There are lots of lessons for candidates to learn before they step into that interview hall. An applicant may have the right qualifications; confidence; fluency; job experience and more but in most cases, fail to secure the seemingly begging jobs.
Learning by experience is acceptable for job seekers as well as those who have already secured their dream jobs because the challenges continue. However, it is worse when a job seeker / employee doesn’t know what the problem was.
These are a few simple lessons that can save your dream job.
Influence from parents
According to a Reddit-thread asking what prejudices employers hold. It reveals that too many candidates seem to think that it’s acceptable to have their parents ask for a job on their behalf.
“Every year I see more and more parent asking for jobs for their kids,” the user ScarinasVault stated. “That’s how not to get a job.”
Any job offered to a candidate on the platform of parents-employer relationship breeds incompetence and inefficiency to the organization. In such cases, an employee looses respect and may not have an opportunity for growth.
On the other hand, a candidate will look more like an over-pampered kid if the parents have to assist. Working in an organization needs employees to be rational, creative, and independent thinkers.
It’s also quite unfortunate that other members argued that they, too, get pissed off when parents don’t stop meddling during the interviews. Many over-bearing parents follow it up with more pressures on the job.
The user PM_ME_FOR_SMALLTALK said he’d had to quit two jobs because his mother kept “coming in to talk to my managers and co-workers”, telling the rest of the staff which employees her son didn’t like.
Inappropriate dressing
Another user agorbyoo had this to say: “Dress and present yourself well.
Dressing well or properly isn’t only for face-to-face interviews, there are times when an interview is conducted via Skype and most candidates think it’s unnecessary to mind what’s happening at the background. It does really matter in a very big way.
Kids should be controlled away from the camera; the house should be clean and tidy; and the TV should be switched off. Any form of distraction that may arise during the interview should be completely avoided.
How about keeping yourself under control? You might be your own greatest enemy in those on-screen interviews. This is what agorbyoo said:
“If that’s not possible and your kid bursts in the room during the interview anyway, I suggest not turning and yelling ‘oh my god, I told you to leave me alone for five f**king minutes.’ If you would not slurp from a bottle of Pepsi during a face to face, don’t do it during this type of interview either. Same goes for eating or smoking or texting or picking your nose.”
Attempting to guilt-trip your interviewer
A job seeker could wrongly think that being emotional during an interview works as a strategy. Sadly, it doesn’t. It is a known fact that the rich also cry, so does your employer.
We all have problems but those should be bottled up during interviews for the sake of professionalism. An employer in a bad mood would like a candidate who’s lively, humorous and charismatic. Another user named pinkiepiebestpony wrote:
“Telling me how badly you need this job because of all the problems you have will get your application thrown in the trash.
“Sorry, but people with baggage tend to cause problems in the workplace and have a high turnover rate.”
Time considerations
It is advised that a candidate should not send applications during work hours as this shows disregard for your current job – if you already have one. An employer would think you could do the same while working for the organization so this comes with an automatic disqualification.
Other issues on loyalty was summarized by the Reddit member musicalrapture :
“Who in their right mind would send their resume from their current work email? Are you at work right now, using your employer’s time to apply to jobs? What if I want to extend and offer, but you’ve left the position and no longer have access to your work email?”
Negative comments about your former employer
Alienthere added that bad-mouthing your former employer wouldn’t give candidates any advantages either: “If you outright talk s**t on your employer or just b**ch about your previous job, I won’t hire you.”
This is true. Employers tend to show more respect to their colleagues who sometimes act as reliable referees. So if you have grudges against your former employer, bottle it up, think of better things to say or say nothing at all.
Religion and godliness
Every organization would like to hire godly people but organizations are not built on godliness. Capitalism has no respect for religion, you already know that.
On this, smunchyblue stated: “Don’t talk about it in the interview or mention it on your CV or resume. If it comes up, I will not hire you. There is a time and place for everything.”
Big_Burds_Nest added that, “the same goes for atheists.”
What does your online account say?
Recruiters may already know you even before to speak with you.
Candidates are advised to be mindful of the pictures they post online; comments they make about their previous jobs or employers; revealing too much of their private lives; lying about their qualifications; and making discriminatory comments.
This could be a reason why you haven’t been invited for that interview.
Worst case scenario: “Beating about the bush.”
In most cases, an employer may need to spare only a few minutes for the interview depending on schedule as well as the number of candidates. It would, therefore, be kind of you to answer questions directly in simple words.
Smunchyblue elaborated: “If I ask a question, please don’t make me sit through ten minutes of pointless stories, personal anecdotes, and/or semi-connected rambling. I am sure you’re very interesting, but I’m afraid I need you to get to the point.”
Death_proofer summed up the discussion: “Only on these kinds of threads do I learn that people are this stupid.”
Be wise and stand out from the crowd.
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