What does feng shui have to do with recruitment, you may ask? On the surface, very little, however, if we really think about it, recruitment draws upon many ancient rituals and customs - some good, some not so good.

Take feng shui, for instance. The ancient art of creating an environment that results in harmony, tranquillity, prosperity or whatever state of being is required.

In recruiting staff we arrange the physical layout of the interview room and pay attention to detail such as where the interviewee will sit. I know that many people pay little attention to such detail whilst others go to great lengths to ensure that everything is 'just right'. So what are the big turnoffs in the recruiting process?

Here is my selection for the 'Top 10' recruitment turnoffs.

For the employer:

Arriving late for interview: no brownie points won here! Unless you've been run over by a double decker bus and had to hobble to the interview on crutches, such tardiness is never acceptable and will likely result in being unsuccessful for the job.

Lateness sends a clear message to the interviewer that you are either disinterested in the job, are unable to organise yourself or that you don't respect the fact that the interviewer has given up precious time to see you. Definitely job suicide!

Poor presentation: You are being judged the moment you enter the premises. Poor or inappropriate presentation is never excusable. If in doubt, overdress and impress!

Lack of interest or enthusiasm: it is a fact that more times than not, employers will choose candidates who are outgoing and enthusiastic. The more extraverted you can be, the better your chances of success. If we think about our feng shui example, it is natural that employers prefer to employ people who are happy, outgoing and positive.

An outgoing attitude is often related to qualities such as agreeableness, interest and action orientation. All positive attributes for any team based role.

Lack of preparation for the interview: Lack of knowledge about the job or the hiring organisation signals a lack of interest in the job. Serious candidates take the initiative to find about the organisation and the job preparing questions that demonstrate their interest and understanding.

Talking too much or too little: Candidates who over-respond to questions or talk too much often lack self awareness and an awareness of their impact upon others, especially the interviewer! If you want to sabotage your job chances, then holding the interviewer to ransom is one sure way of succeeding!