What not to do during an interview

[draggar]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/workl...kes/index.html

Interesting article on CNN on what not to do during an interview. Some of my favorites are at the end (they say these did happen). My favorite is the first one.

• Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.

• Applicant 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."

• The job seeker asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.

• The applicant 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 CIA and it was "classified."

• Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.

• When the applicant was offered food before the interview, he declined saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.

• An applicant said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person" -- in her interview for an accounting position.

• During a phone interview the candidate flushed the toilet while talking to hiring manager.

• The applicant took out a hair brush and brushed her hair.

[Custard Chick]

• Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified."

This one sucks, but it's true. A friend of mine just quit her government job (worked for one of the "three letter agencies") and is stuck in the same rut. All of her work that she could show to potential employers is classified, and therefore can't show them. It totally blows, but luckily she had just finished her Master's and has a bunch of stuff from that she can show. :P

[blas]

They stole this information from HR and the temp agency when we had job fairs. I knew it.

But they missed a few.

Applicant walked in smoking a joint and asked if "this place" drug tested or not.

Applicant showed up with no shoes on.

Applicant showed up in a 3 piece suit and proceeded to royally tear ass in front of hiring manager and HR.

The last one was DipShit, I'm certain.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I have to wonder if some of these people weren't dodging getting hired at places they didnt' want to work.

I dont know how it is now, but some years ago, if you were drawing unemployment, you had to at least give a show of trying to find a job.

I never went this far, but I am guilty of making sure I wasn't called for an interview for a company I wasn't interested in. If you turn down a job offer, you might lose your benefits. So I made sure that I was extremely unattractive unless it was a job I actually wanted. Back then, you had to fill out a quota of aps per week.

I would show up to fill out an ap looking like a slob. Sometimes I would not shower so I smelled a littel funky. I might swear or scratch. I would borrow a pen and scratch out a lot of stuff. If I could rumple it, great. If I could get it out to my car, better; it would come back with coffee stains on it.

Hey, you do what you have to do.

[tropicsgoddess]

I actually saw somebody come to an interview dressed in jeans and flip-flops for a CSR position for a business casual call center.

[Caveat Emptor]

I am thisclose to getting a job with the DoD, and have wondered how exactly someone moves from a clearance job with the government to one in the private sector, or vice-versa? Like it was said earlier, you can't show your writing samples and you can't discuss what you did on the job in much detail.

Back on topic, I remember when I filled out ANY application EVER the MINIMUM I would wear would be a polo shirt and khakis.

I still remember reading another post here a while ago along a similar vein to this one, where one interviewee actually asked who the "hot babe" was in the picture, and upon being told it was the interviewers wife, asked for her phone number....

BTW, what does "tear ass" mean in this context? I always thought it meant to run away, like "haul ass."

[Custard Chick]

I am thisclose to getting a job with the DoD, and have wondered how exactly someone moves from a clearance job with the government to one in the private sector, or vice-versa? Like it was said earlier, you can't show your writing samples and you can't discuss what you did on the job in much detail.

Currently my friend is working with a temp agency, so now all her writing is unclass and she can beef up her portfolio for interviews.

It sucks, but what are you going to do?

Good luck!

[crazylegs]

We've been hiring various members of staff recently in our organisation, there are the standard set of questions, including the ever present one on diversity.

One candidates answer was :-

Oh, at my <current employer> we don't allow diversity O_o

Her score?

-11

Beaten by the person with -12...

[XCashier]

BTW, what does "tear ass" mean in this context? I always thought it meant to run away, like "haul ass."

I believe it means this:

[Caveat Emptor]

I believe it means this:

I thought so.

[ElizabethBennet]

I got physically sick at a job interview (nerves combined with motion sickness).... And I still got the job.

[powerboy]

I always dressed preppy. I.e: meaning, slacks and a dress shirt & tie, if I could find it. Had knowledge of the place's and never heard anything back. Until I landed this job. Soon to be my last, since I am wanting to go into business for myself

[Caveat Emptor]

In late March I went to Baltimore for screening and testing for the DoD job I'm hoping (praying!!!) to get. My mom and I went to Mens Wearhouse and bought a tailored suit along with a blazer and pants, etc. I packed the wrong one. My mom calls my hotel room at 10pm the night before the first day of screening and *says she will drive the suit to me.* We live near Rochester NY and I was near *Baltimore.* I said "DO NOT DRIVE HERE NOW!!! You will fall asleep at the wheel and get killed!!! It's not like an interview for a top law or Wall Street firm! I'll be fine!" Turns out, next morning I walked into the lobby on my blazer, pants and new shoes, and I *went back to my room and took off the blazer* because I was OVERDRESSED!

[PepperElf]

Of course... sometimes it backfires for you too... From one of my old friends... his brother did this on purpose cos he didn't really want a job yet. But he was being nagged...

Applicant shows up after surfing, still with surfboard in hand - for a job at the bank.


He got hired. The bank manager was a surfer too.