Job candidates have as little as eight minutes to make the right impression in interviews, according to a survey.

The study of 2,000 people by AXA found eye contact to be the most important factor in an interview (59%), even more important than knowledge of the relevant subject, which is second in the top five. The importance of smiling also should not be underestimated with almost one in three (39%) saying it is most important to make a good impression.

Swearing is considered the ultimate faux pas in an interview, with almost half of employers saying that a candidate cursing would put them off offering them a job. Scruffy or dirty clothes (45%) and lack of knowledge (44%) came in second and third place in the list of bad impressions.

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