Want to get hired? Don't do what these people did
Pro tip: Don't come to your job interview dressed like Darth Vader.
That's one of the interview-killing moves reported by hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder, which asked human resource managers to tell them the oddest things they've seen from job candidates. Other candidates have asked for a cocktail or broken out in song. Needless to say, those behaviors aren't likely to endear a candidate to a hiring manager.
While those are oddball behaviors, there are more common job-interview turnoffs that can nix your chances of securing that job, CareerBuilder said. These include appearing arrogant and answering a cell phone or texts during the interview. Body language is also important, with hiring managers pointing to mistakes such as failing to smile or making eye contact.
Making a good impression right from the start is essential -- CareerBuilder found that about half of employers say they know within the first five minutes of an interview if the candidate will be a good fit.
There's a lot on the line for Americans: Almost two in five are searching for new work or plan to start in 2018, according to employment site Glassdoor. Finding a new job can pay off, with new Labor Department data indicating that the biggest wage hikes are going to workers who jump ship for larger businesses.
So how can you make sure you don't flub it? Think of a job interview as a performance, Cathy Salit, the CEO of Performance of a Lifetime, wrote in the Harvard Business Review last year. Interviewers may want to show off their authentic selves, but it's important to remember you are auditioning for a role: the company's newest employee.
She advises creating a "job interview character" who embodies the ideal qualities of your profession, as well as taking into account the culture of the company where you're interviewing. In other words, prepare, practice and anticipate.
"The best thing you can do for yourself is to prepare and practice everything from your body language to answers to standard interview questions," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder, a statement.
She added, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so going in well-prepared is key."
Aside from preparing your own responses, make sure you have a few questions ready to ask the hiring manager. Otherwise, you may appear to be uninterested in the business, according to Glassdoor.
CareeBuilder: The craziest job interview behavior
- Candidate did not have the skills to do the job and stated, "Fake it until you make it" as his personal philosophy.
- Candidate asked interviewer if she was qualified to be doing her job.
- Candidate asked for a cocktail.
- Candidate asked to taste the interviewer's coffee.
- Candidate called a government job "something government-y."
- Candidate came to interview wearing slippers.
- Candidate wore a Darth Vader outfit to the interview.
- Candidate spent a lot of time quoting Dwight D. Eisenhower, which had nothing to do with the position he was interviewing for.
- Candidate leaned far forward with his head down during the first five minutes of the interview.
- Candidate offered interviewer pumpkins and said they transfer good energy.
- Candidate pulled out a bag of drugs with his keys.
- Candidate broke out in song in the middle of the interview.
Mistakes that can ruin your chances
1. Candidate is caught lying about something: 71 percent
2. Candidate answers a cell phone or texts during the interview: 67 percent
3. Candidate appears arrogant or entitled: 59 percent
4. Candidate appears to have a lack of accountability: 52 percent
5. Candidate swears: 51 percent
6. Candidate dresses inappropriately: 50 percent
7. Candidate talks negatively about current or previous employers: 48 percent
8. Candidate knows nothing about the job or company: 45 percent
9. Candidate has unprofessional body language: 43 percent
10. Candidate knows nothing about the industry or competitors: 35 percent
