So you managed to get a job interview. That’s great, but there are still many interview related deal breakers that can blow your chances of getting the job in question. The good news is that these deal breakers are fairly easy to avoid if you learn more about them. So today, we have compiled a list of five interview deal breakers to help you get your next job.

1. Lying Or Being Fake
If you lie during an interview, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Lying will put the odds against you if you get caught, so its best to avoid lying completely. If you lie about your experience level or skill set, the truth will likely reveal itself later on. Try to be upfront and honest to save yourself from trouble down the line.

Another closely related blunder related to lying is acting fake. If you try to put on a fake personality because you think your interviewer might like it, you should really second guess yourself. Most interviewers are perceptive enough to see right through you and might be turned off by an attempt to fake a personality. It’s still proper to act polite and courteous during an interview, but you shouldnt act like a completely different person.

2. Not Dressing The Part
When you show up to a job interview in wrinkled clothes, sneakers, and messy hair, you send a clear message to the interviewer that you are not very interested in the job. If instead, you take the time to dress well and groom yourself properly, your interviewer will be impressed and more likely to hire you. Dressing well and grooming properly shows that you can be professional and that you take your career seriously. So make certain you have the appropriate attire and are well groomed before going into your next interview.

As far as dressing well goes, pick clothes that are clean, pressed, and formal. If you are unsure of how dressed up you should be, be more formal rather than less formal. It’s always better to over dress than under dress for an interview. You can always dress down later if you get the job. As far as proper grooming goes, shower, put your hair in order, and have clean breath, but don’t chew gum. Chewing gum can distract the interviewer and make you look less professional. Also, if you must use cologne, use it sparingly.

3. Not Anticipating Common Interview Questions
If you come to an interview and you haven’t brushed up on some common interview questions, you’ll likely fumble around and make mistakes. You can easily give your interviewer the wrong impression and can really hurt your chances of getting the job. Learn some common interview questions and youll be better prepared and more confident in your next interview.

4. Knowing Nothing About The Company
If you dont know anything about the company you are interviewing with, it shows disinterest and a lack of preparation. So try doing a little research before your next interview. Some basic things you should know about a company are its history, its competitors, and its plans for the future. It is especially important to know about the companys competitors because you can give specific reasons for why youd rather work for the company youre interviewing with. This shows a good potential for loyalty, and an added enthusiasm. All of this information is readily available online, making researching a company a piece of cake.

5. Being Overly Modest Or Overly Boastful
During a job interview, you do want to show that you are skilled, experienced, and competent, but you don’t want to come off as being overly boastful. Being overly boastful is a generally unpleasant personality trait and shows your employer you might be difficult to train and teach. So don’t be overly boastful, but don’t be overly modest either. You should have enough confidence to tell your interviewer your strengths and accomplishments. If you are overly modest your interviewer might not know what you are capable of, which can hurt your chances of getting the job. Find a nice balance where you can share enough information with your interviewer, without being overly boastful.

Bonus: Not Following Up
Following up after your interview usually doesn’t mean the difference between getting the job and not getting it, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. All it takes is a simple phone call or email reiterating your interest in the position you interviewed for. It’s that simple and can give you a slight edge over your competition.