Danielle McQueen, 28 February 2008
According to a study of 5,000 candidates by Jobsite.co.uk, jobseekers’ inability to sell themselves in interviews means that they are losing more than £2.3bn a year in missed pay rises. It claims:
- Candidates have missed out on pay rises worth £2.3bn in the past 12 months through unsuccessful job interviews
- One in three jobseekers failed to get a single offer in the past year
- Poor interview skills are the top reason for lack of success
- Five percent prepare for interviews by wearing “lucky” pants or taking a good luck charm
It would also seem that candidates are having trouble when preparing for the more modern and penetrating interviews where questions such as ‘what would you have written on your gravestone’ or asking them to sell a bottle of water to the interviewer are not out of the ordinary. According to the research, one in three jobseekers failed to receive a single job offer in the past year – 10 percent of the working population. Poor interview technique was the single biggest reason for failure (11 percent), with falling victim to nerves (11 per cent) or being out of interview practice (nine per cent) other major factors.
Keith Potts, CEO of Jobsite.co.uk, said: “Our candidates tell us that it’s one thing to find a job that matches your skills and experience, but quite another to be able to sell yourself in an interview chair”.