By Sophie Stones

The cost of making a bad hire can be incredibly Grimm for companies, especially for start-ups or those who have slim profit margins. This cost has led to 79% of employers confessing they get angry because of a candidate’s actions during a job interview. We’re turning the magic mirror on the seven faux pas’ which could be the poison apple to your job search.

Bashful

Whilst it’s not the worst thing you can do in an interview, and good hiring managers will understand your nerves, being overly shy is a complete turn off to 4.7% of employers. Keep the nerves under control by making sure you’ve researched both the sector and the company, arrived on time and avoided the coffee beforehand.

Sleepy

A huge bugbear for employers is when candidates arrive late with no excuse. In fact, for 65.3% it will drastically affect their hiring decisions, whether or not the rest of the interview goes smoothly. For many lateness is a red flag that the employee will turn out to be lazy in the long run. Ensure you don’t fall victim to this issue by researching your route thoroughly, having alternative modes of transport and if you’re a worrier, doing a trial run of your journey in.

Dopey

Having a joke with your interviewer is a great way to build up rapport and demonstrate cultural fit, however it can go too far. It turns out employers really do think it’s the lowest form of wit, as 14.6% disapprove of candidates displaying sarcasm within an interview. Potentially demonstrating a lack of professionalism, save the sarcasm for your friends and let the interviewer take the lead on whether or not to leave the laughter outside of the boardroom.

Grumpy

This one should speak for itself, however whilst most candidates will manage to dredge up a smile for the interviewer, what most don’t know is that some employers will secretly suss out a candidate’s demeanor whilst waiting for a meeting. Treat everyone in a polite and happy manner, from the receptionist to the cleaner, regardless of how stressed you are, or you could ruin your chance before you’ve even shook hands.

Doc

You may have been the leader in your old role but if you want to continue your winning streak then it’s best to leave any arrogance at the door. 45.1% of employers are regularly annoyed by the arrogance of candidates during interview. Toe the line between confident and cocky by describing your achievements in a factual way and giving at least a little airtime to describe how you worked in a team.

Happy

You may be thinking that there are no negatives to being happy, but there is such a thing as being too enthusiastic and for some employers it can be a massive turnoff. Of course, you should demonstrate commitment to the role, however keep the follow up phone calls to a minimum, if any at all, and don’t be so eager that you come across as a pushover. As Wharton Professor, Adam Grant, says “The agreeable giver may seem like the ideal employee, but… their sunny disposition can make them averse to conflict and too eager to agree.”

Sneezy

Okay, we’re crowbarring this comparison in slightly now but we’re hoping you’ll be more forgiving than the 29.6% who believe that being unhygienic is the biggest mistake a candidate can make. Add to that the 15.5% who cite being underdressed as one of the worst offences and presentation really does matter. Our advice: Have a wash and put on a shirt, it’s really as simple as that.

If you avoid these behaviours, it should be hi ho hi ho it’s off to work we go…

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