Amazon recruiters reveal six common mistakes they see job seekers make during interviews

During interviews, recruiters often find certain traits off-putting, even in highly talented candidates. Sometimes, candidates are unaware of these traits and miss opportunities to correct them. Fortunately, Brittany Bunch, a Marketing Manager at Amazon, has highlighted six common mistakes candidates make during interviews. Along with five other Amazon recruitment experts, she provides crucial insights and tips to help job seekers ace their interviews.

The first mistake the recruitment experts pointed out was the candidate's inability to "present their accomplishments in a clear and concise manner." Often, candidates are given the chance to talk about their professional accomplishments and while doing so, some fail to deliver it with clarity. To rectify this issue, the experts recommend the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Results) method. The candidate must start their explanation by describing the situation, then get into the tasks involved and actions taken. Finally, they can talk about the results achieved. This is to help recruiters understand what the candidate is capable of. As an extension of this mistake, the second mistake would be not providing enough data.

When talking about one's past accomplishments or what they brought to the table in their previous role, candidates should not be vague in their responses. Bunch and her co-authors pointed out that candidates must provide the interviewer with "specific, quantifiable and granular information" about their expertise and contributions to their job. They suggested that the responses be within four minutes and emphasized the vitality of using quantifiable data as part of the response. Thirdly, candidates constantly using "we" instead of "I" in their responses is a big no-no. After all, interviews are only meant to last for a certain period and recruiters may not be interested in listening to what the candidate's team did rather than the candidate's contribution.

The recruiters highlighted that using "we" frequently makes it difficult to assess the actual impact created by the candidate. Though a candidate needs to be a team player, they also have to put forward what part they played in the success of a business. So, focusing on team efforts should be minimized and individual efforts must be enhanced while prepping for an interview. The fourth mistake, per Bunch and other Amazon recruiters, is not providing enough examples. While the interviewer may pose different questions and ask about the candidate's strengths and accomplishments, one must not repeat the same example as it may make them unfit. They suggest that candidates prepare multiple examples to offer based on the company's core values.

The last two mistakes include the candidates' negligence in asking the interviewer some important questions. If a candidate is driven towards success in their new role, they should try asking specific questions about their role during the final round of the interview. They need to ensure their goals are aligned with the company's expectations rather than making assumptions. Finally, the authors pointed out that the interview is a "two-way experience" and that a candidate should use that opportunity to understand their growth prospects. Since a job description barely defines the "missions and visions" of a company, asking the right questions during an interview is crucial for the candidate.