With competition hot for open positions, the pressure is on for job seekers to have flawless interview skills. Sometimes that pressure can cause candidates to make unusual, and sometimes unfavourable, interview mistakes. A new CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,700 hiring managers reveals the outrageous and common mistakes that some candidates have made in job interviews.
When asked for the most unusual blunders they’d encountered while interviewing candidates, hiring managers reported the following:
• Candidate wore a business suit with flip flops.
• Candidate asked if the interviewer wanted to meet for a drink after.
• Candidate had applied for an accounting job, yet said he was “bad at managing money.”
• Candidate ate food in the employee break room after the interview.
• Candidate recited poetry.
• Candidate applying for a customer service job said “I don’t really like working with people.”
• Candidate had to go immediately to get his dog that had gotten loose in the parking lot.
• Candidate looked at the ceiling during the entire interview.
• Candidate used Dungeons and Dragons as an example of teamwork.
• Candidate filed fingernails.
In addition to the most unusual gaffes, employers shared the most common mistakes candidates made during an interview:
• Dressing inappropriately.
• Appearing disinterested.
• Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer.
• Answering a cell phone or texting during the interview.
“With heightened competition for open positions in today’s economy, it’s important for candidates to put their best foot forward in an interview,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice-president of human resources for CareerBuilder.
“You want to stand out for the right reasons. Candidates should stay positive, focus on their strengths and be prepared on how to best sell their skill set.”
