This is the number one interview red flag

By Aoibhinn Mc Bride

Is there a magic formula when it comes to interviews?

While certain aspects are non-negotiable, for example, candidates should never be late but should never arrive too early, there's no exact science to interviews and a lot of times, having a natural rapport with a recruiter or hiring manager can be more beneficial in terms of bagging a job than nailing the answers to common interview questions.

And when you consider that only 2% of candidates who apply for a role are selected to attend a job interview, nailing the fundamentals straight off the bat is crucial if you want to progress to the second round and ultimately secure a job offer.

7/11 rule

In fact, it's estimated that candidates have roughly seven seconds to make a good first impression and within these seven seconds, people will form 11 impressions of you. 

Known as the 7/11 rule, your credibility, likability and competency are among the first things to be judged.

"It's essential to make a lasting first impression, however one of the biggest red flags has to be candidates that try too hard," advises Owen Murray, a former tech recruiter who now provides bespoke interview preparation advice.

"For example, you don't need to make a statement with what you're wearing unless you're interviewing for a job in fashion or a creative industry. A former colleague of mine interviewed a candidate who, in the middle of the interview, took off their jumper to show off that they were wearing a swag T-shirt from our company. The candidate was trying to show enthusiasm but it felt contrived and unprofessional."

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

Similarly, asking questions for the sake of it won't do you any favors.

"One of the biggest red flags is candidates asking bizarre questions that have nothing to do with the company or role," Murray elaborates. "This can be an indication of poor interview preparation, but it also alludes to a lack of soft skills like communication, critical thinking and collaboration."

Recent research from Deloitte estimates that soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030 and having a workforce with soft skills could increase revenue by more than $90,000.

So, whether you're contemplating a career move or simply want to test the job market and see what jobs are available that match your skills and experience, the Financial Planning Job Board is the perfect place to start your search.

It features thousands of roles in companies that are actively hiring, like the three below.

Associate, Core Compliance, BlackRock, Wilmington
Global investments firm BlackRock is hiring an Associate to support the head of core compliance and partner with (or lead) team members to build the core compliance brand through effective stakeholder engagement, and driving key regional and/or global projects. You will also be required to maintain up to date knowledge of changes in key regulatory requirements, collaborate and work closely with regional core compliance teams to ensure consistency in approach and connectivity and participate in related projects, including broader enterprise compliance transformational efforts and activities. See more information here.

Audit & Assurance Senior, Deloitte, Los Angeles
Are you a detail-oriented, inquisitive individual who enjoys coming up with innovative solutions? Deloitte is hiring an Audit & Assurance Senior to interact with clients directly to discuss field audit issues. In this role you will perform audit procedures related to clients' financial statements, supervise assigned staff in executing the audit approach and perform a first level review of staff assigned work and research accounting and auditing matters and document conclusions. You will also be required to leverage artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and data visualizations and utilize innovation tools to assess client data. See the full job description here.

Internal Audit - Consumer Banking, Vice President, Goldman Sachs, Dallas
Internal Audit's mission is to independently assess the firm's internal control structure, including the firm's governance processes and controls, risk management, capital and anti-financial crime framework. As Vice President you will develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of consumer banking business areas, its products, and supporting functions, assist in every step of an audit including scoping, planning, fieldwork and reporting and execute audit testing and supervise junior team members to ensure audit fieldwork is focused on the right areas and documentation meets high quality standards. Access more details about this opening here.

For more opportunities across finance and auditing, visit the Financial Planning Job Board today