In the recruiting process there are three people involved, the recruiter, the client and the candidate. Each group has Pet Peeves that could help improve the process for everyone. A few weeks ago, I wrote Recruiter Pet Peeves. This one is about Client Pet Peeves and written to help you GET THE JOB. The last one in the series will be Candidate Pet Peeves, so feel free to email me your comments. The following are actual complaints I have received directly from hiring leaders, so please take note. To get a job in today’s competitive market, job seekers need to do more than just submit their resume and wait for the phone call for an interview. It is really important in the interviewing process to make a good first impression and these suggestions should help you stand out over other candidates. 1. This one I hear from too many of my clients: Candidates not knowing enough about the company they are interviewing with: 
Take the time to do your research! Review information about the company, the executive team, their history, the products you will be selling and the people you will be meeting with. Review the company website, read their press releases, read their blogs, check out the people you will be talking with on social media (Linkedin, Twitter). If the company has had some exciting news like recently receiving VC funding or receiving an award of some kind, bring it up in your interview. Let them know you have done your homework. Make sure you can discuss what the company does. When you want to sell something, don’t you do your research about the company you want to sell to and the people you’re trying to sell to? Of course you do. You need to put as much effort into your job search as you would selling your products. Instead of the product, YOU are what you’re trying to sell and don’t you want to be the best you can be? 2. Poor listening skills and over-talking in the interview: Listen in your interview and be concise with your answers. It is easy for sales people to get caught up and over communicate or talk too much. Your interview should be like a meeting with your customer, engage with them. Listen for interest signals, signals that you’re on the right track and follow that lead with your conversation. Remember to ask relevant questions and give your interviewer a chance to talk too. 3. Bashing previous employers or management of the previous company: Never be negative when talking about your current or previous employers. Think about it, if you are talking negative about your previous company experiences, that means you will most likely talk negative about the next company too. This is not something to share in an interview. If you need to vent and talk about your boss, do it with your friends, not someone that you want to work for. 4. Embellishing skill sets or quota attainment: Stress your achievements and talents but don’t push beyond what you have really done. Remember the hiring manager has been interviewing people long enough to recognize what you’re good at and what you’re not. Be honest about your strengths and explain how your experience will help the company. It will be a benefit to you. 5. Turning down the job offer and accepting a counter offer: 
You’ve gone through the entire interview process, talked to a number of different people including the C-level executives, HR has made the official offer and the offer is making more than you are now. For some reason, NOW you start thinking about accepting a counter offer from your existing company. Why in the world would you want to stay with a company that only offered you something new when you were ready to leave? Remember why you started to look for new opportunities in the first place. Those things almost always come back to haunt you again, so don’t accept a counter offer. The last part of this 3 part blog will be Candidate Pet Peeves on the interview process with recruiters and employers. Candidates, would love to get your comments. Email me and let me know your thoughts. Happy Interviewing! 
Looking for candidate pet peeves for a follow on blog. EMAIL ME!
Client Pet Peeves in Recruiting
