Manage Your Life
Saturday, November 7, 2009
7 Things Hiring Managers Don't Like About You
user
You might have said some pretty terrible things about particular
hiring managers in the past, but in many cases, those in charge of
HR duties are
frustrated by the annoying
antics of applicants in the dark. You might be qualified for
the job, but your chances for getting it will be better if you
avoid doing these 10 things hiring managers hate about you.
- Exaggeration: There are plenty of ways
applicants make themselves seem more perfect than they actually
are. But total, obvious exaggeration, like saying you read through
one book every day, is telling the hiring manager she's too
naive to pick out a lie.
- Assuming You Have the Job: Certain
questions give the impression that you think you already have the
job, like asking where your desk would be located and how every
minute of every day will be spent.
- Feeling Too Comfortable: Even if the
hiring manager appears to be around your age, do not treat her like
she's your pal. Friendly small talk is encouraged to break the
ice and show some personality, but don't compliment her
complexion and ask for skincare tips.
- Making Sloppy Mistakes: You wouldn't
believe how often applicants make sloppy and obvious
mistakes, like putting the incorrect company name on the cover
letter and getting the title wrong for the job you're after.
Errors like these are turnoffs for hiring managers.
- Sharing Too Much: If you need pick up
your kids up every Wednesday at 5:30 on the dot, don't mention
it in the first interview. If you're the right candidate, you
can work out schedule nuances later. Don't jump the gun and
share too much about your
personal life.
- Not Managing Your Online Profile: How
many times do they have to say it? Hiring managers will look up all
of your online profiles, and yes,
they will look through your pictures. Don't be a disappointment
and waste their time; clean up your online presence.
- Thesaurus Overload: You can create a
resume
that sounds intelligent without using words bigger than you.
Use the thesaurus for keyword inspiration and variations, but leave
out the words that sound like you're trying too hard.
To read three more of our tips,
click
here.
.
Related Content:
Job Search
The Grind
Where to
Look for a Job
Related: the grind, list, job search, career
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Posted by Bookgrrrl Wed Jul 1, 2009 11:34am PDT
I don’t see what’s wrong with asking where you’d be sitting.
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Posted by TerryM Wed Jul 1, 2009 12:46pm PDT
I always ask if they discourage inter-office dating.
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Posted by Annie Wed Jul 1, 2009 1:39pm PDT
I don't agree with the online presence one. A hiring manager isn't going to be able to view my pictures unless I friend them. So no, I don't think they will look up your online profiles. And even if they do, they can't find anything without permission.
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Posted by Doktor Eevol Wed Jul 1, 2009 2:05pm PDT
The last one - thesaurus overload - is a pet peeve of mine. I'm so sick of people trying to sound smart when they can't think for themselves at all.
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Posted by The General Secretary Wed Jul 1, 2009 2:46pm PDT
Here's one thing I don't like about hiring managers: Their stubborn inaccessibility and insistence on keeping applicants in the dark about what's desired from them at any stage in the application process.
I swear, sometimes it seems like going through HR (instead of knowing a friend of the boss's brother) is the surest way to get disqualified from an open position.
What I wouldn't give for the feeling that an employer was looking for reasons to hire me rather than reasons not to.
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Posted by V.H Wed Jul 1, 2009 2:58pm PDT
Hiring managers have set up a fife-dom. They know they have you on the ropes (esp in this economy), they can be picky but with that pickiness comes arrogance and indifference. For pete's sake Hiring Manager, call me if I didn't make it (email in this instance is for the weak willed), return my call/email/letter if I am "following up" (your assistant is fine or a form letter), and for heaven's sake LEARN TO PRONOUNCE MY NAME! You would expect all these things from me as a candidate, so I expect them from you.
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Posted by opiniononly Wed Jul 1, 2009 4:21pm PDT
My peeve...the total lack of courtesy in not keeping candidates - or even applicants- in the loop of the interview and/or hiring process. Yes, I know you get hundreds of apps for one job. Set up an email blast and acknowledge receipt of the darn application. Send letters that are accurate...I once got a thank you for interviewing letter and was never called for an interview. When I followed up, thinking there was a serious communication lapse, I was told their software system didn't allow them to modify the rejection letter so every got the same letter! What????
One thing from the article I agree with, as a long time divisional hiring manager, if you send me documentation with typos and errors, you will immediately go into a pile that I call "convince me". I'll look at some of them again, but if there are multiple errors, you've lost your window of opportunity with me. While I understand that mistakes happen (and I once typed my phone number incorrectly on a resume - and still got the job), errors leave an immediate poor impression. That all being said, I also love to read/review the cover letters that fall outside the normal 'do this/don't do that' tips - inject some personality into your docs. I don't hire paper, I hire people...but I prefer to hire people with good proofreading skills on important documents!
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Posted by Michelle Wed Jul 1, 2009 7:15pm PDT
I always search applicants names in Myspace/Facebook/Twitter or other networking sites. You'd be surprised the default pics I see, even for people who have their profiles private. Another pet peeve when reviewing resumes: a ridiculous, juvenile or just plain inappropriate e mail address. I don't care if you've had your addy since 1995, but sweetbaby19@yahoo.com isn't getting an interview with me.
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