₦airaland Forum

Provided below are the 10 most common reasons for recruiters to reject applicants during the interview. I have added some thoughts on how to avoid these common pitfalls.

1. Unfamiliar with CV.

Amazingly, some applicants are surprised by a question that the interviewer asks regarding information on their CV. An applicant may have forgotten that a particular statement was on their CV. This is very embarrassing and not very impressive.

Corrective action: Know your cv thoroughly and be able to defend every statement made on it.

2. Poor academic record.

It’s too late to change your grades now. Be prepared for questions on your grades and have a well-thought out response. One-half of engineers, lawyers, teachers and accountants graduated in the bottom half of their classes. The GPA is not a true measure of what you learned nor is it an indicator of how intelligent you are.

Corrective action: Throughout the entire interview, demonstrate your knowledge so you appear “smarter” than your GPA might indicate. But don’t overdo it. Remember to be yourself.

3. Insufficient knowledge of industry.

Employers vary here on what to expect. In financial services, this is extremely important. In most other industries, the importance diminishes. It is always important to remember that you want to impress the interviewer more than the other applicants.

Corrective action: Research the company, the industry, competitors, and industry trends. Keep in mind, it is important to know the future of the industry regarding its growth, international competition and profitability, just to name a few factors. Information on the industry is very easy to find on the Internet. Invest 2-3 hours and you will appear much more impressive and confident in the interview.

4. Lack of leadership skills.

Employers do differ on the requirement for leadership skills depending on the position that is being filled. One thing is for certain— previous leadership always makes the applicant more valuable.

Corrective action: Explain in the interview how you demonstrated leadership in a job, club, organization, volunteer organization, class project or study team. Employers want to hire future leaders, so most will look for past leadership.

5. Lack of career focus.

This interview misstep results from the applicant’s inability to demonstrate how the open position is of interest, or more importantly, how this job fits into their career plan for the next 10 years. In other words, there is a lack of career planning.

Corrective action: The applicant needs to do more research on the position and the related career paths. Discussions with alumni or others who do this job will be helpful in making the decision to pursue this line of work and will make you more informed. The Internet again is a source of information on specific careers.

6. Insufficient interest in employer.

Companies need to know the specific reasons why you have chosen to interview with them. Reasons do not include: “you are a big company, you are profitable, you are located in Calabar, you have a job opening.” These answers do not distinguish this company from hundreds of other employers in Calabar.

Corrective action: The answer again starts with researching the company. What does the company say about itself? Can you talk to employees of the company? If so, ask them why they chose to work for this company? What do they like most about the company?

7. Ineffective communication style or skills.

An applicant is usually faulted for this when they ramble on with their answers, appearing unfocused or ill-prepared.

Corrective action: Concise statements are extremely important here. A simple way to follow in answering your questions is: L-RODS, which stands for: Listen. Reflect. Organize. Deliver. Shut up.

8. Low level of enthusiasm.

Applicants appear this way when they demonstrate very little vitality.

Corrective action: Demonstrate that you are glad to be in the interview and that you are excited about this job opportunity and employer. You will be expected to be highly enthusiastic on the job, so you need to demonstrate the same or more in the interview process.

9. Negative attitude.

We all know negative people and most of us choose not to associate with them. Employers feel exactly the same, and they wish to fill jobs with positive people full of ideas who want to work together with others to help the company.

Corrective action: Even when you have had a bad experience with a past employer or professor, you should give the explanation a positive twist.

10. Failure to sell self.

Recruiters often ask themselves this question at the end of the interview: “Why should I hire this person?” The reasons you give will be thoroughly accessed.

Corrective action: Give five specific reasons, with evidence for each, why you should be hired. Remember, all prospective employees can state that they are hard workers, learn quickly, and are effective team players. Interviewers are skeptical of your opinions about yourself, unless you offer substantial evidence to convince the interviewer. What type of evidence can you use?

• Comments made in past performance evaluations by a supervisor

• Comments by customers

• Grade Point Average

• Awards for achievements or recognition

• Goals achieved

All of these can be beneficial in ‘proving’ your claims.

This information should help you prepare for future interviews. Good luck in passing your next interview test!

Join My Whatsapp Group For More Career Tips. Follow the link for details on how to join: https://patrickokunima.com/whatsapp/

I just created a thread seeking help in computing Taxes, preparing and filing tax returns. Here's the link: https://www.nairaland.com/3762693/please-need-computing-taxes-filing#55916679

Please, I need your help. My career is on the line here. Thanks.

I have a B.Sc. in Accounting. Since I graduated over 7 years ago, I have never practiced accounting or done any accounting-related work. I can prepare and maintain all the necessary accounting books, including ledgers and journals. I can also prepare trial balance, P & L accounts, Balance sheet, cash flow statement, reconcile accounts. I can do all these for sole proprietorship, partnership and companies, both manually and with accounting applications. I am also very familiar with managerial accounting.

But my problem is taxation. I don't just know where to start from. Hence, I need the help of experienced accountants and tax professionals in the house. I am not looking for an elaborate lecture. All I need to know for now is how to compute VAT, Income Tax etc, and how to prepare and file tax returns with the relevant revenue authorities. I will very much appreciate a sample, or maybe a template.

I don't have my textbooks nearby. I would have consulted them. All the information I found online were not exactly helpful.

Please and please, you people should come to my rescue. I need to know this urgently. Otherwise, I'll lose a very big opportunity.

Thank you very much for your anticipated help. May God reward you abundantly.

Would it not have made more sense if you had stated the price?

Next time, please read before commenting. I said N250K to establish a branch. FYI, There are businesses that N250K can conveniently establish.

