No matter how nervous you are in a job interview, whatever you do don’t let it show. That’s the advice of recently surveyed hiring managers who say nothing will ruin your chances of getting the job faster than showing a lack of confidence.
However, lacking confidence is definitely not the only thing that will hurt job candidates in their quest to get a job. In a recent survey of those doing the hiring (within mostly small to medium sized businesses), it revealed their favourite foibles experienced during interviews .
In addition to lacking confidence, hiring managers say that inappropriate wardrobe choices will also hurt the job chances of prospective employees. Hiring managers also say that candidates who do not make eye contact and candidates who check their phones during an interview hurt themselves in a big way.
Other lesser offences that can still hurt candidates during a job interview include fidgeting and bad posture, hiring managers say.
Additionally, the research, which was based on the responses of a high volume of hiring managers, revealed that those in charge of hiring decisions also want candidates to be engaged in the interview process. Thirty-three percent of hiring managers say that job seekers should first and foremost be engaged and ask questions in the interview process. Job seekers should also show their personality and be authentic, the researchers found.
Those in charge of hiring decisions also say that job seekers should be flexible in order to improve their chances of getting a job, and one way they can do this is by accepting a job and then showing flexibility in being willing to start in another position within the company.
Getting to the interview process offers up a whole wider set of problems for job seekers, the researchers say. Fifty-four percent of respondents say that candidates without a strong resume will not make it to the interview phase. Additionally, 43 percent say that spelling errors on a resume will automatically disqualify a candidate.
In general they were constantly amazed at how many CV’s received had multiple mistakes, formatting errors or were just badly constructed documents.
In general it is always best to re-read your CV before sending it to a prospective employer or recruitment agent, then spell check it, and then read it again an hour r so later. You will be amazed at how you will still find mistakes on the third check, and after all this can lose you the job!