8 Reasons Why You Didn't Progress Through the Interview Process
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko
We’ve previously covered some of the key things not to say in a job interview, but what are the most important things you should do before and during an interview? Our Talent team cites lack of independent research as one of the big reasons candidates may not progress in an interview process - an important part of our role on the recruitment side is ensuring our candidates are as prepared as possible.
Read on for our insider tips on what you might be doing wrong and how best to prepare for your next job interview from Accela’s recruitment specialists.
You didn’t research the company. What do you know about us? Are you prepared to answer this question? Spend time on the company website, review their newsfeeds and social media activity and take note of any recent announcements worth mentioning during your interview.
You didn’t spend time on the company’s social media channels. Which platforms are most used may depend on your industry, but do some research to see where they’re active - scope out LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. This will help give a better sense of the culture and personality of the company, beyond the day to day role.
You didn’t get to know the interviewer. Study their LinkedIn profile and career history. Will you report to them? Could you see them as a good manager? Check out their other social media profiles, do you like what you see? Can you identify opportunities where you can contribute?
You’re not familiar with the job description. Ensure you’re focusing on the most important elements of your experience in the context of the job. The job description may also give you ideas about questions the employer may ask throughout the interview, so you can make sure you have some key talking points ready.
You weren’t prepared for standard interview questions. While you’ll encounter a range of questions specific to your role or industry, there are many common questions that you can be prepared for - why do you want to work here? What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses? How did you find our company?
You haven’t prepared your own questions. Plan in advance and ensure you have questions ready based on your findings and impressions. Ideally, you want to ensure they’re tailored to the role you’re interviewing for, but even general questions about the interviewer’s role and the company culture can go a long way in demonstrating your interest.
You didn’t dress appropriately. We might all have gotten used to dressing in activewear for our work from home routine, but you’ll need to step things up for an interview - even if it’s virtual.
You forgot to print hard copies of your resume. It may seem like everything is done virtually these days, but you should always have a printed copy as backup in case the interviewer doesn’t have a virtual copy handy.
Are you looking for your next role? Check out our job seekers page and get in touch with our talent team if you see something you think might be a good fit: [email protected].
