British modesty is holding back jobseekers, according to a survey from Gumtree.com.
A study shows that 92% of jobseekers aren’t confident talking about themselves in an interview; while employers claim that nearly half (42%) of job candidates undersell themselves throughout the interview process.
British modesty and our natural reserved could be making life worse for job hunters, suggest the website who conducted the research among jobseekers and recruiters to help understand the difficulties facing those looking for employment today.
- 92% of UK jobseekers aren’t confident talking about themselves in a job interview
- 20% of jobseekers keep their unemployment a secret
- Under 25s most likely to play down their skills during a job interview
According to employers, a third of job seekers (28%) regularly downplay their skills and capabilities in interviews, and the most common reasons from candidates for not describing their strengths and qualities positively are shyness (%), modesty (12%), or being too reserved (11%).
Younger generations of jobseekers are the age group most likely to play down their skills during a job interview.
Gumtree has created a new careers hub on the website with help and advice ranging from writing a CV to handling tough questions in interviews which can all be found at www.gumtree.com/careers.
Industries where jobseekers are most likely to undersell themselves in an interview are:
1 - Public sector (53%)
2 - Media (52%)
3 - Health worker (51%)
4 - Retail (46%)
5 - Education (45%)
6 - IT workers (42%)
7 - Marketing (41%)
8 - HR (35%)
9 - Finance and accounting (32%)
10 - Hairdresser/beautician (25%)
LinkedIn has created this list of tips for Huffpost Lifestyle to help you get that dream job or show your boss you are the perfect person for that promotion.