In the job market? Tapping into your network, examining job boards, updating your resume, sending out cover letters and getting strung around for countless interviews can be exhausting. Hiring managers have plenty of stress on their shoulders, too, though. They fall in love with candidates who don’t accept their offers, they carve time out of busy schedules only to be let down by disappointing interviews and they struggle to fill suddenly vacant roles.
The hiring process isn’t a cakewalk on either side of the road.
Our advice? Make the hiring manager’s life as easy as possible to set yourself up for success. Here are eight hiring manager pet peeves to avoid at all costs.
One-sided conversations
Interviews should feel like conversations, not interrogations. While job interviews can be awkward, the hiring manager should not be the only one asking questions. Candidates should be asking questions and maintaining a dialogue with the interviewer to set a more human flow to the discussion. If you want to convince the employer that your skills and personality are in line with their needs, things need to feel natural, not forced.
Overselling yourself
Don’t spend the entire interview talking about yourself. After all, the hiring process isn’t just about proving you’re qualified, it’s also about demonstrating that you’re a good cultural fit and someone who can grasp the organization’s vision and mission. In order to stand out, do your research and ask informed, respectful questions about the role, the hiring manager and the company. Don’t forget to actively listen and show genuine curiosity.
A lack of research
By not doing your homework on the role or the company, you’re wasting everyone’s time. It makes you look unprepared and amatuer. Besides reading the job description thoroughly, make sure you spend time on the company’s website and blog. Is the organization on social media? Check out the types of things they’re posting about there. Is the hiring manager on LinkedIn? Look into their background and their interests to prove that you’re invested in getting to know them, too.
Jumping the gun
Never bring up salary, paid time off or job perks in early discussions. There is something off-putting about a job seeker trying to extract these details before they even fully understand the scope of the position, the company values and the hiring process as a whole.
Cookie-cutter resumes and cover letters
Templated resumes and cover letters that are another variant of what dozens of other job candidates are writing get old. If you want to get noticed, give the hiring manager a reason to stay awake. Dazzle them with your voice, your personality, your unique experience and your specificity. Use stats and data to solidify your points whenever possible.
Appearing nervous during an interview
Slow down your speech, sit up straight, keep yourself from fidgeting and make eye contact the entire interview. A bit of anxiety is perfectly normal during an interview, but practicing with friends and family, keeping your caffeine levels low and practicing slow, deep breathing can help you appear confident and together
Too much followup after an interview
There is such a thing as following up too often. If the hiring manager is wanting to move you forward in the process, they’re not going to forget about you. If it’s been over a week, feel free to reach out but do so in a way that provides them some kind of value. For example, you might reference a new business article that ties into a discussion you had during one of your conversations.
Assuming they did their homework
You are probably not the only candidate the hiring manager is considering. While you can expect hiring managers to be welcoming and respectful, don’t get offended when you have to retell your story. Hit on your background, express the reasons you are looking for a change and give actionable examples showcasing how your experience and talents could help them reach their goals.
One surefire way of not getting the role? Ticking off the hiring manager. Avoid these eight deadly sins and you’re one step closer to landing that new job.
