Arrogance biggest mistake during job interview

Answering cellphone, texting also not appreciated: Survey

Appearing arrogant is one of the biggest mistakes job candidates can make during an interview, according to a CareerBuilder.ca survey of 697 workers and more than 280 hiring and human resource managers across Canada.

Hiring managers said the following are the mistakes most detrimental to interview performance:
•appearing arrogant (74 per cent)
•answering a cell phone or texting (73 per cent)
•talking negatively about current or previous employers (73 per cent)
•appearing disinterested (71 per cent)
•chewing gum (64 per cent)
•dressing inappropriately (59 per cent).

"It may seem unlikely that candidates would ever answer a cell phone during an interview, or wear shorts, but when we talk to hiring managers, we remarkably hear these stories all of the time," said Rosemary Haefner, vice-president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "However, for most jobseekers, avoiding a big mistake isn't the issue — it's standing out from the crowd. A successful interview is a presentation that marries one's personality and professional experience to the needs of the hiring manager and the company. Knowing how to do that successfully can be difficult, but with preparation and practice, candidates can greatly improve their interview skills."

The most memorable or unusual interview experiences for hiring managers were when a candidate:
•yawned and started to nod off
•admitted to being very difficult to work with and stubborn about accepting instruction
•arrived late and appeared to come straight from a nightclub
•provided a reference but asked that we not contact the person because they wouldn't say anything good about their work
•opened and ate a bag of chips during the interview
•talked about his outstanding arrest warrants
•said he only applied for the job because his parents made him do it
•brought his mother to the interview
•discussed not wanting to work very hard
•arrived for the interview wearing sweatpants
•got up and left during the interview without an explanation.

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