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If You Want a Job, Don’t Do These Things …

(Believe it or Not, Some People Do)

OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug.6, 2014 — Express Employment Professionals, the nation’s largest franchised staffing firm, today released survey findings that reveal the worst things an applicant can do in an interview.

The top six interview mistakes include:

  1. Lying about experience
  2. Arriving late
  3. Answering a phone call
  4. Drinking (alcohol)
  5. Acting arrogant
  6. Badmouthing boss or co-worker

The findings come from the 2014 edition of the "America Employed" survey of 115 Express franchises across the nation. This is the second year Express has released findings from its "America Employed" survey. Respondents were asked to name the "top five worst things an applicant can do during an interview." Full results for both 2014 and 2013 are below.

The strong performance resulted in Staffing Industry Analysts naming Express as the fastest growing major staffing company, and ranking Express No. 1 in industrial staffing with 14 percent growth year to date in 2014. Other areas of growth for Express were in administrative staffing at 25 percent and professional staffing at 19 percent.

“It takes a great deal of effort to secure an interview for most jobs, so it baffles me that anyone would throw away that opportunity with silly mistakes such as lying or arriving late. But believe it or not, these things happen,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express, and a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. ”You won’t get a mulligan in an interview, so do your best to get it right the first time.

”Here’s my advice: Don’t even think about answering your phone, texting on your phone, or even looking at your phone. In fact, turn your phone off before entering the building. If an employer sees you can't take an interview seriously, I promise he or she won't trust that you can take the job seriously.”

What are the worst things an applicant can do during an interview?
  2014 2013
Lie about experience 62% 65%
Arrive late 60% 59%
Answer a phone call 58% 61%
Drink (alcohol) 46% 12%
Act arrogant 40% 39%
Badmouth boss or co-worker 40% 51%
Check phone 31% 32%
Use poor language or slang 25% 28%
Smoke 24% 24%
Text a message 23% 29%
Bring a friend or relative 21% 21%
Dress wrong 12% 13%
Bad eye contact 11% 13%
Chew gum 9% 9%
Bad posture 6% 6%
Not know strengths 5% 7%
Not do homework/research 4% 9%
Handshake failure 4% 2%
Not ask enough questions 3% 5%
Tell an elaborate story 3% 1%
Act nervous 2% 1%
Not know weaknesses 2% 2%

***

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Sherry Kast at (405) 717-5966.

 

About Robert A. Funk
Robert A. “Bob” Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has 700 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than five million people to work worldwide. Funk served as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and was also the Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve.

About Express Employment Professionals
Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated more than $2.5 billion in temporary sales and employed nearly 400,000 people in 2013, and ranks as the largest franchised staffing company and second largest privately held staffing company in the United States. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually.