Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Job-hunting tips from the July 19, 2004 issue of
QuintZine.
Of 585 recruiters recently polled, 36 percent chose "arriving poorly dressed or groomed" as the "worst interview
sin," reported Kevin Flood, editor of HRnext. But nearly as many -- 35 percent -- voted for "arriving late."
"Being preoccupied with money" got 16 percent of the vote, while the remaining 13 percent said "knowing nothing about
the company" is the worst interview sin.
For more about what NOT to do, read the war stories posted
under the discussion question, "What's the worst job interview
you've ever conducted?" in
HR Pros Recount Their Worst Interviews.
Beta Research Corporation, on behalf of The New York Times Job Market, conducted telephone interviews in late 2003
with 250 hiring managers and 200 New York metro area job-seekers, defined as those who were currently looking
or planned to look for a new job in the next six months.
As part of the survey, hiring managers, and job seekers were asked to rate the following traits and behaviors
they consider most and least appealing during a job interview:
Appealing Traits and Behaviors
Hiring Managers
Job Seekers
Positive attitude/enthusiasm
84%
96%
Confidence
79%
95%
Being articulate
78%
93%
Honesty
76%
93%
Timeliness
75%
91%
Good listening skills
74%
93%
Eye contact
71%
93%
Good body language
68%
88%
Firm handshake
59%
83%
Traditional business attire
46%
83%
Unappealing Traits and Behaviors
Hiring Managers
Job Seekers
Negative attitude
83%
88%
Tardiness
79%
86%
Poor listening skills
76%
86%
Being inarticulate
69%
85%
Arrogance
64%
73%
Inappropriate body language
63%
75%
Poor eye contact
60%
71%
Lacking confidence
59%
83%
Focus on salary/benefits at initial interview
51%
63%
Revealing too much personal information
50%
72%
Casual attire
31%
64%
Job-seekers who land morning interviews may have an advantage in the hiring process, suggests a recent survey by
Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.
More than two-thirds -- 69 percent -- of financial executives polled said the most productive time for meeting
with applicants is between 9 and 11 a.m.
Asked "Which of the following times of day do you believe is the most productive for conducting hiring
interviews?" responses from 1,400 chief financial officers from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies
with more than 20 employees were:
Before 9 a.m. -- 11 percent
9 a.m. to 11 a.m. -- 69 percent
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- 4 percent
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. -- 8 percent
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. -- 3 percent
After 5 p.m. -- 2 percent
Don't know -- 3 percent
Among other tips that Accountemps suggests
for a successful interview:
Practice. An interview is like an audition, so make time to rehearse with a friend or family member standing
in as the interviewer. Audio- or videotaping these sessions can provide additional insight.
Be prepared. Have a clear idea of what the company does and how you can contribute to the organization. The more
thoroughly you prepare, the higher your confidence level during the interview.
Arrive on time. Showing up late always creates a bad impression -- even if you have a good excuse. Find out
in advance exactly how to get to the interview location and if you've never been there before, plan a trial run.
Of 585 recruiters recently polled, 36 percent chose "arriving poorly dressed or groomed" as the "worst interview
sin," reported Kevin Flood, editor of HRnext. But nearly as many -- 35 percent -- voted for "arriving late."
