The job-hunting process can be difficult and time consuming, and interviews are the most crucial--not to mention stressful--part of the process. These are some common mistakes that many interviewees make. Avoiding these behaviors won't necessarily land you the job, but they will put you in the upper class of interviewees. Check out the seven tips below to find out what you should not be doing during and prior to your job interview.  1. Show Up Late and/or Disheveled This may seem unnecessary to mention, but it's one of the most important parts of the interview process. Showing up late, smelling like smoke, chewing gum or having messy hair/clothes can all give impressions of being disorganized, untrustworthy, irresponsible and incompetent.  Just keep in mind that you're not the only person being interviewed, so little things like showing up on time might not have tremendous upside, but showing up late will make you stand out--in a bad way. Show up early to an interview and make sure you look (and smell) the part of the job for which you're interviewing.  2. Leave Your Cellphone On This may also seem obvious, but how many times have you been somewhere--at the movies, in a class, at work--and all of a sudden you hear the latest Black Eyed Peas song blaring out of someone's purse. It happens. And just like showing up late or unprepared, it'll be a small thing that says a lot: irresponsible, forgetful, unreliable.  At worst it could show that you are not taking the interview seriously and are not that interested in the job. We won't even mention answering a phone call during the interview--hopefully that's too obvious.  3. Show Up Mentally Unprepared Mental preparation will make a huge difference. One of the most important aspects is to ensure that you do research on the company and position. The last thing you want is to ask basic questions about the organization and your role.  As well, you should research interview questions. Even if this is your first job interview, it doesn't have to seem like it. There are a number of sites that list common job interview questions. Think of answers to questions like: Why do you want this job? What value can you add to the company? What are your strongest skills? What are your biggest weaknesses?  Imagine that you are the person doing the hiring and think of what questions you would ask someone. Practicing and thinking about these questions will make you calmer and more confident during the interview. You don't have to have the answers memorized--it helps if you seem like you're thinking of them on the spot--so practicing them with a friend or even just considering your answers will lead to a smoother interview process.  4. Show Up Physically Unprepared Physically prepared means showing up with the correct physical objects; bring an extra copy of your CV and reference list; bring a pen and notebook to write down any pertinent information or phone numbers. This also means physically preparing for the interview: shaving, making sure your hair is neat and your clothes are clean and wrinkle free.
Knowing what not to do will lead to a more successful interview and help you land that job.