Five Ways to Annoy a Hiring Manager

There seems to be a whole bunch of debate on what things we, as job seekers, do that annoy hiring managers. From asking too many questions during an interview or making follow-up calls, it seems that most of us seriously worry that we are “bugging” the employer.

Personally, I think that asking questions and making a thoughtful follow-up call are both always considered appropriate – unless, of course, the employer specifically asks you not to. However, there are some things that job seekers do that are particularly annoying to employers. Recently, US News listed several things that annoy hiring managers.

Here's a look at the top five annoyances:

Not following instructions – If a job posting gives you instructions about how to apply for the job, you should follow them completely. If the ad asks you to fax your resume, then you need to fax it. If you don't have access to a fax machine, you can check with your local library or a FedEx or Staples office center. Often, hiring managers will give specific instructions in order to narrow down the list of candidates. After all, if someone can't follow the instructions in the job ad, then they will probably have trouble following them in the office as well.

Being difficult to get in touch with – When an employer decides to interview candidates, they want to get it taken care of as soon as possible. If they email someone, they expect to get a reply in a reasonable amount of time. If you take days to respond, they will probably hire someone else for the job – even if they really wanted to hire you. The fact is that it's an employer's marketplace out there and if you make it too hard for them to hire you, they'll find someone else.

Arriving too early for an interview – Although it's never good to be late to an interview, arriving more than 10-15 minutes early is very annoying to a hiring manager. Because their days are usually tightly scheduled, getting there early makes them feel pressured to get to you as soon as possible, even though you're the one who is early. The best way to manage this is to arrive early and wait in your car, at a nearby coffee shop or in the office building lobby until it's time.

Not leaving voice mail – I'll admit it – I hate leaving voice mail. I really do. In spite of that, I know how annoying it is to have someone call and hang up instead of leaving a message, only to call back again in a few minutes. Most people who have voice mail at their offices are good at returning calls, so leave a message and trust that they will get back in touch. If you have voice mail anxiety (like I do) write down the key points you want to say before you call. That way if you have to leave a message, you won't forget to say the most important things and if you actually end up talking to the person, you'll have a quick reference to make sure your mind doesn't go blank in the middle of the conversation.

Bonus:

Getting angry when you aren't hired – If you make a follow-up call and are told that they decided to hire someone else, don't get angry. Accept the fact that you didn't get the job, thank them for their time and move on. I know, it can really sting, but getting upset or defensive when you don't get the job won't make them change their minds, it only makes you look unprofessional.

What other things do you think annoy hiring managers? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Image Source: MorgueFile