After sending candidates on 1000+ of interviews over the last 5 years, I thought it might be helpful to share some completely avoidable reasons why a candidate may be rejected, despite having the right skills and experience.

Here are the top 8 reasons an employer will reject an otherwise qualified candidate:

1. Tardiness. Don’t be late … come on guys.

2. Dress & grooming. Unprofessional or poor outfit choice that doesn’t match the brand, chipped nails, unkempt hair. Polished presentation indicates you take pride in your appearance. Your dress, grooming, and personal style should demonstrate an understanding of their brand identity. Fashion brands are built to inspire clients to adopt their brand message, vision, and aesthetic. It’s therefore no mystery why personal presentation is important to employers. Read our post about this here.

3. Not showing enough interest & enthusiasm for the brand and/or role. You have to show them you want the job with enthusiasm, engagement, and some thoughtful questions.

4. Negative comments about previous employment or previous managers. This is way-to-common phenomenon. Under no circumstances should you say anything negative about your previous company, supervisor, role, etc.

5. Not studying the brand or visiting their store beforehand. Includes suggesting brand competitors that are not accurate, either in price-point or aesthetic. Doing your research demonstrates your interest and illustrates your professional commitment.

6. Salary expectations exceed the budget or are unrealistic. Discuss with your recruiter and don’t give an answer thats different from your discussion. If you’re not working with a recruiter, do your research and get outside feedback.

7. Over-selling your experience & general arrogance. Be honest about your actual experience and maintain a sense of humility. This is a balance. I know you should convey confidence without arrogance.

8. Poor conversation skills. Answering questions with yes/no answers that force the interviewer to carry the conversation. If this is a challenge for you, practice with family or friends.

9. Poor professional relationships with your previous employer. Our industry is small, and many executives know each other and will reach out for an informal reference. For this reason always invest in building and maintaining positive and professional relationships with current and former employers. After all — your reputation is all you have.

Take a minute and think: do I recognize myself in this list? If yes, make some adjustments and you will get better results!