10 Warning Signs to Look For in an Interview!
There comes a point in every interview, where a candidate understands whether or not, the interview is going well. Even if the interview is going well, the hiring manager can drop just one phrase that will change the whole course of interview. The candidate realizes when this happens, especially if the hiring manager uses some of the most common phrases available. This article aims to help MBA students and graduates understand what these common phrases are and that their usage signals the interview either as over or that it is not going well. If the candidate has lied on his resume, then one of the common phrases used by the hiring manager is “I called your previous place of work and they have no records of you.” This will immediately mean that the interview is over or worse, that will only go downhill from there. Candidates should always be honest and never lie on their resume about past work experience that they do not possess. Many companies do a background check on the people they could potentially be hiring. This includes going through the social media accounts of the person. If they come across any undesirable information or pictures or any other activity, then they will probably try to bring this up using the phrase “Going through your social media account, I found that...” This should warn candidates to clean up their social media and remove anything that does not align with the values of the company they are interviewing for. Companies that do not promote from within and instead look for new candidates once a position opens up, often use the phrase “we only hire the very best people for the job.” If a candidate wants to grow within such a company, then he should enquire more about their position. Candidates should have good personal hygiene, should brush their teeth properly and dress smartly in clean, ironed clothes. First impressions are very important and if any of the above is not in order, then it could cause the candidate his job, with the use of the phrase “you have something on your shirt/ between your teeth.” Wearing sunglasses to an interview are a strict no-no and could cause a severe backlash from the hiring manager who would use a phrase like “are those sunglasses prescription.” When the hiring manager says “can I give you some advice” the candidate should understand that nothing well ever follows that statement. The best thing a candidate can do in this situation is to accept the response positively and not act negatively. All documents must be triple checked to make sure that there are no spelling errors in the cover letter and resume. Hiring managers often point out these errors by saying “the spelling errors in your resume and cover letter have got me concerned.” When the hiring manager uses the phrase “we are still interviewing a lot of other candidates”; that means that interview is not going well. The candidate has been made aware that the odds are stacked against him and that he is unlikely to get the job. If the hiring manager feels that the candidate is not fir for the job based on his resume and the interview, he will say something along the lines of “are you sure this is the right opportunity for you?” When faced with this question, the candidate should be honest and draw experiences with the past that tie in with the job. “We will be in touch”- the laziest, easiest way a hiring manager can let down a candidate and tell him that he has not been hired for the job. The reason that this is a tell-tale sign is because, if the candidate was hired or had chances of being hired, the hiring manager would be more specific about the terms of communication. If and when the candidate hears the above phrases, he should realize that he will most probably not be hired for the job. However, he should not get discouraged and should work to rectify his mistakes, so that they are not repeated in his next interview and he can land his dream job.