FrontPageBoy:
You want to start a business with 250k + 12 branches?? a
Are you for real? It's like you live in a village and 250k is like a million to you. Money that's not even enough to rent shop. SMH!

tholarrr:
I'm interested,but pls what type of business

Kindly read through again. I did not mention any particular business. My only emphasis is that the cost of establishing the business should not exceed N250,000.

.

He's a very wicked scammer.

Here's the story:

Some days ago, I came here on Nairaland looking for someone who is very familiar with Facebook ad to help me run an advert. He contacted me and sent his account number. We agreed on 8k, but I wasn't having u to that amount on the account I use for mobile transfer, so I sent him 7,500 only for him to start telling me that the account he uses for Facebook Ad is not funded. That he'll credit the account on Wednesday.

At about 10 am yesterday, this scammer called me that the N7,500 I sent him has reduced to 3,000, giving one flimsy excuse that I don't understand. Not up to 1 hour later, he informed me again that the amount left is N2,500. So I asked him to refund what is left of the money.

You won't believe what this guy did next. He blocked me and removed me from the admin role of my Facebook page. Now I can't access the page again. Thank God it's got a small fan base of less than 1000. He has a lot of usernames on Nairaland. I have his name. I have his pictures and I have the spiritual powers to ruin this guy, but I'm not going to do it. He will meet his Waterloo someday, but not him my hands. You guys should just beware of him.

His name is David Ojo, AKA Diamond Man

He has two monikers on Nairaland that I know of, Drift and Protegesol

Note: He did not run the ad and did not claim to do so.

I have corrected it. Thanks

barapistis:
wrong email

Email me at donaldparkerdonald@gmail.com if interested!

Email corrected.

Closing soon.

Still Open. To those who have sent emails: Please exercise a little patience. I'll attend to you all.

I'm 100% sure that this business idea is capable of generating millions of naira monthly. It's a relatively new business idea and as far as I know, there's non in Nigeria yet.

I need partners who are hungry to break-through financially. In other words, the only thing you cannot do to make money is to rob or kill somebody.

Another thing of note is that you must have some money and be willing to invest it, at least 150k.

We need money to make money. So if you're a broke-ass, please this is not for you.

Don't bother to contact me if you do not meet these conditions. The email is donaldparkerdonald@gmail.com

The organizer is here on Nairaland with the moniker SaiAtiku 2019. Let's call on him to come and defend the mail.

Akalia:
We refer to the virtual interview you had with us and are please to inform you that you are hereby selected as the State Coordinator, ANAMBRA in the "Sai Atiku Project 2019." 
That your monthly basic salary shall  be N253,200.00 for the first six (6) months of your probation.
You are expected to report for the collection of your appointment letter, documentation, induction and posting at the International Conference Center, Abuja from 5th-7th January, 2017 by 8:00am daily. Feeding and accommodation has already been catered for as candidates are advised to make provision for their transportation.

Kindly come along with the following to the induction venue:
a) Originals of academic credentials for sighting and authentication;
b) Birth certificate, indigene certificate and at least one means of citizenship identification;
c) Four (4) passport size photographs (Color);
d) A savings or Current bank account number with BVN number from any commercial bank in Nigeria;
e) A bank teller for the payment of N31,500.00 as a nomination fee for the position you applied and/ or selected for on or before 23rd December, 2016 into the following bank details: Bank Name: FCMB, Account Number: 4063402019, Account Name: Digital W.

NOTE:
Do not come to the venue of the induction exercise without any of the requirements and do not pay the nomination fee beyond the stated date above. You will not be considered for acting otherwise.

Accept our warm congratulations, please.

Signed:

Management
+234(0)7031748668

It's soft copy they requested for. You got it wrong.

MarshRiley:
I got an invite sometime last week to send them the original of my credentials,i applied for the post of director,media and publicity,they said I was qualified for the next round...I haven't done that tho,i doubt their authenticity...let's hear from others first sha

Having applied for the position of a state coordinator and answered some of their questions, I just got this on my email:

Dear (Name Withheld),

We refer to the virtual interview you had with us and are please to inform you that you are hereby selected as the State Coordinator of the "Sai Atiku Project 2019."

That your monthly basic salary shall be N253,200.00 for the first six (6) months of your probation.
You are expected to report for the collection of your appointment letter, documentation, induction and posting at the International Conference Center, Abuja from 5th-7th January, 2017 by 8:00am daily. Feeding and accommodation has already been catered for as candidates are advised to make provision for their transportation.

Kindly come along with the following to the induction venue:
a) Originals of academic credentials for sighting and authentication;
b) Birth certificate, indigene certificate and at least one means of citizenship identification;
c) Four (4) passport size photographs (Color);
d) A savings or Current bank account number with BVN number from any commercial bank in Nigeria;
e) A bank teller for the payment of N31,500.00 as a nomination fee for the position you applied and/ or selected for on or before 23rd December, 2016 into the following bank details: Bank Name: FCMB, Account Number: 4063402019, Account Name: Digital W.

NOTE:
Do not come to the venue of the induction exercise without any of the requirements and do not pay the nomination fee beyond the stated date above. You will not be considered for acting otherwise.

Accept our warm congratulations, please.

Signed:

Management
+234(0)7031748668

I would have gone ahead to make the payment but for the Account number provided. I smell scam.

SaiAtiku2019 come and defend yourself here. If it turns out to be a scam, it's not going to be funny. After paying 31k5, one will transport himself or herself from wherever to Abuja and begin to look stupid. Pay for hotel, feeding, etc in addition to the inconveniences and wasted time.

.

Still Open.

Still Open.

Sill open.

Still open.

Still open.

Still Open.

Still Open.

Still on.

Ongoing.