For those of you who interview candidates or have been in the hiring manager seat, what’s something a candidate did that immediately hurt their chances? I always hear the usual advice about being prepared and asking good questions, but curious about the less obvious things that negatively impact the candidates. With fewer companies giving real feedback these days, I think it would be helpful to know what actually stands out in a bad way.

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I have had several candidates who say their primary reason for wanting the role is the pay and/or the title. While I also enjoy those in a role, it is never my primary reason and I certainly would never say that. And while I embrace a level of casual, applying for a high-level role and doing the video interview in a sweatshirt is concerning. I wouldn’t disqualify them, but for sure mention it to either my boss or peer who does the second round. I have given friendly feedback on those items since my personal policy is that anyone I interview gets feedback directly from me.

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Yeah, I can see that. Pay and title obviously matter, but saying that’s the main reason probably doesn’t land well in an interview. And for a senior role, I agree that presentation still sends a message. Also, genuinely respect that you give direct feedback! That feels pretty rare now.

I really resonate with this. Many candidates only focus on whether their answers are correct, but they overlook whether they make it easier for the interviewer to understand them. This is often the real dividing line

Great question!

For me, it’s the little things that candidates say that give away what they truly feel or think, which I appreciate. My goal for every interview is to be open and honest - the best hires will be a good fit for them and us, so I really want to get to know them. But I think people don’t think about what they’re communicating. E.g. I asked a candidate what their best day at work ever was - I’m assessing what brings them joy in their job. The candidate told a story about how they were overstaffed in his opinion, so he and another employee started this weeks-long campaign to get two other team members fired. And he laughed about how great it was when they got let go. I think he was trying to communicate that he streamlined staff, saved money, and was able to be efficient in his work. But the wording and laughter also communicated his joy at getting people fired. It was like the side story. He didn’t say anything like: it was really unfortunate, and I felt bad for the other two employees, but saving money was most important. There was no empathy or sense of team but just sheer joy at getting people fired/laid off. So he also communicated not having care for people or a team viewpoint. I generally find that if I’m quiet and let the candidate talk, they’ll show who they are. So I guess my tip is to really think about everything you’re communicating and how it could be viewed from the interviewer’s perspective. Word choice, passion, emotions, etc tell something about you as well. Maybe this guy didn’t really feel that way. Maybe he was just nervous and trying to think on his feet, which is admittedly difficult. But there were some other flags in his interview as well, and I’ve seen the same thing with other candidates. It’s okay to take a few seconds to think through an answer before you start talking.

That’s a really good example and thanks for sharing. It’s wild how someone can think they’re showing efficiency, but the way they tell the story ends up showing something completely different. The point about pausing before answering is helpful too, because sometimes a few seconds to think can save you from giving an answer that comes across the wrong way.

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I’ve had a candidate reiterate how the job she currently had was just not a right fit and the reason she was interviewing. As I went on about expectations and my management style she shared how that would work well for her and how her current management didn’t support her in those ways. There were many call backs to her current role throughout conversation but she would end with “they understand how I am feeling and support me looking outward” . Big red flag for me personally as she came off as someone who is easily demotivated and is heavily reliant on direction.

That’s a really helpful example. I can see how there’s a fine line between explaining why you’re looking and over-indexing on what isn’t working in your current role. It’s a good reminder that even if the reason is valid, how you frame it matters a lot.

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