What NOT to do on an interview

[RUDisney]

I sat in on an interview for a management trainee yesterday. During the interview, my boss asked the young female candidate if she thought she'd prefer to work with the public, or to work in the back office. The trainee position was in the back office, BTW. She said that she thought that she'd really prefer to be on the front line. He asked if she thought she'd prefer sales. She said, "No. I'd like to be in management."

I asked her if she had any hobbies. She said that her only hobby was trying to find a job. I guess she is a well rounded individual.

Then, she proceeds to tell us that she passed a test to work for the IRS. She has an interview in September and then would go to GA for 6 months of training.

Another person, the day before, said that she was working to achieve her life's goal. When asked what that is, she said she'd like to own a hotel or a bank. Didn't know how she would go about accomplishing this, but that's what she wanted to do.

Guess what? Neither of them are going to be offered the job.

 

[Elwood Blues]

Oh my!

"My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades"


(really really dark ones)

 

[Pop Daddy]

dont she know companys want people who lie during interviews

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
dont she know companys want people who lie during interviews

Yep, I always tell them I want to be the best employee they ever had.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I'm with you, Jason. Tell them what they want to hear.

P.S. They really asked about hobbies? I'm a single parent...I don't have time for hobbies!!! Responsibilities take the front seat!! But I can lie in an interview to please them. LOL!

 

[Mary Anne]

I work in HR, you wouldn't belive the stuff some of these kids do /say on the interview;

Some of my favorites:

Don't have a resume with them. Didn't think to bring one. (That are always told to bring a copy.)

Come in wearing flip flops (somebody should outlaw those things)

For goodness sake, buy a suit! We had a really nice looking young man come in the other day. I didn't do the interview so I have no idea if he was qualified or not, but he made such an impression of wearing the real suit, he got a second and third interview. They were still talking today about what a great impression he made.

I cannot tell you how many kids don't last five minutes just because of the way they dress.

 

[kellib36]

My cousin fell asleep in an interview......and she WASN'T the candidate, she was the interviewer.....She felt really bad. She said the gal wasn't getting hired, but she wasn't as awful as some!! ;-)

I tease her about it every chance I can!!!

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by kellib36
My cousin fell asleep in an interview......and she WASN'T the candidate, she was the interviewer.....She felt really bad. She said the gal wasn't getting hired, but she wasn't as awful as some!! ;-)

 

[FroggyinArk]

having interveiws sevearl hands to help us work our remnodeling bizz, We have learned,, Looks can be decieving, an interviewee will lie. we had one guy claimed to be a cabinet builder, even had 2 references that backed him up,, couldnt cut a straight line and had no idea when i told him to match the grain on the plywood as he cut the pieces, We had another who when told he had to provide his own hand tools, ie hammer tape and nail apron,, ( again reefrences backed him up as a good hand) showed up with a ball peen hammer( not a carpenters hammer, a cloth tape measure like you use when sewing, a roll of duct tape and a old shop apron he obviously had gotten from his granddad, it had no pockets and was sewn together with wire. Now ?I know why they all lie,, The dis'ers told em too


notte to hr side of self,, dont hire disers

 

[Poohnatic]

Some things I've seen:

Mom or Dad bring teenager in and ask if we're hiring...I turn to the offspring and ask them "why did you choose us?" and mom or dad proceeds to answer that and every other question! I'm sorry, did YOU want the job?

Coming in wearing a halter top and shorts for an interview-and no, she didn't have the physique for it.

Bringing two kids in with her to the interview-no excuse that she didn't have a sitter, etc...kids tore the store apart.

Candidates who did not understand English and couldn't answer any of my questions in the interview. I've had non english speakers in the restaurant business, not a problem there, but for a sales position where nearly everyone speaks English, it is expected.

Answering a cell phone during the interview! I kid you not, she yakked for a couple of minutes!

I've heard other gems, but those are some I've experienced!

Suzanne

 

[kilee]

Oh boy-- I had one women call 30 minutes before her interview and ask for a ride.

I have had many younger girls come in w/ their belly's and underwear hanging out along w/ all 15 piercings left in (sorry it's a professional medical office) for their interview.

I also had the women who wanted every 3rd week off.


My favorite is after the interview. Everyone who badgers me that didn't get chosen. They can get really pushy on the phone-- telling me there couldn't possibly be anyone better than them for the job (I've had it happen several times now).

