Interviewers: Ask The Wrong Questions, Get The Wrong Employee

There’s no shortage of advice for applicants attending interviews, ensuring that they say the right things and avoid basic mistakes. However, recruiters and others involved in the interview process are also capable of making errors that are off-putting and insulting to candidates, and paying attention to the way in which you interview is crucial if you want to end up with the best applicant in the role.

Here at CareerWise, we work with recruiters and applicants across a wide variety of industries, and we have a host of tips to share with you. Whether you’re looking for the job of your dreams or trying to find dynamic new talent for your company, talk to us and find out how we can help you to achieve your aims.

5 Errors Made By Recruiters And Interviewers

1. Asking inane questions. We’ve all come across questions such as ‘Who would play you in a movie of your life?’ and ‘If you were an object, what would you be?’. These random questions do not give you any useful information about candidates and are often cited as a reason for turning down a new role. You should be selling your company to great quality candidates, not asking inane questions to fill time.
2. Using too much jargon. Any jargon is too much jargon. Don’t spend your precious time with each candidate using phrases that are cringe-worthy and unhelpful, since this will waste time and risk putting them off your company. If you find yourself saying ‘we’re reaching out’ or some similar, meaningless phrase, stop and consider that you may be giving a bad impression of yourself and your team.
3. Not understanding the role. Even if you’re not an expert in the area you are recruiting within, you should know enough to avoid looking uninformed and unprofessional. Making basic errors in terminology, for example, will raise questions about the expertise of the company you are recruiting for and will be difficult to recover from in interview.
4. Using clichéd phrases. Be realistic – it’s not going to make your job sound more appealing if you use clichéd phrases and oversell the position. Telling applicants for a entry level role that you are seeking a superstar will lead them to question your grip on reality, so be open and honest and avoid phrases that make everyone cringe.
5. Being pushy. Putting pressure on a candidate to make immediate decisions will likely result in putting them off. This approach is very off-putting for experienced and high quality candidates, and taking the thinking time they need is a good indication that they will become a committed and driven member of staff, so don’t risk pressuring them into stepping away from the company.

Are You Seeking A New Role in Cork?

Here at CareerWise, we specialise in finding the best candidates for roles within the Medical Device, Sciences/Pharma and ICT industries, as well as Engineering, Supply Chain and Finance.

We’re one of Cork’s leading Recruitment Agencies and we will be happy to help you find your perfect position in accounting, engineering and supply chain. Contact us online, or call on +353 (0) 21 206 for a consultation to find the ideal position for you

Joe Robbins

(Director) BBS (Hons), MBPICS – Shannon Office

Joe Robbins is co-founder of CareerWise Recruitment. A graduate of the University of Limerick (Degree in Business Studies, 1985), Joe worked in the UK for five years where he specialised in materials management, production management and plant management for a number of companies.

He returned to Ireland in 1992 to become Operations Manager for a Cork-based start-up, FMC Automotive Division which was subsequently taken over by Snap-on Equipment. Joe managed the business re-location of this company to Shannon in 1997 before setting up CareerWise Recruitment in 1999.

He is a committee member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Mid-West region, and a former Director and Vice President of the Shannon Chamber of Commerce. Joe is former Chairperson of the Sixmilebridge Camogie Club and current Chairperson of the Clare County Camogie Board.

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