Don'ts For JOB INTERVIEW

Don'ts For JOB INTERVIEW

1. Poor hygiene and personal appearance

It should go without saying that you should always have good hygiene in a professional environment. No employee wants a smelly co-worker, and recruiters feel the same. According to a 2017 Recruiter Nation report, more than half of recruiters would disqualify a job candidate because of bad hygiene.

Make sure you are clean, polished-looking, and dressed appropriately for the position you are applying for. If you are unsure, err on the side of professional dress more than casual.

2. Changing your salary expectations

Mike Astringer, founder and principal consultant at Human Capital Consultants, noted that HR professionals interview candidates based partly on their initial compensation expectations.

"We [need to] know that they fit into our overall compensation range," he said. "All too often, a candidate will interview for a job, become overconfident [and] then dramatically increase their compensation expectations."

Astringer said he makes an offer to a candidate based on those initial salary expectations. Candidates should avoid greatly increasing their expectations at the final hour, he said. 

"It makes the candidate look bad, it makes me look bad, and it wastes everyone's time," Astringer added.

3. Being too confident

Confidence to the point of arrogance can be seriously off-putting to an interviewer. In a 2018 survey by CareerBuilder, over 59% of hiring managers reported that arrogance or entitlement would be an instant dealbreaker for them.

Becky Beach, design manager at Mom Beach, shared a story about an applicant who took his confidence a bit too far.

"A day after the interview, he tried to connect with me over LinkedIn with the message, 'Thanks for interviewing me yesterday. Let me know when I am able to start the position.' I decided he would not get hired after that."

Be self-assured and confident in your abilities, but remember, the ball is in the interviewer's court, and you should defer to them

4. Poor body language  

Hiring managers pay attention to your verbal answers, but they also look at how you deliver them. Do you look them in the eye? Do you fidget, play with your pen or fold your arms across your chest? All of these nonverbal cues play a part in the impression you make.

Your eye contact, handshake and posture can all help or hinder your chances of landing a job, and there are positive nonverbal cues that you can send during an interview to help the interview team view you favorably.

In general, sitting up straight indicates that you're paying attention, and a slight lean forward conveys interest and engagement. A warm and genuine smile makes everyone feel more comfortable. You should also have a firm handshake, but not too firm – crushing hands is no way to win favor.

Hand gestures during the conversation are fine, but refrain from fidgeting, such as shaking your leg, tapping your fingers or playing with a pencil.

Finally, maintain eye contact. Staring might make an interviewer uncomfortable, but looking the speaker in the eye, with slight breaks to look away, is polite. The goal is to be engaged and interactive. Looking someone in the eye when they speak to you and while you respond indicates respect for the person and that you are present in the moment. Frequently looking away or over their shoulder while talking to them conveys disinterest.