6 Things HR People Wish You Knew

Posted by in Career Advice


 



Many job seekers today think they know how to interview for a job. They polish their shoes and resumes, and off they go—into the lion’s den of the job interview. They believe as most do that all it takes is a solid resume, good references from past employers or professors, and it’s, “when can you start?”  

 

Not exactly.

 

There are a number of things HR people wish you knew before you showed up for the interview. Their top six pet peeves include:

 

Be on time. I know it’s pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how many HR managers have waited 10, even 15 minutes for job candidates to show up for an interview. No matter how good the excuse, being late always starts the interview on the wrong foot. Many candidates don’t even bother to call ahead and tell the HR person they’re running late. 

 

Be appropriately dressed. Pretty obvious, right? Not to all job candidates.  Some who interview for creative jobs will show up in levis, shorts and sandals. Others will walk in wearing “shades” to be cool. Then there are those who insist on showing off their tattoos.  Facial jewelry and piercings should be removed. The general rule is to dress to match the interviewer.  

 

Be courteous. It’s sometimes like night and day the way job candidates treat receptionists as opposed to the HR people they’ll be interviewing with. They’ll walk up to the receptionist and treat them with disdain or as a non-person. They’ll ask them to make copies of their resume, ask for staplers and other office supplies, or they’ll insist on being announced the minute they arrive. Some job candidates have even been known to grill the receptionist on the company and what they think of the HR manager. Poor form. 

 

Be prepared. Again, pretty obvious, but many job candidates simply aren’t fully prepared for the job interview.  They figure their outgoing personality will more than make up for their lack of knowledge of the company and its products or services. Others try to read up on the company in the reception area, flipping through annual reports and looking up facts on their cellphones or laptops. 

 

Be confident. It’s surprising the number of candidates who lack self confidence. They look away, fiddle with their resumes, their hair, jewelry or clothes. Many are timid about their accomplishments and abilities. Others make excuses for not have great grades or underperforming at their last job. 
 

Be focused. HR Managers hate it when candidates wander off on tangents when they’re asked a specific question. Some candidates will start with a sales success, then segue into the after party or the company retreat. Others will begin with their school projects and shift aimlessly into totally unrelated projects. These detours often make HR people suspicious—is the candidate trying to conceal something or is he or she simply not listening to the questions being asked?

 

The thing HR managers wish job candidates would remember is that they’ll eventually have to introduce the candidate to their boss and possibly senior management.  Something to keep in mind when you show up with a spider-web neck tattoo. 


 

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  • Neal B
    Neal B
    I would like to add an additional point to this well written article. Make eye contact with the interviewer. In addition, take note of the interviewer's mannerisms and subtly incorporate some of them in your own presentation. Finally, recognize the interviewer may be as nervous as you think you are.
  • Adella R
    Adella R
    These are some really good tips. Many of them I didn't learned until late in the interviewing game; but trust me they have covered basically all the important interviews I've ever had including group.Thanks for reassuring me that hiring managers still are looking for a professional like myself.  .
  • Alex Kecskes
    Alex Kecskes
    Thank you all for your kind and informative comments. Yes, some employers do ask some silly questions, but they simply want to see how you answer them, and if you can communicate your thoughts clearly.Aileen, if you're going after a medical career, like a surgical tech, you need to learn as much as you can about the hospital or medical center. It also helps to join the Association of Surgical Technologists: http://www.ast.org/
  • Sinisa N
    Sinisa N
    Everything is true.
  • Victoria White
    Victoria White
    Simple stuff, who do you write this for? 20 something's?
  • Darlene J
    Darlene J
    Enjoyed this article things I forgot about!   Please continue to sent articles to keep her informed.Apreciate with thanks.Darlene
  • walter h
    walter h
    Also I would like to add, be well groomed I think a lot of people don't think about that.   Good article.  I myself hope to find a great place of work very soon.
  • Rebecca W
    Rebecca W
    thank you for these great tips. Any advice or suggestions are needed in today's very tough job market. It seems to be a 'buyer/employer' market more than ever....
  • Yvonne W
    Yvonne W
    Is being over confident a bad thing when going for a interview?
  • Jessica R
    Jessica R
    This offers terrific advice for individuals. Another area to add under -Be Focused- is the need to speak clearly and at a pace where your words are understood.More often than not, people will speak very fast and some of their important points will be missed. Take your time and hold your head high. Excellent communicators are a huge asset to an organization.
  • Emmanuel I
    Emmanuel I
    I sometimes believe that decision about hiring or not hiring a candidate is determined before the interview begins. The appearance and demeanor of the candidate play a major role.
  • Linda Kay R
    Linda Kay R
    excellent article
  • Aileen L
    Aileen L
    It was informative, but lacks the how to fix-its.  Obviously being on time is essential, but what kind of info. does a surgical technician, for example, need to check up on when looking into a hospital.  Please give us examples or a follow up about this article.  Thank you!
  • Reshmi B
    Reshmi B
    very good advice for all new seekers.....thanks
  • Geysa M
    Geysa M
    Very good but also very basic.  Wish to read more in depth advise than the basic interview tips that are common sense.
  •  mary r
    mary r
    Great advice!  I was amazed at the  very non-professional attire of the younger applicants that I interviewed in my previous position.
  • lerato m
    lerato m
    the article really assisted.
  • Christian B
    Christian B
    Turn off your phone or a least put it on silent. Not vibrate but silent.
  • Jason B
    Jason B
    Very true indeed.  These 6 things will help me improve my inteviewing skills in a general sense.  What about the construction site type interviews?
  • Linda P
    Linda P
    Everything in this article is just common sense, yet still I see unkept and underdressed people showing up for jobs.Sometimes I wonder if it is just me having an issue with this? I find myself thinking that I would never hire most of them. Thank you for the confirmation.  
  • Carlos R
    Carlos R
    Very helpful :)
  • Peter A
    Peter A
    very good basic quetions
  • Melissa G
    Melissa G
    Everything said is correct.  However, it is also important to sit up straight on the edge of the chair and not laid back.  Always look them straight in the eyes while talking and answering questions.  This will help make the employer feel confident on what your saying.
  • Harry R
    Harry R
    Great information
  • Ambreen F
    Ambreen F
    hi all this is very right and i am totally agreed because only make up does not matter but your confidence matters alot.first and the foremost thing is be on time for the interview.proper and nicely dressed up.answer the questions to the point and correct.              thanks.                                                                      regards.      

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