Key insights
New research by totaljobs has revealed that 19 per cent of employers say they make up their mind on whether to progress a candidate in the interview process just one minute after meeting them.
More than 40 per cent of employers say that they make the decision within the first 15 minutes of the interview, with just 32 per cent saying they make the decision after the interview has finished.
Nearly a quarter of UK employers say the biggest mistake made by candidates during interviews is not understanding the job they have applied for, followed by not having researched the company (22 per cent).
Being late to interviews is also a common candidate blunder, according to one in six (16 per cent of employers), as well as candidates who aren’t able to discuss their own CV (15 per cent).
With first impressions playing a crucial role in interviews, totaljobs has launched #TheElevatorPitch, a campaign to help candidates through the daunting interview process. Totaljobs is partnering with star of ‘The Apprentice’ Nick Hewer and psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, to coach jobseekers on overcoming interview pressures so that they can make a great first impression and nail their elevator pitch.
Totaljobs’ survey of more than 6,000 jobseekers and 150 employers revealed that the most important factor that employers look for in an interview was how well candidates answered the questions (30 per cent), followed by experience and qualifications (20 per cent).
Nearly a fifth said a candidate’s attitude was the most important factor, with the same percentage saying cultural fit was key.
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