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Avoid recruiter's pet peeves with a few simple rules

By Linda Lerner, 1/1/06

During the past couple of months I have begun to search for a job after being home and raising my children for the past few years. Even though I have not worked in five years, I find that I am good at getting interviews, but not good at getting offers. Companies seem interested in my background; I am called to schedule an interview, I meet the recruiter, and then nothing seems to come of it. I am curious about what I need to be aware of when meeting the professionals who conduct interviews. Do recruiters have pet peeves that I should know about?

Yes, recruiters do have pet peeves or things that just annoy them and therefore impede your chances of moving forward in the interview process. Interviewers may not tell you about these things that turn them off, because they don't necessarily want you to control or stop the bothersome behavior during the interview.

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Here are a few suggestions for avoiding triggering recruiters' pet peeves:

• Do not wear perfume or heavily scented lotions. Not only are some people allergic to certain scents but the smell can linger for quite a while after you leave an office, reminding the hiring manager why they don't want you around.
• Do not wear a lot of jewelry. Even though some consider it stylish to have a ring on every other finger or three loops in each ear, it can be distracting or a safety hazard in many work settings. Men also need to be aware of this one.
• Dress for business even if the com?pany has an informal atmosphere. If you learn in advance that they have a business-casual dress code, then that type of dress is also acceptable. Young people have to be especially conscious of this because flip-flops and jeans are so popular and so inappropriate.

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• Arrive early. Being on time doesn't mean getting there at 10 for a 10 a.m. appointment. You will need to fill out an application when you arrive, or you may want to use the restroom and then be ready for the interviewer to welcome you into his or her office at 10.
• Plan ahead. Call for directions in advance and not from the car on the way when you realize that you are lost or running late.
• Bring a copy of your resume even if you have submitted it in advance. Paperwork can be misplaced and the interviewer will be very appreciative of your preparedness.

Recruiters often mention their dismay at applicants who have typos or grammatical errors on their resumes. Always have someone else review your resume as a final proofread before distributing it.

Check out the company's website prior to your first interview. You need to know enough about the products or services this potential employer provides to its customers to speak about them. Recruiters don't expect you to study the corporate history, but a general awareness of the business they are in will greatly enhance your conversation.

Remember to shut off your cellphone before you enter the building where you are meeting the recruiter.

Treat the receptionist or the person who greets you with kindness and respect. Interviewers often get feedback from receptionists about the applicant's behavior during their time in the waiting area.

Pay attention to your handshake. Usually this is a perfunctory act that goes unnoticed. However, when an applicant's hand is so limp that a recruiter is struck by the marked difference from a usual handshake or when it is so strong that it hurts the recruiter, it creates problems for the job candidate.

Read directions on applications and consent forms. Many people assume that they are all the same but they are not and a recruiter can see this as not paying attention to detail, or an indication of sloppy work. Remember to sign the application and each of the consent forms. This signature section is frequently left blank and the recruiter is then left without the ability to move forward with checking references and other actions where permission from the applicant is required.

Be prepared to answer questions about what you are reading and to demonstrate an awareness of current events in the news and the world around you.

When asked about things you need to improve or work on, don't say your golf game or you cannot think of anything right now. Think about and describe an area of your performance that you want to develop further to enhance your skill level at work.

Become sophisticated about the expanding world of the Internet job search. It is now the primary place employers list job openings and they expect you to be savvy in the best ways to use these search tools. Familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of job boards such as BostonWorks.com, Monster.com, HotJobs.com, etc., and boards with job listings that specialize in your field.

And finally, my own personal pet peeve is: Don't talk too much.

Remember to listen actively. A good interview is a two-way conversation that flows easily both ways. Constant talkers are not only too busy talking to get much work done, but they also cause the com?pany to lose the productivity of the other employees who become their unwilling audience.

Pursuit of unwanted job more risky than helpful

I have been in my first job for three years since graduating from college. I feel now is a good time to look for a different work environment so that I can expand my experience. I have confidentially begun to search for a new position and the first place I interviewed with is interested in following up and has asked for a list of references that they can contact. My problem is that I am not interested in pursuing this particular job even though I like the company, and I am not sure how to handle it.

My friend has suggested I give them the names of references they requested and go through the entire process, even though I know I don't want the job, because it would be a good learning experience. I am a bit uncomfortable with this. What do you suggest?

I think your friend is incorrect in encouraging you to pursue this particular job that you know you do not want. My reasons are that you risk more than you can potentially gain.

You risk having your confidentiality broken once a reference is called. Due to your limited work experience, with only one employer to choose from, you will invariably have to use people in your current company as references, and it will get back to someone there. Sometimes co-workers are not as good at keeping things quiet as they intend to be, or the other company's recruiter may simply tell the person who answers the phone that they are looking for an employment reference on you.

Having your confidentiality broken can effect how your employer considers your future with the company.

If the other company is a competitor, this may also have an impact on your supervisor, who could choose not to invest in special training or promotional opportunities for you.

Consider the risk of the time it will take away from your job to schedule and conduct additional interviews with this company, prepare, and later thank your references and make follow-up phone calls and e-mails to each person who helped or who interviewed you.

The fact that you liked this company is even more reason not to risk making them feel like you have been stringing them along. Companies invest a lot of time and expense in recruiting and they will be less willing to consider you a second time if they feel misled by your behavior.

I suggest that you write to the person who interviewed you and briefly explain that you were very impressed with the company but that the specific job opening that they now have available does not interest you, and you therefore think it would be best not to pursue it further.

It will be helpful to add that you hope that when a more appropriate job becomes available within the company you would welcome hearing from them.

You might also consider saying you hope it will be acceptable for you to periodically check in with them to see if a position that more closely matches your interests and career goals becomes available.

In this way you can be forthright with this potential employer while hopefully keeping the door open for the future.

Linda Lerner is a Boston executive coach and a human resources consultant.

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