By Ousman Seckan
In the Gambia, job seekers are usually quick to complain of the turn-down of their carefully prepared applications when they have met the requirements and also answered all the interview questions. It wonders them what is actually responsible for this rejection despite their qualification and experience. In this article, I will discuss 5 things recruiting managers are equally concerned with in addition to your skill set and well written cover letter and curriculum vitae.
1. Arrival on time
Arriving on time at interview is absolutely vital in giving you additional points in some interviews. This is important as the receptionist or any other person is assigned to take note of attendees, including the time of their arrival. It is therefore recommended for interviewees to be present at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the interview. Sadly, there is what is referred to as Gambian Maybe Time (GMT), which is costing many job applications recently given that some interviewees will arrive 30 minutes or an hour after the start of the interview. The excuse widely given is that there is traffic jam. It must be noted that recruiters do not take such excuses as you’re informed beforehand regarding the commencement of the interview. Therefore, the impression the panel will hold of you is that you have no regard for time, which can ultimately affect your chance of being hired.
2. Be polite to receptionists
Always accord respect to everyone, including the known and unknown you meet. Remember both the panelists and receptionists deserve equal respect. In some job interviews, front desk officers or receptionists are asked to state their impression of you. In doing that, they speak based on their brief unannounced appraisal of you. In the event that you look down on them during your interaction, they may rate you low. This maybe seen by you as insignificant to the recruitment process, but recruiters are highly concerned of their observations because they want to hire someone who is free of insubordination.
3. Make best use of your time while waiting
While waiting for your turn to be interviewed, you can make best use of your time by going over your curriculum vitae, the job description or reflecting on possible interview questions and their answers. If you have already done that, you may read a newspaper at the reception or check over the company’s website. This can keep you engage and prevent you from staring at people and things. Unfortunately, some candidates would busy themselves with endless calls or surfing social media platforms.
4. Do not sit until you are asked to do so
It’s obvious that there will be a chair for you, but do not be tempted to sit on it until you are asked to do so. It is a courtesy to wait until you are shown a seat to sit down. As much as possible try to do away with slouching your feet anywhere, but have them firmly on the ground.
5. Eye contact when answering questions
Many Gambians have a problem of maintaining eye contact out of shyness, especially when they meet someone for the first time.There is no justification in being shy because you are before the panel to prove your worth. When you answer a question with a gaze down, it suggests to interviewers that you are lying. Thus, muster courage to keeping an eye contact when responding to questions to avoid being viewed as fabricating stories or disrespectful. Direct eye contact in an interview demonstrates confidence, conveys trust, and politeness. According to interviewers, it is quite normal for candidates to feel nervous during an interview. Nonetheless, the most successful candidates are those who sustain eye contact.
About the author
Ousman Seckan is a freelance journalist and blogger. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Journalism and Communication.You can follow him on: httpts://wwwfacebook.com/ousman.seckan.9678 or https://www.linkedin.com/in/ousman-seckan-a0122319a/ or send an email to: ousman.seckan@gmail.com