Eye contact ‘essential’ during an interview
People who fail to make regular eye contact during a job interview may as well not have turned up for it, according to a new survey of the top ten turn-offs for recruiters.A poll carried out by CareerBuilder shows that body language plays a vital role during the interview process, with 83 per cent of companies saying they would be likely to turn down a candidate who refused to make eye contact.
Meanwhile, a weak handshake was cited by 54 per cent of recruiters as a turn-off, with a failure to smile and arm-folding putting off 48 and 41 per cent of interviewers, respectively.
Tony Roy, president of CareerBuilder EMEA, said modern employers are evaluating "the whole package" during job interviews, with non-verbal cues from job candidates being very influential on the recruitment decision.
"That's why it's so important to thoroughly prepare for anticipated questions and ask friends and family to provide feedback on how you are presenting yourself. Practice means more confidence in your delivery and less anxiety that can lead to mishaps," Mr Roy added.
It comes after Susie Ankrett, regional director for the West Midlands at the Institute of Recruitment Professionals, said a lack of preparation can all but guarantee that a job candidate will fail to land themselves a vacant role.
Aaron Wallis offers one of the largest resources of interview advice and career tools available to UK jobseekers.
Posted by John Oak
