Six Missteps that are Tripping Up Millennials in the Job Search

While some of these may seem obvious, we are seeing more situations where young people are getting knocked out of an interview process due to professional protocol errors. These mistakes are not related to the actual Q&A portion of the interview, rather they are related to interview etiquette. Many times, professional acumen (and the intangibles) surrounding the interview become the X Factor for deciding who is “polished” and who isn’t quite ready.

Avoid these indiscretions and give yourself the best chance to advance…

1) Not Bringing Hard Copies of Resume to the Interview – Showing up without your resume makes you look unprepared. It does NOT matter if a digital copy of your resume was previously emailed to the manager, nor does it matter if this is your 2nd or 3rd interview. Managers use resumes to refresh their memories on your background (and to take written notes). You are selling yourself in the interview and the resume is a sales tool. It is NOT the manager’s job to bring your sales tools to the interview.

• Pro Tip: Bring 4-5 copies of your resume to every interview (multiple people may be involved) in a professional looking folder, along with a note pad for taking notes. Resumes should be printed on higher quality resume paper.

2. Dressing Down for the Interview– In the past 5 years of recruiting, I have NEVER heard of a candidate being docked for overdressing. No one has ever called us and said… “Great guy, but wearing a suit was overkill and for that reason, we will pass”. However, we still get calls from managers about candidates showing up underdressed or looking sloppy. I understand that a lot of medical reps wear scrubs to work, but you should NOT be interviewing in scrubs… unless you are told to do so. This applies to both in-person and virtual interviews.

• Pro Tip: Golf shirts, fleeces, jeans, and scrubs are not standard interview attire in medical sales. If you want the job, don’t take that chance!

3. Lack of urgency – As you advance through an interview process, there will often be minor tasks that will be assigned (filling out a form, completing a personality test, or contacting one of their reps). When a manager makes the request, there shouldn't be delays. Many times, these are tests to figure out which candidates procrastinate and who has a sense of urgency.

• Pro Tip: Make every effort to complete these tasks within 24 hours. When complete, text or email manager. Sending something like “I just spoke with your rep, Jennifer in St. Louis. Great conversation, love her energy and what she had to say about X” is a great way to close the loop.

4. Waiting for Permission – Part of being an effective salesperson is taking the “bull by the horns” and proactively connecting with people to advance the process. Some candidates are so focused on playing it safe that they become passive. Taking the approach of... “I am waiting on the manager to circle back and provide me some direction” is a great way to get skipped over. If you find a job you want, you should be talking with employees and customers to enhance your knowledge. Most manager respect people who are pleasantly persistent.

• Pro Tip: You never want to disappear and be forgotten during an interview process. Some type of weekly follow up (email or text) is usually well received.

5. Not Scrubbing Social Media – Like it or not, managers are often doing a quick google search on people they are interviewing. Your social media pictures and posts can be more important than your professional references. Be careful of the 4 P’s… Partying, Profanity, Politics, and Posting Overload. These are job killers!

• Pro Tip: The easiest way to fix this is to go into your settings and make everything private (besides Linkedin) during the interview process.

6. Not sending a follow up email after every interview – How you follow up after an interview is a strong indicator of how you will follow up with a customer after a sales call. A candidate who is “too busy” to send a thank you note is conveying a message that they don’t appreciate the manager’s time (or that they don’t want the job). These emails are not only for hiring managers. You should be thanking ALL employees for their assistance.

• Pro Tip: Sending a quick text is NOT sufficient follow up. Texts are nice for casual communication, but the impact is not the same as a thorough thank you email.

Unfortunately, many younger candidates tend to give off an air of informality during interviews. This vibe can come across as too casual, or even worse… “ENTITLED”. Eliminate that concern! There is nothing wrong with a slightly more formal, businesslike approach to the interview process. Managers want people who are buttoned up and on top of their game!

Grow The Vine

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