Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
Acing job interviews is a whole skill on its own.
It’s possible to bluff your way through with a padded resume, but many fall short during the interview process. This could be due to lack of familiarity with job interviews, nerves, or many other assorted reasons.
Regardless, it’s important to be good at doing job interviews if you want to get your dream job.
Here are some of the red flag behaviours that Malaysian CEOs look out for when interviewing:
1. Late for the interview
“For me, my biggest red flag would be.. the candidate not turning up on time for the interview.
“I think most people who can’t turn up early or on time for the interview are usually gonna have problems being consistently punctual to work. For my industry it is a big problem because that would mean the business cannot open or would greatly affect the team members working together. It is also quite difficult to solve the problem of tardiness in a person.”
– Kenneth Tan, Founder of Merchant’s Lane & Wildflowers
2. Not researching more about the job they applied for
“You’d be surprised how many candidates nowadays come to an interview not knowing what they actually applied for. I’ve had candidates who didn’t know the company’s nature of business and what’s required of them for the job. This is an instant rejection from me.
“Applying for jobs isn’t just about doing tasks. As an employer, I want to make sure that they are culturally fit and know what they’re getting into. If they themselves don’t know, it’s a risk for an employer to hire them, only for them to probably quit a few months down the line because it’s not what they imagined in their heads.”
– Michelle Tan, Co-founder of INFLUASIA
3. Not giving a compelling introduction
“When asked the question “tell me more about yourself”, many candidates reiterate what is exactly on the CV, which is not what we’d like to hear. The fact we’ve invited you for an interview shows that we’ve read what’s on it, and would like to hear more about you and why you think you’re the right person for the job!”
4. Not prepared to present your portfolio
“Some positions will require you to showcase your past work. This includes creative work, websites, apps and more. You’d be surprised at the number of times we’ve seen candidates only turning on the laptop, frantically searching for the right folder or requesting for internet access to download it from the cloud – only when asked. Just have it downloaded, opened, so that you can jump right into it!”
– Jan Wong, Founder of OpenMinds
5. Someone who plays the blame game
“I do get that some employers can be harsh but for me a red flag would be someone who is consistently blaming previous managers, team leaders or management. There are always other ways to mention to the interviewer about the disconnect that happened in the previous work place and not blatantly calling them out. It comes off unprofessional and any employer would be worried that they might do the same to your company when they’re applying for another job elsewhere. I rather have someone who takes count for their mistakes and is willing to improve themselves.”
– Ash Raman, Director of Mobme Asia Sdn Bhd
These are definitely 5 behaviours that you should check yourself for before going for a job interview.
The job interview is what makes or breaks an applicant: shine through, and you’re almost guaranteed to get the job! But flunk it spectacularly and the only thing you’ll gain is a story to tell at the bar.
The only issue is having to make sure you leave your house early enough to avoid those pesky Malaysian jams…
For more stories like this, read: 8 Red Flags To Look Out For In A Malaysian Job Description, I Started Investing When I Became A Father. I Wish I’d Began Sooner and Corporate Team Building Is a Crock of Crap, and Here’s Why.
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