According to SHRM, 63% of those polled said it takes recruiters 15 minutes or less to rule out a candidate. As a result, to help you during your interview process, I have developed some interview tips based on my past experiences and a survey conducted by SHRM surveying 498 HR professionals on “Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts for Job-Seekers.” Here are some things to consider before, during, and after a job interview:
Before the Interview
· Check for Errors: Before submitting your resume and cover letter, make sure that it does not contain any spelling and grammatical errors. According to SHRM, 58% of HR respondents considered it a deal breaker.
· Be cognizant, but not paranoid (social media): Be cognizant about the types of photos and comments you post on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter because the friends you know, may know other people who work at the specific company you’re interviewing for. For instance, a negative comment about an employer or an inappropriate photo can make you look unprofessional. On the other hand, it is interesting to note that as a former recruiter, I never used Facebook as a method to screen candidates. The reason is because I think it is unethical and it would take way too much time. According to SHRM, 75% of HR respondents said they don’t check up on applicants Facebook, MySpace and Twitter accounts.
During the Interview
· Arrive 15 minutes early and dress professionally: By being early to an interview it shows that you will not be tardy for future meetings or late on projects once you’re hired. In addition, dressing business formal is essential during interviews. Common dress attires that I have seen that are appropriate for both men and women is wearing business suits. In fact, according to SHRM, dressing too provocatively or casually for an interview (67%) and arriving late (58%) appeared to be deal breakers.
· Avoid negative talk: By not talking negatively about a previous employer or boss it shows the recruiter that you are professional and that you will not talk negatively about them in the future. This was advice given to me by past HR executives that have interviewed hundreds of candidates. According to SHRM, talking negatively about a previous job (53%) or boss (49%) was considered a deal breaker.
· Give eye contact and avoid chattiness: By giving eye contact it shows that you are being honest and are not lying. For example, when I asked a College Recruiter how she determines if someone is lying she told me “those who are lying tend to look away during certain answers.” In addition, a common rule is to let the recruiter do most of the talking and be concise in your answers. For instance, if a recruiter asks you “Walk me through your resume,” do not go through your resume line by line. Instead, go through your education and work experience at a high level (summarize broadly what you did). I have sat in on many interviews and 80% of the time the interviewee would not receive a second round if they talked too much.
· Use the job description to focus on skills relevant to the job: All recruiters who recruit for jobs utilize the job description as a guide during the interview. For example, if the job description for a marketing position states that it requires someone who has strong communication and analytical skills, the recruiter will look for those qualities during the interview. The reason is because most recruiters are recruiting for over 25 – 30 positions so it is difficult for them to know about each one without using the actual job description as a guide. As a result, by tailoring your answers to match skills required in the job description it will show recruiters that you are a good “fit” for the position. In addition, according to SHRM, 56% of respondents stated that it is important to have skills relevant to the job and 42% said that personality and interest in the company/job are important.
After the Interview
Thank You Notes, how essential is it?: Sending thank you notes after an interview is common courtesy and appropriate as long as it is 3 – 4 sentences long. However, not sending one at all isn’t going to disqualify you from the interview process. For example, I asked a College Recruiter whether or not she reads thank you emails and she told me that she never does because it takes too much time. In fact, 64% of HR professionals didn’t think it was a problem if they did not receive a thank-you note after the interview according to SHRM.
In conclusion, remember that interviewing is a nerve racking process that requires practice and experience. However, by using these tips you will be able to gain a better understanding of what recruiters actually looking for and find important before, during, and after an interview, which will give you an advantage over your competition.
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