Part 1: Immediate Deal-Breakers
Job seeking candidates often search for the perfect “Top 10 Interview Questions” as they prepare to face the interviewer. Instead, we went behind the scenes to ask our ADAPTURE recruiters about their off-the-wall interview stories and experiences. We encourage you to take notes as this blog series is also intended to teach you what NOT to do in your next interview!
What would you consider to be an immediate deal-breaker in an interview?
- When a candidate lies about their skills/knowledge on their resume
- When a candidate uses foul language or talks bad about their current employer – immediate no-go
- When a candidate is dressed unprofessionally
- When a candidate is way above or below the pay of the position they are interviewing for
- When a candidate does not know anything about the company or position
- Wow – There’s a lot. When a candidate has a negative attitude, especially about previous employers
- Cursing! Spouting off racial slurs!
Note to Self: Going into an interview with no knowledge of the company makes the hiring manager believe that you don’t care about the company or the position.
What’s the worst mistake you’ve seen a job candidate make?
- A candidate placed an order in a fast-food restaurant while on a phone interview
- A candidate showed up to an interview smelling like alcohol
- A candidate put the manager on hold to order cigarettes while on a phone interview (without hitting the mute button)
- A candidate posted on their resume: “I’m good at writing code and definitely not a serial killer.” I wish I was joking with this one but I’m not. Obviously, I chose not to reach out to this charmer.
- A candidate was completely unprepared (didn’t review interview details, know the audience, info about the company, etc.)
- A candidate got defensive talking about their recent job history that also involved a layoff
- A candidate was overly confident about the position, only to find out the client had multiple front runner candidates with equal skill sets
- A candidate lied about the skills on their resume
Note to Self: Clients frequently get turned off if there are spelling errors on resumes, which happens more often than it should.
For further information on job interview tips, interview stories, and how to avoid classic mistakes, be sure to also visit these pages below to knock the socks off of your next interviewer.
Seven Unexpected Job Interview Mistakes
Common Mistakes Applicants Make When Writing Resumes for IT Companies
Tips for a Successful Skype Interview
Job Interview Tips: Face to Face and Over the Phone
Five Tips for Effective Job Interview Body Language
