Tips For Job Interview

If you’re meeting a recruiter about a banking job in Singapore or Hong Kong over the next few weeks, beware. Recruiters are not just the first line of defence, in a less buoyant job market they’re filtering out candidates within minutes if they make the following mistakes or mishaps. Avoid them.

Arrogance
“The biggest mistake I’ve noticed is when a candidate assumes the interview with a recruiter is a formality before the one with the employer and doesn’t take the process seriously,” says James Carss, Hong Kong director of recruiters HFG. “This has led me to see lateness without an apology or forewarning, not switching off mobile phones, taking calls during the meeting without explanation, making inappropriate comments that are irrelevant to the interview, and just generally adopting an unprofessional tone.”

Vagueness
Recruiters don’t like answers that begin with the words “around” or “about” – vagueness suggests you’re holding something back that could jeopardise the hiring process further down the track, says Carss. “For example, I need to know if you’re currently interviewing for other roles. If you’re vague about this then it’s very hard for me to work with you.”

Punking it
“I interviewed a candidate for a fintech job who turned up in casual clothes and had a punk-like hairstyle with multiple piercings in his eyebrows, nose and lips,” says Vince Natteri, director of recruitment at search firm Pinpoint Asia in Hong Kong. “His skills were suitable for a top-tier investment bank, but when I asked him whether he’d remove his piercings and dress more formally for the job interview he said ‘absolutely not!’ I then explained the bank’s culture and why he’d miss out on an interview if he didn’t change. But in the end I couldn’t submit his application.

Stubbornness about salary expectations
“When someone has a pre-conceived idea of how much they’re worth and refuses to listen when I offer advice around a more realistic salary increase, I usually rule them out pretty quickly,” says Samantha Ding, a manager at recruitment firm Greythorn Banking in Singapore. “In this job market, there’s simply no point in representing this person if I know that my client can’t afford them.”

Playing hard to get
Feigning aloofness about a role to make a recruiter want you more won’t work. “If you’re non-committal or play it too cool – saying things like ‘I might be interested, put me forward and we’ll see’ – then unfortunately, it’s a no from me,” says Ding. “If you’re interested in the role, say so upfront – it’s not going to damage your negotiating position. Banks want people with a genuine level of enthusiasm for the job.”

Smoking
Richard Aldridge, a director at recruiters Black Swan Group in Singapore, has met candidates who (literally) stink. “If you’re a smoker, fine – but it’s best not to have a cigarette or two just before heading into a confined interview room with another person – this will definitely put a recruiter off representing you to banks.”

Courting controversy
Keep any small talk small when you meet a recruiter. “I strongly suggest that any controversial topics or hobby should be left off your CV and not mentioned in meetings,” says Aldridge. “Putting ‘hunting’ on your CV when the interviewer or recruiter is a passionate animal lover may not be the best conversation starter.

Using casual language
Don’t break into Singlish or similar slang just because you’re meeting a local recruiter – this is not a casual chat. “Bad English is a major turnoff for multi-national clients,” says Adrian Choo, a principal at search firm CTPartners in Singapore.

Cussing your current bank
However tempting, it’s vital that you don’t launch into a tirade against your existing employer, says Choo. Remember that recruiters primarily have their clients’ interests at heart and aren’t a neutral sounding board for your grievances. These clients don’t like hiring people who have too many push factors for moving jobs.

Holding back the facts
Make sure you always answer questions about the basics of your current job: salary, bonus and notice period. “I had a meeting where someone refused to disclose their salary and unfortunately that meant I couldn’t represent them,” says Ding from Greythorn. “I had to end our meeting as they refused to accept that the request came directly from my client, not myself. This information is a pre-requisite for most banks.”