Recruiters Off the Clock: 4 Things Candidates Do That Drive Employers Crazy

They spend hours rounding up recruits, scoping out search assignments, consulting with their clients, and negotiating job offers. At the end of a long day, they’re ready to dish and we make sure we’re on hand to capture their very best insights to share in our Recruiters Off the Clock blog series 
 
The Question: What are the most common complaints you hear from employers following a job interview that didn’t go well? 
 
The Recruiters: 
Nadiya Khan 
Nadiya has extensive experience as an IT recruiter and has been connecting candidates with Raise’s direct and MSP clients in the engineering, telecom and IT sectors since she joined the company in 2015.  
 
Sriram Murthy 
Sriram has worked in technical recruiting since 2011 and has been helping Raise connect skilled candidates with meaningful work since 2016. Currently, his recruitment focus is in the sectors of banking and government. 
 
Afrin Kammarched 
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Afrin brings a wealth of relevant knowledge and experience to her role as IT Recruiter with Raise.  
 

Ratheesh Manivannan 
Ratheesh has worked in the field of technical recruitment since 2012 and for Raise since 2015. He is passionate about matching talented people with engaging roles to create long-term satisfaction for both company and candidate.   
 
The Dish: 
 “There seems to be a correlation between candidates who are late for the interview and the employer not being happy with the candidate. I don’t think it’s just the fact that they’re annoyed by someone not respecting their time, I think it’s related more to the fact that when a candidate is late they arrive feeling flustered and don’t have time to collect their thoughts before the interview. Things just go downhill from there. Some of my candidates probably think I’m acting like a mother hen when I remind them to factor things like traffic delays and parking availability into their travel time, but I do it for a reason. Getting to your interview well in advance is going to help ensure you’ve got a clear head to really knock it out of the park.” 
Nadiya Khan, Recruitment Manager 
 
“Well, this is another obvious thing, but it continues to happen, so I think it’s worth saying. Employers get really annoyed when a candidate leaves their cell phone on during the interview. Turning off the ringer doesn’t cut it. It’s completely distracting to hear someone’s phone vibrating away in their pocket or their purse. If you want all eyes and ears on you for every second of that interview, you’ve got to turn off your phone. Better yet, don’t bring it into the interview at all and completely eliminate the risk of it interrupting the flow of conversation.”   
Sriram Murthy, Recruitment Manager 
 
Employers are disappointed when candidates don’t take the time to learn a little bit about their company. Don’t get me wrong, employers looking for technical talent today know that there is a shortage and it’s their job to sell potential employees on the position, but they still want to see that someone is interested enough to get a basic level of understanding about what the company makes or does. And it’s such an easy way for a candidate to make a great impression. Find a recent news story about the company or the industry it’s in and work that into the conversation somehow. Showing the interview panel that you’ve taken a genuine interest in what they do goes a long way.” 
Afrin Kammarched, IT Recruiter 
 
When an interview doesn’t go well and I’m discussing it afterward with the employer, one of the things I often hear is, “They didn’t seem like they were even interested in the position.” A candidate doesn’t have to go in and be a complete cheerleader, but showing the hiring team that you want the job is critical. If you know you’re not a really animated or enthusiastic person, have some questions prepared that will show them you’re interested in your own way. At the end of the interview, say something like, “I think this position sounds like a really great fit for me and I am definitely interested. Do you have any reservations about my ability to do this job?” It may sound direct, but it does a great job of letting them know you want the job and also gives you a chance to wrap the interview up by alleviating any of their potential concerns.” 
Ratheesh Manivannan, Staffing Specialist 
 
Are there other questions on your mind about navigating your way through the new world of work?

Check out our other Recruiters off the clock blogs for more insights.