MD turns up to Singapore job interview wearing sandals

It’s April and the post-bonus hiring season is still in full swing in Singapore and Hong Kong. Many final-stage interviews are taking place at banks in both cities right now.

But getting through to the last rounds is no guarantee of landing a job. Even experienced banking and technology professionals sometimes make fatal (and unusual) mistakes that end up scuppering their applications. We spoke with several recruiters in Singapore and Hong Kong to find out what’s gone wrong at job interviews for their candidates recently.


What are some mistakes that candidates make at job interviews?


Sandals in Singapore

Singapore may offer year-round warmth, but there’s a limit to how casual you can dress. “I had a candidate at director/MD level who got an interview at an exclusive PE fund, but he turned up in sandals. The employer was more than a little bit insulted and I was called in to explain,” says Jay Abeyasinghe, a director at recruiters Morgan McKinley in Singapore.

“The candidate said it was dress-down Friday at his current work, so he thought sandals would be fine. It goes without saying that it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed in an interview…and that your toes should be covered.”

https://news.efinancialcareers.com/sg-en/3000677/md-singapore-job-interview-wearing-sandals/

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