5 interview mistakes you can easily avoid

If you're interviewing for jobs, you know the feeling of kicking yourself for hours after an interview because you flubbed an answer or got the interviewer's name wrong. But no one is perfect, and most interviewers don't expect candidates to give perfect interviews. However, there are some interviewing mistakes that are easily avoidable, and which you can navigate away from with just a little bit of thought.
Here are five interview mistakes that you can avoid if you know about them ahead of time.

1. Not preparing

This is probably the No. 1 mistake most job candidates make: They show up for the interview without thoroughly preparing in the days before. Preparation doesn't mean a quick skim of the job description and a glance at the employer's website; it means at least several hours spent thinking through likely questions and practicing your answers to them, as well as thinking back on specific examples you can pull from your past to illustrate how you've excelled in previous jobs.

2. Not researching your interviewer

A quick glance on LinkedIn might give you advance warning that your interviewer used to work with that old boss who hated you, meaning you won't be caught off guard if asked about it in the interview. Or simply reading your interviewer's bio on the company website might tip you off that she has a background in the software you used to work with and you might get a lot of questions on that.

3. Being late

You might think that you're playing it safe by leaving for your interview a few minutes earlier than you need to. But hit a traffic accident and that buffer will fly out the window, which means you could end up arriving late. When you're heading out to an interview, it's smart to give yourself a huge buffer--meaning an hour or so--because it's nearly impossible to recover from being late for an interview. You can always kill the extra time in your car or a nearby coffee shop if you arrive early.

4. Wearing the wrong outfit

In most industries, you should wear a suit to a job interview. (IT is sometimes, but not always, an exception.) It doesn't matter if your interviewers are more casually dressed themselves; wearing a suit, as the candidate, is still an expected convention typically. But aside from picking out the right clothes, you also need to make sure that you look polished and groomed--that your clothes fit you well, that your hair is neat and in place, that your makeup is professional and not heavy-handed. It's also key that you feel comfortable in whatever you're wearing; you don't want to be constantly adjusting your neckline or fidgeting with your cuffs.

5. Not being ready to talk about salary

Job seekers are often more uncomfortable with conversations about salary than anything else, and as a result, they often don't prepare for how they'll handle questions about it. This is a huge disservice to yourself. If salary does come up and you try to wing it, you're likely to end up with less money in your offer than if you were prepared. So don't leave it to employers to manage salary discussions for you; do your research and thinking ahead of time so that you can field salary questions confidently.

oDesk English Spelling Test (U.S. Version)

Q.1:  Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Accomodate   (Answer)

b. Analyze

c. Acknowledgment

d. Asterisk

Q.2: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Yacht

b. Youthful

c. Yeilding   (Answer)

d. Yesterday

Q.3: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

The clown’s performance was _______________, to say the least.

a. dissapointing

b. dissappointing

c. disapointing

d. disappointing   (Answer)

Q.4: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Vacuum   (Answer)

b. Vaccuum

c. Vacumm

d. Vaccum

Q.5: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Manoeuvar

b. Manouver   (Answer)

c. Maneuver

d. Manuver

Q.6: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Sally’s nervous __________ left her standing at the altar.

a. fiancé   (Answer)

b. finance

c. feancé

d. fience

Q.7: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Mrs. Baker took her ______________ class on a field trip to the zoo.

a. kindergarden

b. kindegarten

c. kindergarten   (Answer)

d. kindegarden

Q.8: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Hazel Dormouse is a _________ creature.

a. nocternal

b. nocturnal   (Answer)

c. noctarnal

d. nacturnal

Q.9: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

The savvy dancer acted as a __________ between the detective and the cabaret owner.

a. liasion

b. liaison   (Answer)

c. liasone

d. leason

Q.10: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

_________animals feed almost exclusively on meat.

a. Carnivorus

b. Carnivorous   (Answer)

c. Carnivoures

d. Carnivoreus

Q.11: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Gauge   (Answer)

b. Gaje

c. Guage

d. Gaige

Q.12: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Emma has always been fascinated by the way the mind works, so she’s decided to get a degree in __________.

