Licensee Badge
Submitted by US101 on
in

Forums

Results of a new poll of hiring managers, by staffing firm OfficeTeam (www.officeteam.com) The firm's researchers spoke with executives at 1,000 big U.S. companies, plus 100 in Canada, and asked them to recall the most embarrassing or bizarre interview moments they had witnessed or heard of. A sampling of their answers:

"The person was dancing during the interview. He kept saying things like, 'I love life!' and 'Oh, yeah!'"

"One job applicant came in for his interview with a cockatoo on his shoulder."

"The candidate sent his sister to interview in his place."

"The candidate stopped the interview to ask me if I had a cigarette."

"We had one person who walked out of an interview straight into a glass door. The glass shattered."

"The candidate got his companies confused and repeatedly mentioned the strengths of a competing firm, thinking that was who he was interviewing with."

"A guy called me by the wrong name during the entire interview."

"We're a retail company, and when we asked the candidate why she wanted to work for us, she replied that she didn't want to work in retail anymore."

"An interviewee took his bubble gum out of his mouth and held it in his hand. Then he forgot about it and shook hands with me."

"A job seeker gestured with his hands so much that he then sat on them to stop it."

"A candidate fell asleep during the interview."

"An applicant was doing really well in the interview until we got to the question about why she had left her previous job. She told us everyone there was out to get her."

"A candidate insulted the interviewer's tie."

O.H.'s picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

That is so funny, but it also happens the other way around...

... an interviewer could not stop talking, as if he just loved the sound of his voice.
After a one hour monologue and the inertviewee saying: "Yes; I see; very interesting, tell me more" a lot...and nothing more, he was offered the job.
There were other CVs with more qualified candidates but the better listener got the job. How about that??

rwwh's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

[quote="OlafHaase"]How about that?[/quote]

I would think twice before accepting such an offer....

AManagerTool's picture

[quote]"We had one person who walked out of an interview straight into a glass door. The glass shattered." [/quote]

Shhhhh, don't tell anyone but that was me....LOL

Nah, just kidding. I only fell down a complete flight of stairs knocking down the interviewer with me. I twisted my ankle and the interviewer had a nice rasberry colored scrape down his arm. Ahh, that was a GREAT day. Truly classic.

Honestly, I am so completely clutsy when I get stressed.

[quote]"A guy called me by the wrong name during the entire interview." [/quote]

Did you ever see that comercial where the interviewers name was Mr. Dumas?....LMAO

[quote]"The person was dancing during the interview. He kept saying things like, 'I love life!' and 'Oh, yeah!'" [/quote]

Mark always says that he likes energy during an interview....LOL

Good post!

HMac's picture

Maybe the rooster in the background of some of the casts is actually saying "I love life" and "oh yeah"...

[quote="US101"]"The candidate stopped the interview to ask me if I had a cigarette."[/quote]

I just remembered the sequence with Lloyd Bridges from the original "Airplane" movie..you know, the one that starts with "looks like I picked the wrong week to give up smoking"?

So as the interview went on, did the candiate ask for a drink? Some glue to sniff? :lol:

Great post, 101.

-Hugh

O.H.'s picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I would think twice before accepting such an offer....[/quote]

Well, I hope we always thing twice about accepting a job. But please specify what you mean. Many thanks

KS180's picture

One guy I interviewed was doing very well, enthusiastic, hitting all the high marks. During the interview I mentioned that we do a background check and he said that wouldn't be a problem.

About two minutes later he asked if a drug arrest would show up on the background check. I said yes, then he asked if a drunken arrest would show up. Probably! He told me the stories behind the two situations: the drugs weren't his but maybe they were but he doesn't do that anymore. etc.

The really sad part is up to the point where I mentioned the background check he was doing very well. After that point you could physically see his confidence evaporating like air out of a balloon. Saddest interview I ever had.
Kevin

rwwh's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

[quote="OlafHaase"]Well, I hope we always thing twice about accepting a job. But please specify what you mean.[/quote]

Then think three times in this case.

An interview is not only an occasion at which the hiring company is evaluating you, but also for you to evaluate the hiring company. If this useless interview that does not teach them anything about your qualifications is their way of hiring people, what are your new colleagues going to be like? They are probably also lesser candidates selected by a useless procedure.

This is not the kind of company and not the kind of boss I would want to work for!

AManagerTool's picture

[quote="KS180"]One guy I interviewed was doing very well, enthusiastic, hitting all the high marks. During the interview I mentioned that we do a background check and he said that wouldn't be a problem.

About two minutes later he asked if a drug arrest would show up on the background check. I said yes, then he asked if a drunken arrest would show up. Probably! He told me the stories behind the two situations: the drugs weren't his but maybe they were but he doesn't do that anymore. etc.

The really sad part is up to the point where I mentioned the background check he was doing very well. After that point you could physically see his confidence evaporating like air out of a balloon. Saddest interview I ever had.
Kevin[/quote]

That is sad.

Here is a little tip for all you out there with a record....

In the state of New Jersey (your mileage may vary),

After 10 years of clean & proper living you can get an expungement of 1 non violent/non sex offense felony.

After 7 years of clean & proper living you can get an expungement of several misdemeanors.

Expungement allows your record to be erased and you are legally permitted to tell anyone that you have never been arrested or convicted of a crime. This passes background checks as well. In fact, I believe that you can sue if you can prove you were denied employment over expunged records.

How do I know about this?....I got brothers....I got brothers....Weep for me...LOL

wendii's picture
Admin Role Badge

Since this thread started as wierd things people do in interviews: the first person I ever criminal record checked had been convicted of bigamy. I didn't know anyone was ever tried and convicted of that anymore!

Wendii

AManagerTool's picture

In the United States, it seems to be in vogue.

Google, FLDS

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

Careful now, I grew up in Utah. :)

O.H.'s picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

As long as the person (note: no gender use) meets his goals and does not demotivate or polarize people, I do not care if the share their bed with multiple women, men.. or sheep for that matter.

O.H.'s picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

I would think twice before accepting such an offer....[/quote]

all...

here is an interesting thought...

despite recommendations above... I accepted the job offer...

and I have had the opportunity to sit in on additional interviews conducted by the person who interviewed me.

And what a revelation... I asked all the behavioural questions as per MT, I tried to assess, in my questions, if the person has the required skills and the motivation to do the job, and if the individual is a team player and if he or she is manageable.
Then my new boss comes in... and he talks and he talks ... and he does not stop....
and at the end of the interview he comes to the same conclusion as I did in almost 100% of the times!!!

I tried to to understand how this is... and the only explanation can be that as he talks he looks for the questions the candidate asks based on the information the candidate receives from him. The more relevant the questions the better...

I have to admit, I am a bit impressed how he does it...as he independently comes to a similar conclusion as I do.
It seems to be a bit uncommon, but it also seems to work...

Long story short... I think today we completed the team with the last hire and as of August 1st we have 2 new people on the team. I will keep you posted if we made the right decision

HMac's picture

It's possible you're reading way too much "method" into his way of choosing. After all, it's a binary choice: yes or no (or, come to the same choice as you/come to the different choice). And with 50/50 odds, it's possible to run a "hot streak". Only time and experience will tell.

But hey - he hired YOU, right??? :wink: He may just BE a hiring savant...

-Hugh