How not to get hired: Employers reveal the interview 'red flags' that could cost you that dream job

Investing in your work wardrobe and perfecting a firm handshake might be a good place to start if you're looking for your dream job. Photo / 123RF

Are you a job-seeker looking for something to give you that all-important edge in interviews?

Then investing in your work wardrobe and perfecting a firm handshake might be a good place to start.

That's according to a new Reddit thread that asked employers to share the 'red flags' that immediately put them off a candidate, and which suggests showing up late or improperly dressed will quickly see your CV consigned to the bin.

Being critical of current or past employers, failing to research the company, dressing too casually and arriving late are all likely to damage your chances of landing the job, bosses said on Reddit.

'If someone shows up late for an interview with no excuse and no effort made to let me know they were running behind I tell them I am no longer interested in interviewing them,' user tufted_wisdom said.

Ad-Finem-Fidelis said a 'terrible handshake and bad posture' is a sure sign a candidate isn't really interested in the job, and fellow user Mightychook described one interviewee who was 'dressed like she just came out of a crack den'.

The same hapless job-seeker took her phone out during the interview and complained that it was taking too long, according to the recruiter, who said she 'raised pretty much every red flag'.

Aside from being punctual and dressing the part, job-seekers would also be well advised to leave their phones and their personal lives outside of the interview room.

Pookiemoe said the ultimate red flag was 'answering your cell phone... Constantly... During an interview'.

'Needless to say we thanked him for his time and moved on,' they added.

For user barnfodder, over-sharing about personal issues is a major red flag when it comes to potential hires.

They wrote: 'Ain't even all the way through the door and you can't separate this place from your personal life?

'No chance.'

Apparently some job-seekers fall foul of employers' bugbears even before the interview stage.

A Reddit user who had to hire his own replacement before leaving his position said that of the hundreds of candidates who applied, only 20 remembered to attach their CV and cover letter as a PDF as instructed.

'It really made me wonder why the hell it took me so long to find a job after college,' they said.