a. pshycology

b. psycology

c. psyhcology

d. psychology   (Answer)

Q.13: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Efficency

b. Efficentsy

c. Efficiensy

d. Efficiency  (Answer)

Q.14: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Heinous  (Answer)

b. Henous

c. Heinus

Q.15: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Stationery

b. Statutory

c. Sincerely

d. Sanctuery  (Answer)

Q.16: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Parallel

b. Prevalent

c. Prejudice

d. Perserverance  (Answer)

Q.17: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Leiutenant

b. Luietenant

c. Lieutanent

d. Lieutenant  (Answer)

Q.18: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Pageant

b. Poignant

c. Plummage  (Answer)

d. Priggish

Q.19: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Quixotic

b. Quite

c. Questionaire  (Answer)

d. Quarantine

Q.20: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Adress

b. Addrress

c. Addres

d. Address  (Answer)

Q.21: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Reminiscience

b. Reminiscence  (Answer)

c. Reminescence

d. Reminisense

Q.22: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Rhythmical

b. Reminiscence

c. Rheumatism

d. Resevoir  (Answer)

Q.23: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

The judge granted the reluctant witness complete ____________ from prosecution for his part in the crime.

a. amnesty  (Answer)

b. amnasty

c. anmesty

d. emnesty

Q.24: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

He __________ a summer house, an exercise bike, and a hamster in the divorce settlement.

a. accquired

b. ecquired

c. acquired   (Answer)

d. akquired

Q.25: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Temperamental  (Answer)

b. Tempermental

c. Temperamentle

d. Temparamental

Q.26: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

The crowd ________________ me on my acceptance into Mensa.

a. congradulated

b. congrachulated

c. congratulated  (Answer)

d. congratilated

Q.27: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Cachet

b. Connoisseur

c. Charateristic    (Answer)

d. Catastrophe

Q.28: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Wierd  (Answer)

b. Wired

c. Whined

d. Willful

Q.29: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

On the ____________ day of Christmas, Lucy was annoyed to find her yard full of noisy drummers drumming.

a. twelvth

b. twelfth  (Answer)

c. twelfeth

d. twelth

Q.30: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Enhancement

b. Elicit

c. Enegma  (Answer)

d. Ecstasy

Q.31: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Sophomore

b. Supersede

c. Susceptable  (Answer)

d. Spontaneous

Q.32: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

He wrote __________on every topic from shoestrings to string theory.

a. prollifically

b. prolificaly

c. prollificaly

d. prolifically  (Answer)

Q.33: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Dexterity

b. Desicate (Answer)

c. Dyeing

d. Desecrate

Q.34: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Be sure to leave your travel __________with the secretary so he’ll know how to reach you while you’re away.

a. itenreray

b. itinerary   (Answer)

c. iteneray

d. itinirary

Q.35: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

My father does not believe in ____________ , but my mother does.

a. reincanation

b. reincarenation

c. reincarnation     (Answer)

d. reincantation

Q.36: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Peter always makes such a _____________ of himself!

a. nuisance     (Answer)

b. nuisents

c. newsanse

d. nuisince

Q.37: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Clara the cat simply chose to ignore the ______________ of our dog.

a. existence      (Answer)

b. existance

c. existense

d. existanse

Q.38: Choose the correct spelling of the word from the options below.

a. Forfiet

b. Forfeit  (Answer)

c. Forefeit

d. Fourfit

Q.39: Identify the misspelled word in the list below.

a. Fluorescent

b. Full fill (Answer)

c. Facsimile

d. Fictitious

Q.40: Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct spelling of the missing word.

