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. In a survey top personnel executives of 100 major
American corporations and asked for stories of unusual behavior
by job applicants.
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 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."