5 Most annoying behaviors from job applicants to HRs

Recently, an HR company advertised a job in the finance world and there were more than 600 applicants for one position. With employers being flooded with candidates for any job they post, it's more important than ever to make sure you understand how your behavior may look on the other side of the hiring desk.

Here are top five pet peeves that HR executives see over and over from job applicants:

1.   Not asking questions: Hiring managers want to know that you're interested in the details of the job, the department you'll be working in, your prospective supervisor's management style, and the culture of the organization. Otherwise, you're signaling that you're either not that interested or just haven't thought very much about it.  

Good questions to ask include:
        

Ø  Why is this position open?

Ø  What are the biggest challenges or obstacles the person in this position will face?

Ø  What would a successful first year in the position look like?

Ø  Thinking back to the person whom you've seen do this job best, what made their performance so outstanding?

Ø  How would you describe the culture here?

Ø  How would you describe your management style?

Ø  When do you expect to make a hiring decision?

2.   Refusing to have an honest discussion about your fit for the role:  If you never get out of sales mode, you can't talk honestly about your weaker points, which means you can't make sure those weaknesses aren't fatal ones for the job. Candidates who can’t or won’t come up with a realistic assessment of areas where they could improve make HR think they're lacking insight and self-awareness or, at a minimum, just making it impossible to have a real discussion of their potential fitness for the job.

3.   Stalking the hiring manager: Being enthusiastic and proactive is good. But calling more than once a week, emailing obsessively, or following up over and over after HR already told you that they will be in touch next week crosses the line into annoying and may kill your chance at an offer.

4.   Showing up without an appointment: Most companies include specific instructions about how they want you to apply, and unless "in person" is included, don't do it. Hiring managers are busy and want you to follow instructions and respect their time.

5.   Being a jerk when you don't get the job: Usually if HR hear anything from applicants in response to a notice of rejection, it's a “thank you” for considering them or a request for feedback, but occasionally a candidate responds with an angry email instead to express disbelief or outrage that he or she didn't get the job. Not only does this look naive, entitled, and rude, it ruins your chances of ever being considered by that employer again. Not a good idea

Have you ever heard of a saying that you do not ‘poop’ where you sheltered during rainfall because next time you are passing that same spot, it may rain again. The last point demonstrates this. Be careful on how you carry yourself out during a job search.

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