The job search.

It can be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying for most job seekers. But, have you ever stopped to think about the hiring manager’s perspective? At AccruePartners, we have seen many candidates with enchanting resumes who end up frightening prospective employers with their behavior during the hiring process.

This Halloween, we hope you heed our warning during your next interview and avoid making these 4 detrimental mistakes that make hiring managers scream and run for the hills.

Don’t Let Your Socials Haunt Your Success

In today’s virtual world, social media sabotage is all too common. Your social media profile is like the cover to your book. It should be clean, vaguely explain what your work and life are about and give a hint at your personality – this is your personal brand. It is important to ensure your online profiles (not just LinkedIn) aren’t going to contain something that may raise an immediate red flag to hiring managers and diminish your chances of landing that new job.

No One Wants to Hire a Zombie

First impressions are extremely important. During every interview, each person you meet will be forming an opinion of you. They will be gauging your compatibility with the needs of the organization and they will be assessing their ability to work with you in the role they may hire you for. Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role that you are being considered for. Show up (in-person or virtually) prepared to share your knowledge of the company. Highlight how your skills and passion make you the right candidate by utilizing the STARCH Method when answering interview questions.

Leave Skeletons in the Closet

Thought your last employer was incompetent or hated your old co-workers, shove that skeleton back into the closet! Lock the door and throw away the key – but never bad mouth previous employers. When candidates engage in digging up the skeletons of their past about perceived injustices or the faults of others, they are deemed as complainers, disruptive, and unable to be trusted. If you would like to advance in the hiring process, we suggest that you keep the negative comments buried.

This is No Time To Ghost the Interviewer

Even in this rapidly changing hiring environment, more than 83% of employers report being ghosted by candidates. – the sudden stop of all communication without an explanation. Ghosting is one of the most frustrating trends to occur in the modern hiring process and its enough to drain the color from any hiring manager or candidate’s face. Avoid this mistake and extend your first impression by following-up immediately with a brief sincere thank you email to each person you interviewed with. It’s true, a simple thank you goes a long way.

Consider yourself warned. By avoiding the scary interview behaviors above and learning a few simple tricks from our Interview Prep Packet, your next job hunt should be a treat!