Dumb jokes, lateness, and saying 'literally': 11 habits most likely to give hiring managers the ick

• Searching for a new job in 2024? Make sure the interview goes well.
• Inappropriate outfits and tardiness are among the turn-offs for recruiters, a survey says.

Looking for a new job? Having the right skill set is important, but being able to ace the interviews is also a key factor in landing the next role.

And while the US unemployment rate is at its lowest level in decades, employers are taking longer to hire and posting fewer job openings than they normally do. That's leaving some candidates stuck in hiring limbo.

So, working out how to stand out positively when talking to a potential employer feels increasingly crucial in early 2024. That also means avoiding interview pitfalls.

Ringover, an HR startup, surveyed 1,200 people — the majority of whom said they had interviewed job candidates both in-person and remotely — across industries and age groups to gauge the behaviors they find most off-putting when conducting job interviews.

Here are the 11 behaviors that hiring managers say give them the ick.

1. Not asking questions at the end of the interview — 20.3%

Human resources leaders urge job applicants to prepare questions to ask during the interview or risk being perceived poorly.

"It's expected — and if you don't ask at least two questions, you will appear disinterested, or worse, less intelligent and engaged than a prospective employer would like," Amy Hoover, president of TalentZoo, previously told Business Insider.

Having a few good questions up your sleeve may also help you learn more about the company at which you may potentially end up, Teri Hockett, chief executive of What's For Work?, a career site for women, told BI.

1. Getting the recruiter's name wrong —24.4%

Going into the interview without knowing who's interviewing you can rub recruiters the wrong way.

On Ask a Manager, an anonymous workplace advice blog, one job applicant wrote that when they called their interviewer the wrong name, the interviewer called them out. That shifted the vibe of the conversation. For the rest of the meeting, the applicant said the interviewer lost interest, picked up the phone to text, and even ended the interview early.

1. Making a joke or using banter — 24.5%

   Using humor during an interview — or being too casual — could be what prevents you from moving to the next round.

   A survey from CareerBuilder found that one interviewee sang her responses to the recruiter's questions, while another did a phone interview in the bathroom and flushed.

   "It could cost the candidate the job, so, funny or not, it's likely not worth risking it," a former exec at CareerBuilder previously told BI.

1. Rescheduling an interview on the day — 24.7%

   It's possible you need to reschedule an interview at the last minute. That should be OK — as long as your reason is valid and you let the recruiter know as soon as possible, according to Indeed.

   But if not, they can see a last-minute scheduling change as a reflection of bad time management.

   Reasonable reasons may include getting sick, attending to a family emergency, or dealing with vehicle problems, per Indeed.

1. Using words such as "like" and "literally" numerous times — 24.7%

Some recruiters may perceive the usage of the word "like" during an interview as a sign that the candidate lacks intelligence. The same goes for the word "literally."

1. Using filler words like "umm" and "err" — 25.3%

   Similar to "like" and "literally," communication experts say that filler words such as "umm" and "err" could indicate that the interviewee is ineloquent or untrustworthy.

1. Discussing personal topics — 25.4%

   Recruiters may perceive an interviewee divulging personal stories such as relationship issues or bad-mouthing their boss as disrespectful and tactless, one IT recruitment professional wrote on LinkedIn.

   Disclosing your mental health issues during an interview may also be a turn-off to some employers, though the topic is hotly contested.

   Still, it may be best to keep personal details unrelated to the job in question to yourself to avoid mishaps.

1. Not dressing appropriately — 28.2%

An ideal work outfit should communicate confidence and a strong work ethic.

While the candidate doesn't necessarily need to wear a suit or dress to an interview, the outfit should be professional and put-together, a career professional previously told BI. That could mean ditching clothes that are loud, overly trendy, too casual, or wrinkled.

When in doubt, ask the recruiter what people in the office normally wear and follow the dress code accordingly, the career expert said.

1. Getting the name of the company wrong — 28.4%

You may be interviewing for multiple jobs at a time. But losing track of which company you're speaking to could indicate to recruiters that you are sloppy and lack attention to detail.

One professional involved in the recruitment process wrote on Ask a Manager that a job candidate interviewing for an upper-level management position got the organization's name wrong during a slide presentation. In turn, the anonymous poster wondered whether the hiccup was grounds for disqualification.

1. Not researching the company before the interview — 30.7%

A quick Google search on the company you're interviewing for could signal that you want the job. Not doing so could be a sign that you aren't that interested in the role.

A recruiting manager at Zapier told BI that researching can help candidates explain why they genuinely want to work at the company, which could increase their chances of getting hired.

"Don't show up knowing nothing about the company you are interviewing to work at... Just read the website," a hiring manager wrote on Reddit. "And if you don't understand what the website is saying, ask during the interview."

1. Being late for the interview — 35.8%

The biggest pet peeve for hiring managers, Ringover's survey shows, is when a job candidate is late to the interview.

Tardiness could indicate to the recruiter that the candidate is irresponsible, disrespectful, and doesn't take the process seriously.

One career expert previously told BI that candidates should arrive at the interview at least 15 minutes early — but no earlier than that. Showing up too early, according to experts, could throw a curveball into the recruiter's busy schedule.