Interview Mistakes

September 14 2006 - A recent Canadian survey finds that how much applicants know about prospective employers plays a crucial role in successful job seeking. Thirty-four per cent of executives polled said that having little or no knowledge of the company is the most common mistake made during interviews.

The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Accountemps, the world's largest specialized staffing service for temporary professionals in the financial sector. It included responses from 100 senior Canadian executives including those from human resources, finance and marketing departments.

Asked 'What do you think is the most common mistake candidates make during job interviews?' executives responsed:

Little or no knowledge of the company (34 per cent)
Unprepared to discuss skills and experience (26 per cent)
Limited enthusiasm (11 per cent)
Late arrival (8 per cent)
Unprepared to discuss career plans and goals (7 per cent)
Lack of eye contact (5 per cent)
Monopolize interview (2 per cent)
Inappropriate dress (1 per cent)
Don't know/other (6 per cent)

Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies(R) said:

"Candidates should learn as much as they can about a company before meeting a prospective employer. The most successful applicants will have a beyond-the-basics understanding of the firm, including its history, chief competitors and business objectives. Armed with this knowledge, job hopefuls should be able to describe how their skills and experience can help the business reach its goals."

Accountemps offers the following tips for researching potential employers:

Find information at your fingertips. Visiting the company's website can locate a wealth of information, such as the firm's mission and values, what products and services it provides, recent press releases etc. If it's a publicly traded company, call the investor relations department to request an annual report.

Research the industry. In addition to learning about the company, research the industry in which it competes to gain a better understanding of the market and specific issues and trends that may affect the organization.

Check your network. Ask your colleagues, friends and others for information about your prospective employer. Your contacts may have worked for or with the organization and could provide insight that may prove valuable during a job interview.

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