Sam _________ a successful political campaign.

a. orchestraited

b. orchestrated   (Answer)

c. orchestrea

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oDesk Readiness Test for Independent Contractors and Staffing Managers

Q.1:  Which of the following is FALSE about weekly limits on hourly contracts?

a.Hours in excess of the weekly limit will not be billed to the employer
b.You should discuss any need to work beyond your limit with your employer
c. The weekly limit can be changed by the contractor (Answer)
d.The weekly limit can be changed by the employer
e. Hours in excess of the weekly limit are not guaranteed payment

Q.2: Which of the following actions are NOT allowed when applying to job openings?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.3: Which of the following statements about the oDesk Team application are true?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.4:  Which of the following are TRUE about the oDesk dispute process?

a.The dispute process only applies to Hourly contracts
b. If you fail to respond, oDesk will refund the employer and suspend your account
c. If you reject the dispute, oDesk specialists will review your Work Diary and evaluate it against the criteria of the payment guarantee
d.  Disputed hours ruled in the employers favor are refunded
e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.5:  Which of the following are TRUE about your oDesk Work Diary?

a.  Allows employers to see when and what their contractors are working on
b. Enables automatic billing for hourly contracts
c.The oDesk Team application auto-tracks time which can be reviewed in the Work Diary
d. Manual time can be added, but isn’t guaranteed payment
e. All of the above (Answer)

Q.6  What happens when a contract ends?

a. You lose access to the Work Diary
b. Both users can leave feedback
c. The feedback system is double blind, so your employer cannot see the feedback you left them until after they have left feedback for you
d.  Hours will be billed (and disputes may be filed) according to the usual weekly payment schedule
e.   All of the above (Answer)

Q.7:  Can I start my own agency on oDesk?

a.     Yes! You can create an agency and earn money by selling the services of your agency contractors. (Answer)
b.     No, oDesk is for independent contractors only

Q.8:  Which of the following is true of your oDesk timelog?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.9:  Which of the following are required to qualify for guaranteed payment?

a. An hourly contract
b. Tracking your time with the oDesk Team application
c. Entering relevant memos
d. An employer with a verified payment method
e. All of the above (Answer)

Q.10:  Which of the following statements are correct about oDesk fees?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.11:  Which of the following actions are NOT allowed when applying to job postings?

a. Misrepresenting your skills, experiences, portfolio, etc.
b. Submitting boilerplate, placeholder or generic bids or other spam
c. Disclosing direct contact information
d. Applying when you are not truly qualified
e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.12:  Which of the following are NOT permitted on oDesk?

a.  Sharing a single account between multiple people
b. Opening more than one account on oDesk

c. Using a logo or clip art as your profile portrait
d.  Using a fake name
e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.13: What do you need to do to ensure guaranteed payment on hourly jobs?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.14:  Which of the following break the oDesk user agreement?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.15  Which of the following statements about oDesk fees is FALSE?

a.  The oDesk fee is 10% of the employer’s payment to oDesk
b.  oDesk is free to join
c.  oDesk is free for contractors to apply and work on jobs
d.  The oDesk fee is $2/hour for hourly contracts (Answer)
e.  All of the above

Q.16:  Buyers set weekly limits on hourly assignments, how do these work?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.17:   The oDesk Team application Time Tracker records which of the following

a.  Screenshot of the active screen once per billing segment
b. Number of keystrokes
c.  Number of mouse clicks
d.  Memo entered by the contractor
e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.18:   Can I start my own company on oDesk?

a. Yes! oDesk allows you to build and manage a team of workers, colleagues and collaborators. You can even subcontract other workers on oDesk to other customers oDesk (and take a cut).(Answer)

b. No

Q.19:   How does feedback work on oDesk?

e.  All of the above (Answer)

Q.20:   Which of the following is TRUE about fixed-price contracts?

a. Employer billed automatically each week
b. How much to pay and when to pay is at the employer’s discretion (Answer)
c. Hours worked will show on your profile
d. Time-tracking required
e. Qualify for the oDesk payment guarantee

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