12 recruiters reveal their biggest job interview pet

peeves
Do any of these things andeven if you're the best candidate on paperyour
resume will find its way into the trash.
ByMaryEllenSlayter,Monstercareerexpert|October8,2015
Everyonehasapet
peeve.Asmall,
seemingly
innocuousthingthat
causeshigh
amountsof
aggravationforthe
offendedparty.
Now,ifyoucommit
apetpeeveofyour
spousesmaybe
youletthedirty
dishesstaydirtyjust
alittletoolong
youmightgeta
snippyremarkora
coldshoulder.
Commitarecruiterspetpeeveonajobinterview,andyouvelostoutonthechanceatajob.
Weaskedafewofthoseonthehiringsidetosharetheirbiggestturnoffs.Ifyouredoingoneofthese
things,youcanaddsometimetoyourexpectedjobsearch.

IvegotbuyinformyKPIs
MybiggestredflagwhenIinterviewapotentialhireiswhenacandidateusesatonofbuzzwords
withoutanysubstancebehindthem.Whenusedcorrectly,thesetermsareOK,butifyou'resaying
themwithoutrelatingittosomethinguseful,thenitmakesmethinkyou'refullofit.
RonSinai,founderandCOOofNovaLegalFundinginLosAngeles

Letmetellyouaboutmyoldboss...
Talkingnegativelyorcomplainingaboutformeremployers.Itshowslackofmaturityandit
showstheinterviewerthatthecandidatecouldjustaseasilysaythesamethingsabouttheirnew
employer.It'sOKtotalkabouta"lessthanidealsituation,"butnevermakeyourselfthevictimor
blameyourformeremployer.

JamesMeincke,marketingmanageratCloserIQinNewYorkCity

Ithink*coughcough*Imtherightfit*cough*
ItdrivesmecrazywhenIcanhearacandidatesmokingontheotherendofthephoneand
theiranswersaredelayed.
KevinRaxter,managingpartnerofTheCentricsGroupinNorcross,Georgia

Ithinkthiscompanycouldbepartofmy12monthplan
Frequentjobhopsandaresumethatlackssuccinctcareerprogression(suchaslessthanayearof
employment,unlessyoureconsulting),isaturnoff.
AmberJackson,directoroftalentacquisitionatLISNRinCincinnati

Illgetacorneroffice,right?
Whenthecandidateputsoutdemandsshortlyafter"Hello,"asin,"Ifyourpositionwillnotpay
meatleast$89,000,Iamnotgoingtowastemytimetalkingtoyou."Truestory.
JoElleWeech,founderandpresidentofExemplaryConsultants,LLCintheWashington,D.C.,metro
area

CouldIputyouonholdforasec?
WhenjobcandidatesansweraphonecallwithWhat?orWhosthis?Whensearchingfora
job,anytypeofrudenessisacompleteturnoff.
SarahBenz,leadrecruiterfortheMessinaGroupinChicago

[AwkwardSilence]
Whenacandidategivesonewordanswers.It'suncomfortableandnoonewantsanemployeewho
needstobeledbythehand.
GailAbelman,founderandpresidentofStaffingPerfectioninAtlanta

Hey,canIborrowthat?
Areallybigturnoffisacandidatewhoshowsupwithoutapenandpaper.Doyouthinknoone
willsayanythingworthwritingdownandrememberingduringyourinterview?
BarbaraMarks,headofrecruitingateVestmentinAtlanta

Iwaskindofthemanager,anddidsomestuff
Notbeingspecificaboutpreviousexperiencemakesitdifficultfortherecruitertounderstand
whatexactlycandidatehasaccomplishedaswellashowthecandidatewouldoperateinasimilar
environment.
LoriRinn,vicepresidentoftalentacquisitionatConsultants2GoinNewark,NewJersey

Whateveryouwantisfine,Iguess...

