What Hiring Managers Wish You Knew Before Applying for a Job

Just as you probably wish hiring managers would do a few things to make your life easier, there are a few things they wish you’d do to make their lives easier, too. Here’s some advice straight from hiring managers about common missteps that job seekers make:

1. Don’t meet most of the qualifications? Don’t apply.

Hiring managers will resent you if you apply for a job and don’t meet the majority of the qualifications. While you may wonder what you have to lose by applying anyway, consider this: the time you spend on that application is time you could have spent finding jobs you do qualify for. And if you do later apply at that same company for a job you are qualified for, you’ve only hurt yourself by your earlier behavior. Some hiring managers have impeccable memories. That said, applying is fine as long as you do meet most of the skills.

2. Research the company

Would you expect to pass a test you did not study for, a test on a subject you know little about? Probably not. The same concept applies with jobs; hiring managers ask you would expect to land a job when you did not bother to research the company. Furthermore, they wonder why you would consider working for an organization when you have no idea if you would be a good fit there.

At the least, find out how and why the company was established and the values that drive it. Prepare yourself to explain why these characteristics excite you. Also research any company pain points and how you might help solve them. Common places to research are company websites, social media, and business news sites.

3. Punctuality is great, but do not be too punctual.

As a rule of thumb, arrive five to 10 minutes early for a job interview. Thirty minutes early? Not so much. Such a move reeks of desperation and makes it harder for hiring managers to focus on current work when they know people are out there waiting.