Mistakes Kenyan graduates make during job interviews - The Sauce
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Kazi ni kazi

Mistakes Kenyan graduates make during job interviews

A job interview can be nerve racking and quite demanding. But that is not an excuse for candidates to jinx the interview by their own simple mistakes. Interestingly, according to HR managers, it’s the simple, basic stuff that rule you out of a job, not your papers and qualifications.

 

So we asked two HR managers what the 10 most common mistakes graduates make during interviews, and surprisingly they agreed on most points! So carefully take note.

 

 

Mary Murigah, HR Manager, Capital Group

 

1. A phone call in between with some crazy ring tone

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

2. Memorised answers to general interview questions

 

3. Inability to talk about one self

 

4. Looking completely detached from the interview

 

5. Lack of doing proper research on the company and industry you wish to work for and its operations

 

6. Inability to ask questions

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

7. Lack of goals i.e when asked for goals for the next 5 years, he/she ends up with aaaammhhh still trying to figure out or I’m not sure or says something that completely doesn’t make sense

 

8. Lack of knowledge on anything about the job you have applied for.

 

9. Mixing languages e.g how did you deal with peer pressure at campus? Saa unajua campo is proper hustling…………bla  bla bla

 

10. Being too talkative whilst being repetitive…

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

11. Carrying a completely disorganised folder to an interview, one with brown torn envelopes and completely disorganised paper work…..

 

12. Untidy look

 

 

 

 

 

Florence Nyokabi, Director – Human Resources and Administration, KPMG

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

1. Inappropriate dress (displays sloppiness and a potential challenge in cultural fit within the organization)

 

2. Lateness for the interview (displays a lack of seriousness/commitment)

 

3. Overly casual:  use of inappropriate language – slang, sheng etc (displays a lack of seriousness)

 

4. Long-winded explanations: lack of concise/precision in their responses OR closed-ended responses without adequate explanation (displays lack of clarity in thought)

 

5. Incongruence between what the applicant writes on their CV and what they say during the interview discussion (displays a lack of integrity)

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

6. Lacking in passion/energy/drive – not able to demonstrate the fire-in-the-belly or zeal to work in the role

 

7. Making demands in the first interview:  eg:  I expect a salary of x, to work strictly 8 hours a day, … etc (demonstrates strong self-interest)

 

8. Lack of understanding the organization’s business and the candidate’s fit in the organization (demonstrates lack of preparation)

 

9. Over-rehearsing:  cliché statements (displays a lack of credibility)

 

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

Some More Sauce...

Entertainment

News of the arrest of popular disc jockey Joe Mfalme in connection with the fatal assault of a senior police officer has taken the...

Entertainment

It is the eve of a new tiding for Director Trevor, as he gets hot in the heels spearheading his now rebranded news channel,...

Da Squeeze

Is there possibly one thing that Lisa Christoffersen cannot do? Seems unlikely. Having defied odds and beat stage 4 cancer 18 years ago, her...

Da Squeeze

Kenyan rap bigwig Khaligraph Jones is utterly disappointed after his much-hyped Instagram Live session with American rap star Rick Ross failed to happen. The...

Entertainment

Sofiya Nzau’s triumphant takeover of the music scene is something straight out of the history books. Her breakout hit ‘Mwaki’ has been making ripples...

Entertainment

Wizkid has requested people stop referring to him as an Afrobeats artist. The Nigerian singer – whose real name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun –...

Da Squeeze

The devil works hard, but Brian Chira’s friends, acquaintances and fans work harder! Within hours of launching, the departed TikToker’s funeral fundraiser has amassed...

Entertainment

Shakira thinks she “probably” won’t find love like she had with Gerard Piqué again. The 47-year-old singer split from the former soccer star –...