There are dozens of reasons why some job interviews don’t go well. Contrary to popular belief, these variables don’t always have to do with the job seeker nor are they indicative of that individual’s career potential. As an applicant, if you feel you’re not interviewing as well as you could be, you’re not alone. Here are some of the most common hindrances to interviewing success:
1. Interviewers don’t do their research prior to the meeting. When this happens, the chances of that individual getting a second meeting hovers near the 0% mark (unless the employer is highly desperate). When you show no interest in a hiring manager or their company, they will always return the favor.
2. Personality clash. For a company to be successful, its employees must have some form of a cohesive culture in which employees get along with one another. For instance, a jovial, loud sales representative is not going to do as well as they could in a low-key office.
3. The interviewer appears distant and aloof to the hiring manager. When our clients interview job applicants, the first thing they look for is an enthusiastic attitude. Does that job seeker want to be at the meeting or are they simply going through the motions? A job seeker can have the best intentions and qualifications, but without a certain “pep” in their talk, they are not moving to the next round of interviews.
4. Greed. Sometimes money comes up in the first interview, other times companies postpone discussing salary until the very end of the interviewing process. As a job seeker, when and if you are asked as to how much money you want to make, think twice before requesting a significantly higher salary than you are currently making. Not only is greed a sin, it’s also a great way to not be invited back to the next round of interviews.
5. More qualified applicants exist. Sometimes a job seeker can give the interview of a lifetime only to hear that they are not being considered for the position. To many, this rejection is confusing and can hurt one’s self-esteem. Though, many times it’s nothing personal. The simple reason why you are not moving forward in the interviewing process is that one or more applicants exist who have significant experience than you.
6. The interviewee has little to no employment stability at previous jobs. You can be the best interviewer in the world, however if your history says that you are going to be unreliable, unfortunately you were just wasting your breath. On a positive note, this is an easy problem to fix and can be done by simply staying at your current position. Remember that the grass isn’t always greener.
Author:
Ken Sundheim is the CEO of KAS Placement, an executive search firm specializing in sales and marketing recruitment for employees of all levels throughout the United States. For a hobby Ken writes on topics such as small business issues as well as general entrepreneurship.
