‘It’s cringe’: Job experts reveal the most common mistake students make in interviews

Two job experts have revealed the most common mistakes students make in interviews.

Joseph Black and Oliver Jacobs both run Unitaskr, an app which matches companies with students seeking work.

As people with significant experience in the grad job market, the two CEOs have decided to give students advice about securing jobs.

Oliver, who is based in East London, said students make one “cringe” mistake often which causes them to fall at the interview stage hurdle.

Joseph and Oliver via SWNS

“People overuse the word ‘team player’ or ‘hardworker’ – it’s cringe,” he said. “Hiring teams expect candidates to already be that.

“If you want to highlight that attribute, talk about how you add to a team through previous experience.

“It’s all about what you’re bringing to the company and are going to add.”

Oliver also had some tips for graduates too. He explained that you must be “selective” when applying for jobs, as to not “waste time” focusing on jobs which aren’t a good fit.

Iterating what he tells people who come to him for advice, he said: “I also tell them to be honest – don’t create a level of fluff.

“If you don’t know an answer to a question, just say ‘I don’t know this right now, but let me come back to you’

“And never use ‘what’s your greatest weakness’ question as a chance to talk yourself up.

“Pick something you genuinely struggle with but won’t hinder your ability to do the job.”

However, Joseph explained that applicants can use artificial intelligence to help them secure a role, saying it can be a great tool to use as a “co-pilot” when applying for jobs.

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He advised students that they should put job descriptions into ChatGPT and ask it to break down each section: “It’s great for taking information and formatting it to understandable terms.”

Continuing, he added: “Understanding what exactly the company is looking for  is the difference between landing that role or not.

“As employers, we know what looks good on a CV and what shouldn’t be on there.

“Things like not having extracurricular interests on a CV or references can hinder being shortlisted because it’s boring.”