The 90 Second Interview

Recently, I was reading an article by Undercover Recruiter. The survey results were not too surprising to us from older generations, but many in the under 40 crowds will definitely not like the findings. Of 2000 recruiters surveyed, 33% said they knew within the first 90 seconds of the interview whether they would hire the applicant or not.

What you need to know in a nutshell:

1. 65% said clothes and the way in which they were worn was a deciding factor when comparing applicants. If they did not dress to the interviewer’s standards… forget it.  File 13.
2. 55% said the way a person dresses, talks and walks into the office heavily influenced their opinion of the recruiter. Dress, talk, and walk in like you don’t care – they will not care either.
3. 67% of the hiring authorities said the lack of eye contact did not reflect well.
4. Number one mistake: Not asking for the job.
5. Having no knowledge of what the company does a common mistake.  If you don’t care enough to visit the company website, their opinion of the applicant drops. 

Other items that knocked applicants out of the running were: not smiling, bad posture, crossing your arms, mumbling, and the lack of enthusiasm. Additional questions you should be prepared for are:

• Why do you want to work for us?
• Tell me about how your experience relates to this job.
• What ended your employment at your last job?

Now that you know this: be prepared, look and act the part of a person who really wants the job and then ask for the position. Good luck!