The One Surprising Thing that Can Derail Your Application

I have seen employers accept blemishes on an applicant’s records like an ancient DUI or bad credit if the applicant is otherwise on-point. But the one thing that derails the application is a bad reputation. When a candidate looks good on paper, the hiring manager will often turn to LinkedIn to check that the person’s background matches his/her resume, to make sure there isn’t anything off (weird photo, odd hobbies, etc.), and to see who their mutual contacts are. What these mutual contacts say can make or break you. Positive feedback will put you at the front of the line, but anything negative? Forget it. The moral is do your best work and always maintain great relationships.