Hiring managers do not want to hear a lot of things during an interview, confessions of a violent past, a mobile phone ring, badmouthing previous bosses. Yet job seekers commit these interview mistakes and worse.
Odd behaviour is not the only way to ruin your chances of landing a job. When hiring managers are asked to name the most common and damaging interview mistakes a candidate can make, 51 percent list dressing inappropriately. Forty-nine percent cited badmouthing a former boss as the worst offence, while 48 percent said appearing disinterested. Arrogance (44 percent), insufficient answers (30 percent), and not being prepared with good questions (29 percent) were also top answers.
To ensure your interview is smooth and error-free, follow these five tips.
Do some research: When you walk into a job interview, knowledge of the company's history, goals and current activity proves to the interviewer that you are not only prepared for the interview, but also that you want to be a part of the organisation.
Do not lie: If the conversation drifts to a topic you are not knowledgeable about, admit you do not know the answer and then explain how you would go about finding a solution. Displaying your problem-solving skills is better than babbling about something you do not understand.
Keep it professional: Although interviewers often try to create a comfortable setting to ease the job seeker's nerves, business decorum should not disappear. Avoid offering personal details that can be controversial or have no relevance to the position, such as political and religious beliefs or stories about a recent break-up.
Be prepared: Expect to hear the usual interview questions: "What's your biggest weakness?" "Why do you want to work here?" "Tell me about yourself." "Why did you leave your last job?" These open-ended questions are harder to answer than they sound, so think about your responses before the interview.
Put on a happy face: The interview is not the time to air your grievances about being wronged by a past boss. How you speak about a previous employer, gives the hiring manager an idea of how you will speak about him or her once you have moved on.
If you can avoid interview gaffes and follow the good advice above, chances are you will do well. But best not to leave anything to chance!
Please feel free to contact us at Frontline Retail. with any recruitment requirements - we are here to help.