Interviewers, beware! Keep away from these interview mistakes!

Unfortunately, most of us know this kind of situation: We had one of these unpleasant job interviews and got rejected. What did I do wrong? Am I unqualified or not convincing enough? We can lay you at rest there. It is not always the job candidate, almost as often it is the interviewer himself who is to blame for interviews that yield relatively poor results. Below you can find several traps an interviewer can fall into.

Too much perfume or make up

We all have preferences in terms of appearance and behavior and it’s easy to be disproportionately affected by these. But note that these minor things don’t mean that the candidate can’t do the job. The types of thing that interviewers may recoil from include: baseball caps, scruffy clothing or trainers, too much perfume or make up. There are many more! Recognize and put aside your personal preferences and concentrate objectively on the relevant facts.

Too late

Some employers delay their recruitment activities until they’re really desperate for staff. This often means that the employer will accept a deviation away from the requirements of the person specification. In fact, they will accept almost anyone with a pulse to do the job. Inevitably, serious mistakes occur when you are in this frame of mind. Plan your diary properly to avoid making this mistake.

Too many stereotypes

Human beings tend to draw conclusions based on a variety of things, including racial stereotypes. For example, your boss can be convinced that a strong handshake meant that the person was a good leader. There is no evidence that a strong (or weak) handshake means anything of the sort. Collect all the relevant facts presented by a candidate and compare them to the criteria for the job.

Too much in common

People are drawn to people like themselves. We feel rapport and a sense of sameness with others with whom we share certain similarities. Just because a candidate supports the same football team as you, plays golf or has children at the same school does not mean that they’re the right person for the job. Collect all the relevant facts presented by a candidate and compare them to the criteria for the job.

Too convinced about their own judgment

Many interviewers pride themselves on their ability to judge a candidate immediately. All you really know about someone after 30 seconds is how they look and sound. You don’t know anything about their ability to do the job. Keep questioning to gather objective evidence.

All in all, there is as much to consider on the employer’s as on the employee’s side when it comes to job interviews. If the right people are recruited in the first place, they are likely to stay, fit into your organization and work to optimum effect.

Interested in further recruitment topics? Then “The Seven Deadly Sins of Employment” written by Russell HR Consulting is the right book for you.

“The Seven Deadly Sins of Employment” – Download for free