INTERVIEW MISTAKES!

Over the years I have come across many resumes and conducted many interviews as both a hiring manager and recruiter. While looking for the next best employee I noticed several mistakes candidates made time and time again. As a result, these candidates weren’t hired for the job. After the interview, I wish I were able to take the person in a private area and give them a rundown of what they did wrong, but I couldn’t. Read below for helpful insight on why you may be having a hard time getting hired by employers.

I need you and you need me.

Your demeanor and the way you carry yourself goes a long way. Don’t get me wrong it's okay to be confident because that stands out to a recruiter. However, take time to work on how you present without coming off egotistical. Your personality plays a major part in a hiring decision. Many times, I wonder “Will this person be a good fit?” Sometimes people with less talent and a better personality are favored more. You’re smart, you graduated at the top of your class, and you were the captain of your football team. I get it and no one is taking that away from you. You should be proud of your accomplishments but don’t assume that the job is owed to you or you’re doing the company a favor. Humble yourself!

Don’t put your foot in your mouth!

During small talk with another recruiter, he mentioned that one candidate voluntarily told him that he was on his tenth interview within two months. He asked if any of the other employers called him back and the individual stated “no.” His first thought was, “Why would he share this info with me?” Some things are better left unsaid. Maybe he thought by sharing this fact it would be used to his advantage and he would get hired. My recruiter friend stated it made him ask more questions than he originally planned to find out what it was that gave other employers a red flag. After several questions, he couldn’t find anything that prevented him from getting turned down that many times. His assumption was that maybe he missed the red flag on his end. From what he could see the candidate was fit for the job but lost many opportunities because he revealed information that wasn’t necessary unless asked.

Honesty is the Best Policy.

Being honest is a character trait that is necessary for any human being. If not, eventually everything you supposedly worked for will come to a halt and you’ll find yourself back at square one. When creating your resume don’t embellish your job title, responsibilities, or even where you worked. Experienced recruiters will see right through you once you start to unravel your career history during an interview. Be open and honest. You’re not expected to know everything but at least meet most of the requirements for the job you’re applying for. Many employers will train you and catch you up to speed in areas that you may lack in.

There very well may be other reasons why you may not be hired such as a record, lack of job or training skills, a highly competitive job market, and so on. If this is the case look into expungement assistance, job training resources, and certifications relevant to your field. Check job descriptions and look at the preferred qualifications and work towards meeting those areas as well to stand out from your competition. You may need to make a few small tweaks in your approach to land your next job. Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jamelah Henry specializes in producing "All-Star" employees for the workplace. She is a product of a job training program from early in her career. She used the skillsets that she learned and was immediately recognized by top employers. After a few short years in the workforce, she was promoted to a management position. She spent the last 17 years of her career working as a manager, trainer, recruiter, and entrepreneur specializing in hiring, training, coaching and developing both existing and new hire employees to bring their best to the workplace. She is a SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) Certified Professional, earned a B.S. in Human Resource Management from Wilmington University and a member of the Delta Epsilon Rho Honor Society. She is also a current member of the National Resume Writers Association (NRWA) and working towards a certification as a National Resume Writer. In her spare time, she likes giving back to her community!