Whateveryouwantisfine,Iguess...
Mybiggestturnoffisapassivecandidate.Astrongcandidateshouldbepassionateandtakean
activeroleindevelopingtheircareerstrategyandidentifyingopportunitiesthatareaperfectfitfor
theirskillsetandcareergoals.
SarahFrankel,founderandCEOofthe525groupinNewYorkCity

Cantwaittodowhateveritisyourcompanydoes!
Mybiggestturnoffinacandidateiswhenheorshedoesntdoproperresearchonacompany
beforeaninterview.Thecandidateshouldknowtheindustry,sectorandgeneralpurposeofthe
company.
KevinMcCarthy,directorofsalesandmarketingatFillmoreSearchGroupinSanFrancisco

Dear[hiringmanager],Ilookforwardtoworkingat[companynamehere]
Thebiggestcandidateturnoffthatweencounterisblindapplicationswhereindividualsapplyfor
anyandallopeningswithoutregardfortherequirementsindicatedintheposting.Forarecent
mechanicaldesignengineeringposting,wereceivedmorethan100applicantresumes,andonlytwoof
themhadtherequisiteindustryexperience.
CliffRusnak,managingprincipalofManagementRecruitersofWickerParkinChicago
FindyournextjobonMonster(http://jobs.monster.com/).
MOREFROMMONSTER:
6thingsyoucoulddotoreallywowarecruiter(http://www.monster.com/blog/b/6thingsreally
wowrecruiterjobinterview)
Whatrecruiterswishyouknewaboutthejobsearchprocess
(http://www.monster.com/blog/b/recruiterswishyouknewaboutjobsearchprocess)
10fieldsthatarehiringinternsrightnow(http://www.monster.com/careerstart/a/10fields
hiringinterns)

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Jointhediscussion
BrianCGB 2daysago

It'sfunny,whenIprepacandidateforajobinterview,Igoovereveryoneofthese(with
theexceptionofdon'tberudebecauseit'sagiven)andadd"nomatterhowfriendlythe
interview,rememberthatyou'reinterviewingandnottalkingtoafriend"aswellas"never
bemorethan10minutesearlyandifyou'reevenaminutelate,you'renotgettingthejob."
ItranklesmewhenIhavetoanswera"whatshouldIweartothisinterview"question,the
answer,evenifit'sanenvironmentwhereyouwearshortsandtshirtstowork,isasuit.

answer,evenifit'sanenvironmentwhereyouwearshortsandtshirtstowork,isasuit.
Showrespectforthejobanddressasifyouwanttheposition.Ialsohavetothrowin,
"kindlymakesurethatyourhygienewon'tbediscussedbehindyourbackwhenthe
interviewisover.Idon'tmeanthattobeoffensive,it'sonlyfrompastexperiencethatI
havetoaddthat."IoncehadacandidatewhohadimpressedeveryonefromtheCTOto
hispotentialgroupmembersandhadeveryonelookingforwardtomeetinghim(hewasin
TexasinterviewingoverSkypeuntiltheyflewhimup)andwhenhegottotheoffice,his
bodyodorwassooverwhelmingthattheycouldn'timagineworkingwithhim.
Personalhygieneisamustinanyofficesetting.Don'tpickyourteeth,yournose,ortugat
loosethreads.MaintaineyecontactandNEVERINTERRUPT.Whenaskedifyouhavea
certainskill,don'tjustsayyes,sayIusethisskillinXcapacityatmycurrentjoborno,
butIusesomethingsimilartothatinXcontextatmycurrentroleandwouldbeableto
learntheskillquicklyifgiventheopportunity.
Bepolite,beprofessionalandbepunctual.Ifyoudon'thaveapenandpaper,askthe
secretaryforone,notthepersonwhoisinterviewingyou(thoughit'ssuggestedthatyou
bringyourresume,acoupleofcopiespreferablyaswellasapadandpaperforwriting
downpointsthatwillleadtoquestionsforyoutoaskthem.)Thisisoneofthebiggest
partsoftheinterviewthatIcannotimaginewasn'tmentioned.Candidateswithout
intelligentquestionsareneverhired.Candidateswhoask"howmanyvacationdayswillI
get"or"whenislunch"or"doyouguyshavegoodmedicalbenefits"willbeconsidered
idiotsandwasteaperfectlygoodinterview.Comeinwithatleast3goodquestionsabout
thecompany,ask2questionsabouttheinterviewer'sexperienceswiththecompany,ask
howyoucangrowwithinthecompanyandwhatyoucandothatpeoplewho'vehad
similarrolestotheoneyou'reapplyforhavedonetosucceedandwherethey'vefailed.
Thatwillshowthatyouactuallywantthejob.Managerslikethat.
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