 

[Pin Wizard]

The question about the hobbies has really been bugging me tonight. LOL! I would think...what are my hobbies related to working. Someone who belongs to Toastmasters might mention it if they're applying for a job that requires public speaking. I don't think you want to know that I like scrapbooking and music. LOLOLOLOL!

Hey, Froggy...I don't really lie. I just try to figure out what they want!!

 

[DJBounce]

I have a great interview story. I was not the interviewer or the prospective employee, but my assitant manager (who did the interview) told us about it. They were doing open interviews for a sales position and one of the applicants brought in an application that was barely filled out. My assistant manager explained that the company would need to do a background check and would need more info (supposedly, only the name and current address/phone number was filled in). They guy told him it was classified. "Oh, could you explain why?", inquired the assistant. The guy went on to explain, "Because, I was in the special forces and did top secret stuff. You won't find anything about me before six monthes ago." My assitant manager, now regreting coming in today asked him "What happened six monthes ago?". The guy then proceeded to tell him, in great detail, how he was in Ranger training when he snuck out one night, and on a dare from another Ranger candidate, killed a buck with only his knife. He told my assistant manager that he jumped out of a tree, stabbed the deer in the neck and killed it, but broke his leg in the process. He was given a medical discharge from the Army. My assitant manager then told him that there were other applicants to be considered and thanked the guy for his time. After the guy left, he came out and told us the whole thing, we were rolling!

 

[N.Bailey]

A friend of mine works for a temp agency in charge of placement. During this one interview, she asked the girl if she was bilingual, saying it would really help if she were. The girl just stared straight at her and said, "no ma'am, I'm straight."

 

[auntpolly]

A girl interviewing as an assistant once asked my husband if she could bring a little TV in and watch it at her desk when she wasn't busy....

......but really it's the ones that seem sooooo normal at the interview and then turn out to be total wackos that are the problem. One girl's interview clothes: tasteful blue suit. First day on the job: skirt barely covering her butt, cowboy hat, and a tank top to show of her multiple tatoos.

 

[Elwood Blues]

Originally posted by auntpolly
First day on the job: skirt barely covering her butt, cowboy hat, and a tank top to show of her multiple tatoos.

And that would be a problem because??

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by Elwood Blues
And that would be a problem because??

Hey, you hire secretaries any way you want to. My husband doesn't work in a strip club, BTW!

 

[RUDisney]

The hobby question was to see what the woman really liked to do. She said she graduated with an accounting major, but hated accounting (but later said she wanted to work for the IRS.)

I wanted to see what she really liked to do. But, she doesn't have anything that she likes to do, evidently. I'd have preferred to hear that she liked scrapbooking than to hear that she doesn't do anything outside of looking for a job. That's not realistic.

I'm busy as anything with my kids, too, but after they go to bed, I like to do the newspaper's crossword puzzle. I like photography (of the kids) and I like to cook. IMO, this shows that you are able to multi-task and not singly focused.

Think of M*A*S*H and Charles Emerson Winchester. His line that is my favorite is, "I do one thing, I do it very well, and then I move on." I need people who can handle multiple things at once.

Heck, one of our hobbies is taking the kids to their athletic events. Is it the thing that I'd like to devote my time to more than anything else? No. But, it is what I need to do for my kids now, and it is by no means torturing me, but it also shows that you can juggle events and obligations.

So, I'm sorry that I bugged you with this question, but I hope I've explained my reasoning for it.

 

[Sirius]

When opening a new store in 1996,

I asked: "Why did you leave your last job?"

She Responsed: "I got fired for spitting in the milkshakes."

Then her phone rang and she told me to "hang on a sec'"



Next!

 

[Maleficent13]

My favorite interviewee was an applicant who spent the entire time calling me "Hon" in a very condescending tone. Every question I asked was answered in this way:

Me: Please tell me what it was about our company that encouraged you to apply here.

Her: and sighing: Well, hon, I have worked in the medical field for 20 years.

Me: Yes, I can see that from your resume, but hospital functions and what we do are vastly different, and I am curious as to why you want to work here.

Her: and tsking: Oh, hon, it isn't all that different.

When she left, I , sighed, and said: Well, hon, your application is going into the circular file!