It’s extremely easy to squander your job interview. A new survey revealed the top deal-breakers any job applicant – and hiring staff – should be wary of during that all-important interview process.
According to a new survey from The Creative Group, a staffing services firm, more than three-quarters (77 percent) of advertising and marketing executives said they would immediately cease considering a candidate if they glanced, shut off or silenced a vibration on their smartphone.
Four-hundred executives were asked what would be some of the main deal-breakers when interviewing job applicants.
Here is a list of their biggest pet peeves when conducting interviews:
- Arriving late without acknowledging it (70 percent)
- Not bringing required items (70 percent)
- Refusing to wear professional attire (69 percent)
- Speaking improperly about a past employer (62 percent)
Deborah Bottineau, senior regional manager of The Creative Group, recommended to always shut off the phone because otherwise it will depict you as being unprepared. Bottineau added that you would be surprised as to how many candidates forget these simple etiquette tips.
She said one of the problems is that younger professionals spend a bulk of their time preparing their digital and written elements of their applications, but then they refrain from getting themselves ready enough for the actual interviews.
Moving forward, Bottineau suggests applicants to arrive early, sport professional clothing, practice interview questions and remain upbeat. “How you present yourself face-to-face can make or break you,” Bottineau said.
“Exuding a positive energy is so important. Even if you are discouraged or frustrated, psych yourself up and bring a good attitude.”
Bottineau presented two other tips: perform your research and respect the interviewing process.
“Your interview begins the minute you step into the building,” Bottineau added.
These survey results aren’t an anomaly
This isn’t the first time that a survey has revealed the actions of today’s crop of professional talent and how human resource departments are irked by them.
Earlier this year, a survey conducted by Center for Generational Kinetics Analysis and Ultimate Software Key found that about one-third of millennial professionals believed it was OK to text during a job interview and to arrive late. This type of behavior isn’t making managers happy.
According to a 2013 report in the USA Today, a growing number of human resource professionals are bothered by the paucity of interviewing skills – using slang during interviews, dressing inappropriately and bringing their parents to interviews – among recent graduates. Many HR professionals blame it on too much coddling, social media and mobile devices.
When it comes to work, new graduates, too, believe they aren’t ready. A UK survey by Work Ready Graduates reported that nearly half (47 percent) of recent grads aren’t prepared for the working world.
Final Thoughts
In order for B2B companies to succeed in the current economic environment, they have to quickly hire the tope young professionals, a group known for its tech-savvy and innovative nature. However, B2B firms will also have to incorporate new hiring standards to ensure they separate the professional from the unprofessional.
The first step: post a sign urging applicants to shut off their phones.
