The ten most common mistakes

1. Not knowing enough about the company, its products, its industry, or the present market conditions in which it  operates.

2. Inappropriate dress and/or attitude. Prepare yourself for the interview. Think about the position you are applying for and try to find out something about the person who is interviewing you, even if all you can find out is their age, title, level of education, and years of experience.

3. Arriving late. Always make a point of arriving fifteen minutes early for the interview.

4. Not shaking hands with the interviewer and not maintaining regular eye contact with the interviewer during the course of the interview.

5. Misrepresenting your skills and experience. Remember, you are looking for a "fit" and so is the interviewer. The more details you can give about your experience and abilities, the better off you are in the long term. Be sure to review your resume carefully prior to the interview and be prepared to discuss in more detail your experiences detailed therein.

6. Not appearing enthusiastic about the position. As a rule, you can never appear enthusiastic enough. Whatever you do, do not appear aloof or distracted. Appearing a bit nervous is in most cases more acceptable than appearing overly relaxed.

7. Asking for more money than you are worth or for more than the position is paying. Find out what the industry-wide standard is for the position  you are seeking and for the experience you have. Salary surveys and search agencies can be very helpful in this regard.

8. Making negative remarks about your previous employer. As a rule, stick to talking about the things you enjoy doing in your present or previous situation. Show the interviewer your enthusiasm for the work you do. When asked why you are leaving your present employer, talk about the new challenges and opportunities you are seeking.

9. Asking what the company can do for you instead of emphasizing the kind of contribution you can make to the company.   Don't be afraid to mention concrete examples of the contributions you have made in previous situations and/or your academic achievements (if appropriate), in addition to your skills and experience. Appear confident about your abilities.

10. Asking prematurely about salary. Salary should be one of the last things you inquire about, after you have asked intelligent questions about the position and the company. On the other hand, don't be afraid to ask about salary. If you don't the interviewer will wonder why you didn't.

you have to walk away from the table.

9. Prepare thoughtfully to achieve your goals:
This is the only aspect of your negotiations you can completely control. To take advantage of all the above advice, you have to invest a significant amount of your time and energy.

10. Review to learn:
The only way you can really improve your ability to negotiate is to explicitly learn from your experiences. After you finish negotiations, reflect on what you did that worked well, and what you might want to do differently.