Employers Share Most Memorable Interview Blunders

Nearly Half of Employers Know if a Candidate is a Good Fit Within the First Five Minutes

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Jan 16, 2014, 04:00 ET

CHICAGO, Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to a job interview, the first few minutes may be the most crucial. A new survey from CareerBuilder finds that nearly half (49 percent) of employers know within the first five minutes of an interview whether a candidate is a good or bad fit for the position, and 87 percent know within the first 15 minutes.

The national survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive^© from November 6 to December 2, 2013, and included a representative sample of 2,201 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

Most Memorable Mistakes
When asked to share the most outrageous mistakes candidates made during a job interview, employers gave the following real-life examples:

Applicant warned the interviewer that she "took too much valium" and didn't think her interview was indicative of her personality
Applicant acted out a Star Trek role
Applicant answered a phone call for an interview with a competitor
Applicant arrived in a jogging suit because he was going running after the interview
Applicant asked for a hug
Applicant attempted to secretly record the interview
Applicant brought personal photo albums
Applicant called himself his own personal hero
Applicant checked Facebook during the interview
Applicant crashed her car into the building
Applicant popped out his teeth when discussing dental benefits
Applicant kept her iPod headphones on during the interview
Applicant set fire to the interviewer's newspaper while reading it when the interviewer said "impress me"
Applicant said that he questioned his daughter's paternity
Applicant wanted to know the name and phone number of the receptionist because he really liked her

Common Mistakes
The top most detrimental blunders candidates make in interviews are often the most common, according to employers:

Appearing disinterested – 55 percent
Dressing inappropriately – 53 percent
Appearing arrogant – 53 percent
Talking negatively about current or previous employers – 50 percent
Answering a cell phone or texting during the interview – 49 percent
Appearing uninformed about the company or role – 39 percent
Not providing specific examples – 33 percent
Not asking good questions – 32 percent
Providing too much personal information – 20 percent
Asking the hiring manager personal questions – 17 percent

Communication involves much more than simply words, and forgetting that during an interview could harm your chances. Employers weighed in on the worst body language mistakes candidates make in job interviews:

Failure to make eye contact – 70 percent
Failure to smile – 44 percent
Bad posture – 35 percent
Fidgeting too much in one's seat – 35 percent
Playing with something on the table – 29 percent
Handshake that is too weak – 27 percent
Crossing one's arms over one's chest – 24 percent
Playing with one's hair or touching one's face – 24 percent
Using too many hand gestures – 10 percent
Handshake that is too strong – 5 percent

"Employers want to see confidence and genuine interest in the position. The interview is not only an opportunity to showcase your skills, but also to demonstrate that you're the type of person people will want to work with," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. "Going over common interview questions, researching the company, and practicing with a friend or family member can help you feel more prepared, give you a boost in confidence, and help calm your nerves."

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive^© on behalf of CareerBuilder among 2,201 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) between November 6 and December 2, 2013 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 2,201, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 2.09 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder®
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract great talent. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com®, is the largest in the United States with more than 24 million unique visitors and 1 million jobs. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing everything from labor market intelligence to talent management software and other recruitment solutions. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), Tribune Company and The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, South America, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.

Media Contact
Jennifer Grasz
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SOURCE CareerBuilder