CHICAGO, Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Interviews are
vulnerable times. There aren't many things more nerve-wracking than
walking into a room of people you desperately want to impress. In a
new survey from CareerBuilder, employers shared the most memorable
job interview mistakes candidates have made and how body language
can hinder their chances of moving forward in the interview
process.
According to the nationwide survey, conducted online by Harris
Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from November 16 to December 6, 2016 among more than
2,600 hiring and human resource managers, it doesn't take long for
a hiring manager to make a decision. Around half of employers (51
percent) know within the first five minutes of an interview if a
candidate is a good fit for a position — on par with last year (50
percent).
"The best solution to minimize pre-interview anxiety is solid
preparation," said Rosemary Haefner,
chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder. "If you don't read
about the company and research your role thoroughly, you
could magnify your fear of interviewing poorly and lose the
opportunity."
The Strangest Things People Have Done in Job
Interviews
When asked to share the most unusual things job
candidates have done during the interview process, employers and
hiring managers recalled the following:
- Candidate asked to step away to call his wife to ask her if the
starting salary was enough before he agreed to continue with the
interview.
- Candidate asked where the nearest bar was located.
- Candidate brought his childhood toys to the interview.
- Candidate ate a pizza he brought with him (and didn't offer to
share).
- Candidate asked interviewer why her aura didn't like the
candidate.
- Candidate invited interviewer to dinner afterwards.
- Candidate stated that if the interviewer wanted to get to
heaven, she would hire him.
- Candidate ate crumbs off the table.
- Candidate said her hair was perfect when asked why she should
become part of the team.
- Candidate sang to a song on the radio playing overhead.
- Candidate bragged about the fact that they were in the local
newspaper for allegedly stealing a treadmill from an older woman's
house.
- Candidate put on and took off her sunglasses repeatedly.
Body Language: Master Your Mannerisms
In a job
interview, it's likely that your body language will have more of
a positive impact on your success than anything you say.
When asked to identify the biggest body language mistakes job
seekers make during an interview, hiring managers named the
following:
- Failing to make eye contact: 67 percent
- Failing to smile: 39 percent
- Playing with something on the table: 34 percent
- Fidgeting too much in their seats: 32 percent
- Crossing their arms over their chests: 32 percent
- Having bad posture: 31 percent
- Playing with their hair or touching their faces: 28
percent
- Having a weak handshake: 22 percent
- Using too many hand gestures: 13 percent
- Having a handshake that was too strong: 9 percent
Easiest Ways to Ruin a Job Interview
What are the
absolute worst things you can do when interviewing for a job? Here
are five instant deal breakers, according to employers:
- Candidate is caught lying about something: 66 percent
- Candidate answers a cellphone or text during the interview: 64
percent
- Candidate appears arrogant or entitled: 59 percent
- Candidate dresses inappropriately: 49 percent
- Candidate appears to have a lack of accountability: 48
percent
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online
within the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder among
2,605 hiring and human resource managers ages 18 and over (employed
full-time, not self-employed, including 2,391 in the private
sector) between November 16 and December 6,
2016. With a pure probability sample of 2,605, one could say
with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a
sampling error of +/- 1.92 percentage points.
About CareerBuilder®
CareerBuilder is a global,
end-to-end human capital solutions company focused on helping
employers find, hire and manage great talent. Combining
advertising, software and services, CareerBuilder leads the
industry in recruiting solutions, employment screening and human
capital management. It also operates top job sites around the
world. Owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE:TGNA), Tribune Media (NYSE:TRCO)
and McClatchy (NYSE:MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries
operate in the United States,
Europe, South America, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit
www.careerbuilder.com.
Media Contact
Ladan
Nikravan
312.698.0538 x70538
ladan.nikravan@careerbuilder.com
http://www.twitter.com/CareerBuilderPR
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SOURCE CareerBuilder