Editor’s note: This article was first published in November 2014. Its reference to Apple CEO Tim Cook having publicly come out at the end of October 2014, a few days earlier, was recent news at the time.
Previously we looked at some things that could affect whether you get hired that weren’t up to us. This time, let’s look at those other factors that can get you rejected in a job interview, where you will probably never know the real reason you were turned down, because nobody will tell you.
Of course, unlike the earlier points, this time it is up to us to notice them and do something about it.
1. You smelled odd.
We don’t mean that you hadn’t showered, although sometimes, especially at job interviews in summer, between the heat and the nerves, a candidate can give off a bit of a whiff. That can put the interviewer off, given that you have supposedly prepared thoroughly for the interview that day. So the interviewer will wonder: “If they smell like this today, what do they smell like normally?” As you can imagine, nobody is going to tell you that you didn’t get the job because you smelled bad.
But sometimes the mistake goes the other way, and the candidate overdoes the cologne so much that you can smell it on the other side of the door. Other times it’s the mix of deodorant, cologne and aftershave.
Keep yourself well groomed, but in such a way that when you leave, your body odour is the last thing they talk about, because we want to be remembered for other things.
2. The way you talk.
Some people make you nervous and uneasy when they talk. They tend to be the people whose sentences start with “mmmm” or “errr”, and whose sentences never seem to end, even though they don’t have a speech impediment or a stutter.
Sometimes it’s just nerves, but it creates such a sense of discomfort in the interview that it’s impossible to make a good impression.
Other times, the way we talk can come across as too aggressive, so the interviewer may conclude that you wouldn’t be able to handle a crisis in a team or a problem with a customer without that customer feeling attacked by your manner. And of course, at other times we can come across as too jokey or too shy. Pay attention to the way you talk and practise until you have corrected certain habits.
(Read: 11 things you should never say in a job interview)
3. You came across as too impatient and/or too desperate.
Arriving too early for a job interview is as bad as arriving late. In the same way, while it’s fine to show interest in the job, you should never cross the line into looking desperate. Avoid phrases that suggest you’d be willing to work for free, because they might take you at your word while they look for someone who values their own time and work.
You should also avoid the cross-examination that comes up at the end of some interviews, along the lines of: “So how long do I have to wait for you to call me and tell me whether I’ve got it or not?” Believe me, if they are interested in you, they’ll call you. Spare yourself that. Send a thank-you email the next day and leave it there.
(Read: 9 body language mistakes that can cost you the job)
4. Body adornments.
A simple nose or ear piercing can cost you the job, especially at conservative companies with a conservative recruiter. You’ve been ruled out the moment you walk in, and your knowledge or professionalism no longer matters.
I once saw a candidate rejected because, when he took off his jacket, a scorpion tattoo on his shoulder showed through his silk shirt. He had made it through several rounds of selection and was one of the favourites.
(Read: How your physical appearance can outweigh talent and skills)
5. You’re too arrogant.
Self-confidence is a great virtue, but sometimes, through no fault of our own, the other side can misread that confidence as arrogance. Nobody is perfect, and HR recruiters aren’t either. They pick up on impressions they simply don’t like.
(Read: How to stand out in a group job interview)
6. You’re not attractive.
We don’t live in a perfect world, so looks count. While there is a wide range of average appearances, an extremely ugly person may find doors closing on them in job interviews for certain positions.
But don’t worry, because anyone can become a bit more attractive. We’ll give some tips in upcoming articles on how to become more attractive even if you’re ugly. Remember that “good-looking” and “attractive” are not the same thing.
7. They suspect you’re gay.
As you know, it’s illegal to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation, so nobody will tell you that you didn’t get the job because you are, or seem to be, gay. And we start from the premise that some people may have more “effeminate” gestures or expressions without being gay.
Although it is increasingly accepted, and even a matter of indifference to companies, to have a gay person in a position, the truth is that many other companies won’t hire you for an executive role if they suspect you might be gay. That’s why Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO and Steve Jobs’s successor, has done the LGBT community a big favour by coming out.
8. They weren’t going to hire you anyway.
Sometimes job interviews are a charade that, for whatever reason, goes ahead even though they knew from the start who they were going to hire. So don’t rack your brains over it, because the job wasn’t going to be yours whatever you did. Of course, you always have to allow for the chance factor: there can be surprises and last-minute impressions, so even if you aren’t hired straight away, they may keep you in mind for the future.
Finally, there’s another set of reasons that sometimes nobody tells us either:
- You talked too much or too little.
- You seemed nervous and came across as lacking self-confidence.
- The HR director felt threatened by your high level of competence and skills (it doesn’t happen often, but it happens).
- You were overqualified, and the company knew it couldn’t offer you what you would want in the future. So they didn’t want to hire someone who would probably fly off to another company later.
Further reading
- 5 reasons you will actually get hired
- 12 platforms for creating an online CV
- 7 body language techniques
Featured image: Rondal Partridge, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
