Today’s competitive workforce makes landing a career easier said than done. Aside from having a stellar resume, one would have to beat out the pool of qualified candidates in the interview process.  Here is a run-down of the most common interview mistakes to give you a leg up on the competition.

1. Dressing down
It may be casual Friday at the office, but that does mean you are able to go for your interview in jeans and a t-shirt. Stay professional with business casual - dress pants and shirts at the very minimum. On the flipside, wearing a tux which will make James Bond jealous may not help your cause very much either.

2. Bad mouthing your past employer
Never, ever bad mouth your past employer even if you are right (who isn’t in these cases). Bad mouthing your last job experience will give the impression that you are difficult to get along with and that’s a big nono.

3. Discussing benefits/salary too soon
Just like asking a woman her age, discussing benefits/salary too soon is in bad taste. It will give employers a sense that you only care about your bi-weekly paychecks and vacation time. Let them bring it up first.

4. Not knowing enough about the employer
Chances are you will have a couple of days before your interview to prepare. Take the time to read up about the companies objectives. Not only does it give you more things to talk about, it shows that you take initiative – employers like that.

5. Being too chummy
Everyone wants to make a good impression, but there is a fine line between building rapport and being too familiar. An interview is not the place to practice your stand-up routine, concentrate on being a responsible and serious employee. There will be plenty of time for jokes once you get the job.

6. Being late
A job interview is not a party, arriving casually late won’t score you any points. Arriving 10-15 minutes early will allow you to settle down, get comfortable with your surroundings, and if you’re lucky, there will be magazines from this year.