Why you didn’t get the job but were perfect on paper

Occasionally, unsuccessful candidates come about as a result of a failed interview. Today, employers and recruiters conduct structured, behavioural interviews to decipher if a candidate’s personality, interests and values reflect that of the organisation.

Behavioural interviewing focuses on a candidate’s past experiences by asking candidates to provide specific examples of how they have demonstrated certain behaviours, knowledge, skills and abilities.

The questions are usually strategic and designed to elicit details about your core competencies and behaviours. Therefore, if you answer these questions improperly, your chance at success reduces significantly.

Let’s explore four of the core reasons you may have ‘flunked’ the interview:

1. Your professional presence was not up to scratch

Your professional image speaks for your discipline, forethought and reliability. Hiring managers take notice of how a candidate presents themselves at a job interview.

Paying extra attention to your presentation reflects your ability to be detail oriented and attentive, which in white collar, and blue-collar positions, is essential.

As experts in the construction and infrastructure industry, we see the common misconception that certain professions do not require polished attire. The truth is that everyone makes an impression, so if you have the chance to make an even better one, do it.

2. You were not the best cultural fit*

The term ‘cultural fit’ is a tricky phrase and has been a topic of conversation lately as there is question of whether this phrase is socially in-tune. However, as recruiters who have over 60 years of combined experience, we really emphasise the necessity of hiring candidates whose values align with the organisations and who will not behave in ways that undermine team morale and productivity.

Cultural fit has nothing to do with a person’s background, and much more to do with how well you can adapt to an environment.

You may believe you are the perfect candidate for the position, however if you don’t click with the interviewer it’s unlikely you will move any further in the process.

3. You were demanding

Sometimes the issue with candidates who have all the experience and frills, is that they lack humility. Something we see too often is a candidate that comes into an interview thinking the client needs them, and only them.

While a certain level of self-selling is important, you want to be careful not to come across as egocentric and entitled. To avoid this, focus your interview on explaining why you are a great fit for the job and its requirements, rather than just how great you are.

In a similar manner, we see a lot of candidates make the mistake of coming into the interview with a list of demands.  Understandably, people have needs, but our recommendation is to wait until you are in the job and demonstrate your worth to your employer before asking for allowances to be made for you.

4. Lack of preparation

An interview is never a good time to ‘wing it’. Give your interview the preparation it deserves.

In order to demonstrate your most relevant skills and share your knowledge about the company, it is always a good idea to do some background research before attending your interview.

If you do not do this, you’re both underselling yourself and demonstrating a lack of interest in the position, which ultimately reflects on your own work ethic.

Here at Intro, we pride ourselves on presenting our clients with the best candidates in the market. But while carefully pairing our people with the right roles is our business, the rest is often up to you.

We’ll work with you to ensure you’re primed and ready for the job selection process, from finessing your resume to acing an interview.

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