There is an epidemic of stupidity in Nigeria and majority of Nigerians are suffering from the sickness; from the street to the Office of the President.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
author of "In the House of Dogs", "The Prophet Lied" and other books distributed by Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other booksellers. "In the House of Dogs" is about life inside Nigeria.
Don't Let This Happen to You: Robert Half Reveals Real-Life Examples of Interviews Gone Awry; Launches New Video Series
Brett Good,Sr. District President at Robert Half International, Inc.
MENLO PARK, CA (July 14, 2011) /PRNewswire/ — There are many ways to stand out in a job interview, but bringing an exotic bird instead of a briefcase to the meeting probably isn’t the best option. Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, frequently conducts surveys of hiring managers and workers, asking them to recount the biggest interview blunders they’ve witnessed or heard of. The following examples represent the most memorable mistakes collected from these polls over the years:
* “A job applicant came in for an interview with a cockatoo on his shoulder.” * “The candidate sent his sister to interview in his place.” * “One candidate sang all of her responses to interview questions.” * “When asked by the hiring manager if he had any questions for him, the candidate replied by telling a knock-knock joke.” * “One candidate handcuffed himself to the desk during the interview.”
The surveys were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. They include responses from senior executives, human resources managers, and employed professionals in the United States and Canada who were interviewed over the years, starting in 2002.
Although these blunders are extreme, even small mistakes during the job interview can cause professionals to miss out on opportunities. To help applicants put their best foot forward, Robert Half recently launched a series of light-hearted videos depicting interviews that have gone awry. The videos, along with tips for avoiding common blunders, can be found at www.roberthalf.com/dont-let-this-happen-to-you.
“For most job candidates, an interview mistake is subtle -- for example, they may appear unenthusiastic or too nervous to let their personalities shine through,” explained Brett Good, a senior district president for Robert Half. “Job seekers should remember hiring managers aren’t just assessing their qualifications but also looking for signs of outstanding people skills and good judgment.”
People skills -- or lack thereof -- got the following job seekers into trouble:
* “When asked by the hiring manager why she was leaving her current job, the applicant said, ‘My manager is a jerk. All managers are jerks.’” * “I interviewed someone who had a jawbreaker in her mouth during the entire interview.”
Putting the cart before the horse by issuing demands about salary, benefits or perks is an unwise move. These applicants should have focused on the employer’s needs:
* “One individual said we had nice benefits, which was good because he was going to need to take a lot of leave in the next year.” * “The applicant told me he really was not interested in the position, but he liked that we allowed for a lot of time off.”
Hiring managers appreciate authenticity, but common sense should prevail. These job hopefuls were a bit too candid:
* “An individual applied for a customer service job, and when asked what he might not like about the job, he said, ‘dealing with people.’” * “One prospect told me all of the reasons he shouldn’t be hired.” * “The candidate said she would really prefer a job offer from our competitor.”
If nothing else, employers expect interviewees to dress professionally. While the right attire alone won’t seal the deal, the wrong outfit can sink your chances. Here are a few examples of what not to wear:
* “An applicant wore the uniform from his former employer.” * “The candidate arrived in a cat suit.” * “A person came to the interview in pajamas with slippers.”
Finally, exhibiting dishonesty is the ultimate interview error:
* “After being complimented on his choice of college and the GPA he achieved, the candidate replied, ‘I’m glad that got your attention. I didn’t really go there.’”
Robert Half offers advice on avoiding four common interview mistakes:
1. Going on and on and on -- While you certainly don’t want to give a series of one-word responses, be careful not to ramble. Be thorough, yet succinct. Don’t over-answer or attempt to fill dead air between questions. 2. Poor ‘posturing’ -- It’s not just what you say but how you say it. Slouching, constantly shifting in your chair, crossing your arms or wearing a tense expression can signal nervousness or disinterest. 3. Ranting and raving -- It’s important to be tactful and diplomatic. Criticizing former employers only makes you look bad. Even a mildly sarcastic quip can raise red flags. When in doubt, take the high road. 4. Throwing in the towel -- Don’t act dejected if you feel the interview is going poorly. If you fumble a response, maintain your composure and move on. Showing that you can swiftly recover after a setback might actually work in your favor.
About Robert Half International
Founded in 1948, Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm, with more than 350 offices worldwide. The company’s professional staffing divisions include Accountemps®, Robert Half® Finance & Accounting and Robert Half® Management Resources, for temporary, full-time and senior-level project professionals, respectively, in the fields of accounting and finance; OfficeTeam®, for highly skilled office and administrative support professionals; Robert Half® Technology, for project and full-time technology professionals; Robert Half® Legal, for project and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel; and The Creative Group®, for interactive, design and marketing professionals. For more information about the specialized staffing and recruitment divisions of Robert Half, visit roberthalf.com and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf.
National media contact: Julie Sims 650-234-6104 julie.sims@rhi.com
China-Africa Development Fund Opens First Office in Africa
JOHANNESBURG, March 16/PRNewswire/ --
- Major Step for Sino-African Cooperation
The China-Africa Development Fund (CADFund) opened the first representative office in Johannesburg, South Africa today. The Fund will boost economic development in Africa by encouraging investment by Chinese enterprises. Its creation stems from President Hu Jintao's pledge at the China-Africa Cooperation summit in 2006.
According to Chen Yuan, Chairman of the Board of the China Development Bank, the Fund is the first of its kind. It will encourage Chinese companies to invest in multiple industries, leading to an improved quality of life for residents throughout Africa.
The China-Africa Development Fund is a 5 billion US Dollar fund. The China Development Bank invested $1 billion, which is the fund's first phase of capital. Since its establishment in June 2007, the CADFund has facilitated over 20 investments in Africa, amounting to nearly 400 million US Dollars.
Several high-level Chinese and South African government officials and business leaders attended the office opening ceremony, including African National Congress president Jacob Zuma, China Development Bank Chairman Chen Yuan, CADFund CEO Chi Jianxin, and Zhong Jianhua, China's Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa. In total, over 300 guests were present at the event.
The creation of the China-Africa Development Fund's Representative Office in South Africa is a further step to help facilitate CADFund's investments in Africa. The CADFund aims to establish Representative Offices throughout Africa in the future to further promote economic cooperation between China and Africa and to bring about mutual benefits.
About the China-Africa Development Fund:
The China-Africa Development Fund (CADFund) is a US$5 billion equity investment fund in China focusing on investments in Africa. Established on June 26, 2007, with initial funding of US$1 billion from the China Development Bank, CADFund operates independently and assumes sole responsibility for its profits and losses. Among the investments concluded by CADFund: cotton planting and processing facility in Malawi, 560,000kW scalable power station in Ghana, glass factory in Ethiopia, Egyptian Suez Trade Park, and Nigerian Lachish Trade Zone.
For more information, please contact:
Maria Guimaraes Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Beijing Email: Maria.guimaraes@ogilvy.com Tel: +86-10-8520-3094
Mikko Lan Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Beijing Email: Mikko.lan@ogilvy.com Tel: +86-10-8520-6560
Source: The China-Africa Development Fund
Maria Guimaraes of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Beijing, Maria.guimaraes@ogilvy.com, or +86-10-8520-3094; or Mikko Lan of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Beijing, Mikko.lan@ogilvy.com, or +86-10-8520-6560
