One in five employers decides on job candidate after one minute, study finds

One in five employers makes up their mind on a candidate just one minute after meeting them at a job interview, a study finds.

Jobs site totaljobs said its research shows the importance of first impressions.

Two out of five of 150 employers surveyed said they make a decision on a candidate within the first 15 minutes of an interview, with only a third waiting for the meeting to end.

The biggest mistakes made by candidates are not understanding the job they have applied for, and not having researched the company.

Being late to interviews is also said to be common, while some candidates are not able to discuss their own CV, said totaljobs.

John Salt, group sales director, said: “Our latest research shows that first impressions count, and that nailing an elevator pitch, a short presentation to sell themselves to potential employers, is more important in interviews than ever.

“However, so many candidates fall down because they suffer from interview pressures like talking too much, talking too quickly, or feeling anxious.”

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