7 Things That Turn Off Employers During an Interview

Turn off your cell phone - turn off your cell phone - turn off your cell phone & take that stupid thing out of your ear while I'm interviewing you!

I was once on an interview, & the employer said to me "I'm not looking for a yes man, you do know what I mean right?" So I said "No.". He said "Pardon me" , & I said "No" again. He started laughing & I got the job.

I love these article that portary this wide open job market. Nailing the interview for that new position? How about getting a call from one of the 1000 resumes you sent out this year?

I know the salary & benefits discussion is taboo for the initial interview, but why should it be a secret? These days, you have to interview with multiple people, sometimes on multiple days, for the same position for a position. In my most recent interview, I interviewed with no less than 6 people on 3 different days before I was finally offered the position. The offer was significantly lower than I had hoped and not worth leaving my current position. Certainly a lot of time and effort on all of our parts could have been saved by showing a salary range upfront. Why should anyone have to jump through hoops for a job they can't financially afford to take in the first place, just b/c salary info is a secret? People forget interviews are a 2 way street, you have to fit the employer's guidelines, but it also has to work for you.

Employer to applicant: "In this job we need someone who is responsible."

Applicant: "I'm the one you want. On my last job, every time anything went wrong, they said I was responsible."
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HR Manager to job candidate: "I see you've had no computer training. Although that qualifies you for upper management, it means you're under-qualified for our entry level positions."

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Several weeks after a young man had been hired, he was called into the personnel manager's office.

"What is the meaning of this?" the manager asked. "When you applied for the job, you told us you had 5 years' experience. Now we discover this is the first job you've ever had."

"Well," the young man said, "in your ad you said you wanted somebody with imagination."

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I love the "where do you plan to be in five years" question. My honest answer would probably be "working somewhere else" because most companies either fold, move or lay you off within that time frame.

1 Finding out you're at least 40 with 15 years experience.
2 Knowing something the interviewer doesn't
3 Acting like you have a long term committed loving relationship
4 Thinking you have some value in this world beyond a manager's validation
5 Flinching visibly when the job is described as requiring 24/7 support, weekends and late nights
6 Admitting a lack of conversational Hindi
7Revealing a character flaw like believing family and home life matter

Number 1. Being 59 years-old.

i usually refrain from ripping a loud one while in there

I actually had a guy tell me I should consider retirement rather than continue a career path, I had another woman tell me "you've had a good career, it's time to give the younger kids a chance" I am 60.... Good luck America! btw...I spent most of my career as a GM for North America with a major corporation. All of this hiring stuff is crap...it's who you know and how many years can I get out of you before I throw you away for a younger model.

How about posting an article for employers about what turns off prospective employees? Like deceptive job postings (saying you need sales support when it's actually an office administrator position), showing a complete lack of interest FROM THE BEGINNING of the interview, asking questions that have nothing to do with the position or your ability to do the position (Do you blog? I like to you write screenplays, do you write?)

My favorite is the companies that want to offer you "an opportunity" instead of a paycheck

Who you know not what you know helps a lot too.

actually the employers are turning off potential employees these days, my last job offer was shocked that I had the nerve to turn down their offer, I'm not one to sell myself into slavery

Complaints from Prospective Employees:

At least pretend you looked at the resume.

I'm here ten minutes early, why are you fifteen minutes late?

I checked my face, my breath, and washed my hands. The same should be expected of the Interviewer.

Take the time to have the hiring manager pinpoint the most important details of the job description to the recently graduated human resource major who does the initial interview.

There's no need for 4 interviews if you take the time to coordinate the schedule of Interviewers 3 and 4.

We're not expecting a call back even though you say you will regardless of which way the company decides to go. Heck, we don't even expect you to call in the decision timeframe you've given us. But don't be surprised when we take a job from someone who does do what they say they're going to do (hint: it's very telling when an employer can't make timeframes but expects you to in a deadline driven environment).

If you hire a headhunter, don't perform thesame tasks they have done. Don't ask the same questions they did. It gives the impression anything I could expect out of a raise is going to an unneeded service and may be indicative of what happens to most resources within the company.

First impressions are a two way street. Employers tend to think they are one way when it comes to prospective hires.

How About 7 Things that Turn off a Potential Employee.

Be sure to use the word "synergy" at least three times during the interview as well.

For every one of these advice articles I read saying "do this, not that...", I read another that says just the opposite.

I broke rule #6 by appearing anxious and nervous because I kept playing with the collar
on my blouse. It was so noticeable that the interviewer asked if I was nervous and
I said "yes". She told me to relax and to make a long story short, I received a call the
next day and was told I had the job. I was with that company for eleven years. Most
of us aren't perfect when we're interviewed, but smart employers and interviewers realize
that.

1. Flatullence is okay, but actual defecation is not.
2. Admiriring a picture of the interviewer's family is okay, but asking about nailing one of them is not.
3. Admitting that you once had a run in with the law is okay, but discussing sex in a penal institution is not.
4. Going in with a mild hangover masked by breath mints may not be noticed, but projectile vomiting probably will be.
5. Telling the interviewer that you and your father once got arrested for running on the field and assaulting a Major League umpire is probably not a good idea.
6. Bringing a small pet in may be overlooked, but beating the crap out of it for questionable reasons probably won't be.
7. If you decide to light up during the interview try to avoid farts and crack cocaine.
Those are my seven tips.