Even the most confident of people can find job interviews stressful, daunting and a little uncomfortable.
But according to career site CareerBuilder, which questioned around 2,600 hiring managers/HR departments. There are some easily-avoidable errors that jeopardise your chances of nailing a new job.
1. Poor preparation
It’s natural to be nervous in a job interview, but don’t let your lack of confidence impact your preparation. As Rosemary Haefner, chief HR officer for CareerBuilder, explains: “if you don’t read about the company and research your role thoroughly, you could magnify your fear of interviewing poorly and lose the opportunity”.
2. Lying
It’s tempting to big yourself up on your CV by embellishing your achievements, but as soon as you get caught out (and you will get caught out), your potential employer loses all faith in you. It’s good to be confident and proud of your past accomplishments, but don’t get caught in the moment and exaggerate them to the point of being misleading.
3. Arrogance
Confidence is key, having a big head is not. 59 per cent of employers in the survey admitted that arrogance or entitlement is a deal-breaker for hiring new employees – so try to be self-assured, but not OTT.
4. Dressing inappropriately
When having whether a candidate dressing inappropriately was enough not to hire someone, 49 percent of hiring managers said yes. Although it may be hard to predict the work-wear of the job you’re going for, assume the vibe is smart and presentable, unless you’re sure it’s otherwise. Here’s some advice on the matter if you’re still unsure.
5. Lack of eye contact
Almost 70 per cent of those surveyed said lack of eye contact would disqualify an otherwise positive candidate from the job interview process. Is’s SO important to strike the balance between appearing confident and sincere with the right amount of eye contact and, er, intensely staring at your potential employer until they feel uncomfortable.
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