It’s happened before.

A job candidate walks confidently into a conference room prepared for the biggest interview of his or her life. He or she has barely sat down when the door opens and in walks the clipboard-carrying manager. Suddenly, everything the candidate prepared flies out of his or her mind. As the interviewer extends a hand, the candidate responds with a blank stare.

To combat the interview jitters, Deborah Walker, a certified career management coach, advises to be overly prepared for the situation. She has pinpointed the following six blunders to overcome before the interview.

• Poor handshake:
- The Limp Hand (dead
fish): gives the impression
of disinterest
- The Tips of the Fingers:
shows lack of ability to
engage.
- The Arm Pump: Sincerity
is questionable, a lot like an
overly aggressive salesman.

• Talking too much:
- Taking too long to answer
direct questions. The
impression: This candidate
just can’t get to the point.
- Nervous talkers. The
impression: This candidate
is covering up something or
is outright lying.
• Talking negatively about
current or past employers:
- Put a positive spin on all
past experiences. Never talk
negatively.
• Showing up late or too
early:

- Showing up a few minutes
early is job interview
etiquette, but showing up
too early can create a bad
first impression.
• Treating the receptionist
rudely:
- This is the first opportunity
to make a positive first
impression. Don’t mistake
low rank for low input, they
could tell the interviewer
how they were treated.

• Asking about benefits,
vacation time or salary:
- Wait until you’ve won over
the interviewer before
opening such discussions.