You’ve created a great CV that impressed an employer. They invited you for a job interview that ended up with telling you they would contact you soon. But they never did. Do you want to know why?
There are lots of tips on how to create an effective CV and what questions should be asked during a phone conversation with your potential employer (that typically takes place before the interview) so you can get an idea whether the offer suits you and whether it makes sense to waste your and your employer’s time on something that may take you nowhere. Many people do know about initial steps to undertake for reaching a desired goal, but few ever pondered why one interview can be successful but another fails. Let’s look into the biggest blunders of candidates who screwed up their interviews.
Inappropriate Appearance
Your job interview starts the moment you enter the office. Be aware they will assess not only your proficiencies but also how you look. It’s a fact that candidates are often turned down because of their inappropriate appearance. Before going to your interview, try to find out about preferable dress code to make a positive impression.
Talking about Salary
Among candidates’ biggest blunders HR managers point to being unable to express what they want to get out of their career and not seeing clearly what their desired job is about. Instead of focusing on their future responsibilities, potential employees are more eager to know about their pay checks. You may undermine your reliability by talking too much about salary because your HR manager can take you as a person who can be easily headhunted with higher pay.
Arrogant Attitude
Many people see HR managers as a useless link between employees and their immediate supervisors. But if you want to get the job, you have to put up with the fact that any respectful company hires HR managers who are professionals in their own area of expertise. Take note that being arrogant toward HR manager never helped anybody to get the job.
Cliché Thinking
If you are reading up on how to behave properly during an interview and trying to memorize all your answers for all the questions HR manager may ask you, you have a little chance of getting the job. Ready-made answers and boring speeches rehearsed in front of the mirror is not the way to go today. Doing a lot of homework is seen as the lack of critical thinking and quickness.
Low Self-esteem
Employers don’t look for shy and inhibited candidates who lack ambitions. If you are unable to evaluate your contribution to a project or a company, HR manager will regard you as a mere performer who doesn’t care about his or her job and role, which, of course, won’t be your advantage at an interview. When asked about your previous job, try not to use such pronouns as we or our. Focus on your personal professional achievements.
Unawareness of Your Employer
And the last thing. Before going to your interview, make sure you learn about the history and corporate culture of the company. Obviously, it will look weird if you don’t know how long the company has been there, what business it is in, and who are its major competitors.
You can get a new job faster by using these simple tips.
Source of the image: sxc.hu/profile/plethr.
