Interviewing Don'ts
We've all been interviewed for jobs. And, we've all spent most of
those interviews thinking about what not to do. Don't bite your nails.
Don't fidget. Don't interrupt. Don't belch. If we did any of the
don'ts, we knew we'd disqualify ourselves instantly. But some job applicants go
light years beyond this. We surveyed top personnel executives of 100 major
American corporations and asked for stories of unusual behavior by job applicant.
The lowlights:
1. "... stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application."
2. "She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music
at the same time."
3. " A balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to
my office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece."
4. "... asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel
executive was qualified to judge the candidate."
5. "... announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a
hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office - wiping the
ketchup on her sleeve"
6. "Stated that, if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty
by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm."
7. "Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering
specific interview questions."
8. "When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap
dancing around my office."
9 . "At the end of the interview, while I stood there dumbstruck,
went through my purse, took out a brush, brushed his hair, and left."
10. "... pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of
me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him."
11. "Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much."
12. "While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took
out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only,
stopping longest at the centerfold."
13. "During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the
candidate's brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized
and said he had to leave for another interview."
14. "A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from
his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which
company? When do I start? What's the salary?"
I said, "I assume you're not interested in conducting the
interview any further." He promptly responded, "I am as long as
you'll pay me more.
"I didn't hire him, but later found out there was no other job
offer. It was a scam to get a higher offer."
15. "His attache [case] opened when he picked it up and the contents
spilled, revealing ladies' undergarments and assorted makeup
and perfume."
16. "Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the
unemployment office needed proof that he was looking for one."
17. "... asked who the lovely babe was, pointing to the picture on
my desk. When I said it was my wife, he asked if she was home now
and wanted my phone number. I called security."
18. "Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he said
that if he was not hired, the bomb would go off. Disbelieving, I
began to state why he would never be hired and that I was going to
call the police. He then reached down to the case, flipped a switch
and ran. No one was injured, but I did need to get a new desk."
