During your job search there is no doubt that you are probably going to have to go to a lot of interviews (both with recruiters and hiring managers).  The odd lucky person does find their dream job after just one or two interviews however believe me, this is the exception to the rule. Therefore, please don’t think you are hard done by if you haven’t found your dream job after going for just a handful of interviews.

It is still a fairly tough market for candidates at the moment; there are a lot of candidates on the market which means that competition can be fierce! We are hearing many stories from candidates that are being rejected time and time again from roles, and we know that many of these are actually fantastic candidates!! They are just missing out because clients have the advantage of being able to be extremely picky about getting almost everything they want in terms of candidate backgrounds and experiences (particularly within office support).

Now don’t get me wrong – I know that this is an extremely tough reality to be faced with…. But please…. Don’t become an interview cynic!

What is an interview cynic you ask?

• An interview cynic approaches interviews assuming that it is going to be a negative experience.
• They will try to test the interviewer to see if the interviewer is wasting their time.
• They give short or snappy answers, giving the recruiter the impression that they are “over it”

If a particular interviewer has done everything right for you thus far (e.g. they’ve come back to you quickly, they’ve kept you in the loop, they’ve greeted you in a friendly manner when you’ve arrived etc. DON’T treat them as though you assume they are going to do the wrong thing by you.

You may be negative at interview because you have had a few bad experiences, however this can turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. When all a recruiter picks up on are your negative vibes, they are much less likely to put you forward for a position. Remember – they don’t know about all the negative experiences you’ve had, all they will pick up on is how you approach that particular interview. You may be burnt, but being negative will give you no rewards!

You have such a small amount of time to impress a recruiter or hiring manager in interview, so don’t waste your time being negative or pessimistic. Wack a smile on your dial, take a deep breath and treat every new interview with a fresh, positive attitude!