Did they really just say that?
14/10/2011
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15
comments
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What's the most unusual thing a candidate has ever done in a job interview? Fall asleep? Disappear? Bring his/her mum?
A CareerBuilder.com survey of the most outrageous interview mistakes candidates have made, according to more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals, listed the top 10 job interview blunders as:
- Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.
- Candidate told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died - and his uncle wasn't "looking too good".
- Candidate asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.
- Candidate smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room.
- Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the secret police and it was "classified".
- Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for bashing his last boss.
- When applicant was offered food before the interview, he declined saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.
- A candidate for an accounting position said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person".
- Candidate flushed the toilet while talking to interviewer during phone interview.
- Candidate took out a hair brush and brushed her hair.
In addition to the most unusual blunders, employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview.
More than half (51%) of hiring managers cited dressing inappropriately as the most detrimental mistake a candidate can make in an interview.
Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer came in second place at 49% and appearing disinterested ranked third at 48%.
Other mistakes included appearing arrogant (44%), not providing specific answers (30%) and not asking relevant questions (29%).
Latest Comments
Total:
15
comment(s)
Private on
14 Oct 2011 02:29 PM
I wish I had the opportunity to contribute to this survey! I had a candidate bring her 6 year old son with her, no warning and had him sit next to her doing his homework while she completed the 90 minute skills test! She got a very good result - very surprising!!!
Anonomous on
14 Oct 2011 03:54 PM
I asked a candidate why they left their last job and they stated they had an affair with the boss's wife and he had found out... I really was lost for words.
Ninya on
14 Oct 2011 05:51 PM
Can't top Anonomous but I had one candidate bring her collosal alsation dog to the interview. I refused to allow him to participate and he was left with the receptionist for the (very short) duration of the interview.
Richard on
14 Oct 2011 07:34 PM
Had a candidate come with a Beer and then fell a sleep in the interview room
John on
17 Oct 2011 03:29 PM
The candidate and I were discussing interests, the candidate said he went fishing on the weekend at a local fishing spot which I replied “there seems to be a lot of weed there.” The candidate responded “Yeah, there was a lot of people smoking but I only had one.”
Peter on
18 Oct 2011 04:41 PM
Candidate said they were too good for the job but it would do until a better one came up?
Annonymous on
19 Oct 2011 04:47 PM
Around the other way the boss started to pick his nose and #####. You're correct I got up and left and suggested he use a tissue.
Kezcarma on
20 Oct 2011 03:23 PM
Had one candidate come in and read answeres to questions off a sheet he had prepared earlier. I'm pretty sure he just printed off a Wiki article...
Leanne on
21 Oct 2011 03:58 PM
Our candidate froze ... literally! Despite our best efforts to break the ice or help him relax he sat down, looked straight ahead and did not say one word until we eventually gave up and told him that we'd have to end the interview at which point he only said thank you and walked out.
Deborah on
25 Oct 2011 11:47 AM
We had one candidate answer a question saying her previous boss likes to dot the i's and all that crap.
Deb on
28 Oct 2011 04:22 PM
We had a impressive interview with a lady and she was looking like the front runner for an accounting job. She ended the interview by telling us an unrelated, very off colour, nasty story about a group of gay women - presumably she didn't know that the Director was gay? She didn't get the job
Anonomous on
04 Nov 2011 02:23 PM
Too many to mention! two that really stick out though...
1. When I went to collect a candidate from reception, he was on his mobile, I smiled and introduced myself, he held his finger up at me, finished his conversation and stayed seated until I said, we better go into the interview room...
2. One candidate managed to say "bullshit, gollywog and pissing" in the first 5 minutes of his interview, for a managerial role
PK on
07 Nov 2011 10:25 AM
It was an Interviewer bungle..........2 chaps interviewed me for a senior finance position. The older interviewer did most of the talking and his 'underling' seemed to just be there for no good reason.
The younger chap actually fell asleep ! Needless to say, I did not take the position !
JM on
08 Nov 2011 11:49 AM
Interviewing for a Senior Management position in a Government Department, myself and two other panel members were waiting for 'Dave' to arrive as the final candidate for the day. A six-foot middle aged man with a trimmed beard (think Santa) we greeted 'Dave' at the boardroom door with him dressed in drag! Trying to avoid asking the question, he finally asked if we were uncomfortable with his choice of attire, as he felt more confident in women's clothing in stressful situations...unfortunately he did not make the final cut.
AS on
08 Nov 2011 02:45 PM
I once had the pleasant experience of a candidate telling me I needed to lose weight...needless to say I asked her to leave the interview room immediately and she didn't get the job...