not to get up on your sort of high horse and be like, wow, well you'd be lucky to have me. That's not the situation at all. So I think, and also the other big promise, people try to replicate their old job. They try to kind of massage whatever that person is interviewing you, interviewing you for whatever that job is, to fit into kind of a job that you had in the past. You really need to force yourself to stay open. Use the word curious a lot. You know, just stay, you know, be willing to try new ways and shifting into new ways of doing what you love to do. <v ->Moving on to interview mistake number three:</v> forgetting that your skills are more than just your jobs. If you have a behavioral interview, you may be asked how you have exhibited certain skills. But keep in mind, your experience includes all of the things you do, and you can draw on non-work related experience. So, for example, you might not manage a budget in the job that you have now, but if you've ever helped run a nonprofit or served on a board, you may have experience making decisions about where money goes. So think about your community service and volunteer work. Have you learned any skills that might help you in the job you're interviewing for? It can be helpful to highlight those transferrable skills. Mistake number four: ignoring video quality in virtual interviews. Many employers use video interviews these days, so if you haven't already experienced a video interview, you probably will. Here's some helpful tips on how to help you bring your A game. Test out the video platform ahead of time. Try on your interview outfit, just to see how it looks on camera. Do not underestimate the importance of your background. If you take the interview in a messy room, it could look unprofessional and be a big turnoff to employers. So find a quiet place to sit with an attractive, uncluttered background. Of course, you'll want to be well lit. You might find it worthwhile to invest in an inexpensive ring light. Natural light or lamplight can work too. Just be sure that the light source is in front of you, and avoid sitting with your back to a window. Make the webcam level with the top of your head for the most flattering camera angle. You might need to put your laptop on a stack of books, or you can just adjust your chair height. During the interview, look directly at the webcam. This is how you make eye contact with the interviewer. Now, I know you've probably had plenty of practice with Zoom and other video conferencing platforms, and you may not be used to looking right at the webcam. But remember, a job interview is not just another meeting. The interviewer really wants to see that you're focused on the conversation. Now, speaking of staying focused, it's a good idea to close all other software programs. Turn off your audible notifications, and put your phone on Do Not Disturb. And make sure you are not interrupted by family members or pets. Moving on to our final interview mistake; number five: counting yourself out. This is one of the most important mistakes to avoid. Don't come into the interview process expecting to lose out on the job because of ageism or other factors. Many hiring managers value the maturity, stability, and good judgment of older employees. Now, that said, it is true that some interviewers may hold specific stereotypes of older workers. But there are steps you can take to prove that these stereotypes do not apply to you. To overcome the stereotype that older workers are out of touch, stay up to date on the latest trends and tools in your industry, through reading, taking courses and attending conferences. You can refer to these activities during your interview and on your resume, LinkedIn and other social media. It's also helpful to highlight your tech skills. Now, keep in mind, these don't have to be coding skills. Any experience you have working with software platforms and programs counts. Interviews have changed somewhat over the years, but many elements are the same, and there are things you can do that might increase your chances of getting hired. Do your homework before the interview. Stay positive and focus on what you can do for the employer, and follow up with a note or a thank you email, thanking the interviewer and asking about next steps. Those good practices will never go out of style. Now that you know what interview mistakes to avoid, you can get more expert career advice, and find the job search tools and professional resources that every experienced worker needs to sharpen skills and get hired, at aarp.org/work You can also visit learn.aarp.org/workandjobs to find more information and videos about the job search and a variety of other topics, including caregiving, Medicare and Social Security. While you're there, be sure to use the Your Questions Answered tool to browse frequently asked questions. If you don't see what you're looking for, you can actually submit a question of your own for an emailed response from a career coach. Thanks for watching. (gentle music)

interview mistakes

resume review

transferable skills

virtual interviews

ageism