Recent TJNTIY Stories
I've run into many strange people over my long years of interviewing candidates. My two favorites are the young woman who was impeccably dressed with great educational credentials who was apply for a job as a senior corporate banking analyst. When asked if working long hours posed a problem for her, she responded by telling me she was prepared to work as many hours at it took to do the job - so long as she didn't have to work them from the office and that she was allowed to leave everyday before it got dark outside. She told me she was afraid of the dark and couldn't go outside after sunset.
I interviewed a candidate for a Director-level position on an unusually cold day in January. I met him in our lobby and offered to hang-up his top coat in the closet. As he's removing his top coat he says, "(explative) It's as cold as a witch's ___!" He read my "blank face" and quickly added, "Hey, lighten-up, all I said was (expletive)! Don't tell me you've never heard THAT word before." Dropping f-bombs and using crude expressions to describe the weather aren't the best ways to begin an interview. BTW, his top coat didn't spend much time in our lobby closet. TJNTIY.
Some definite no-no's: showing up in bright orange sweats with greasy hair to fill out an app, arguing with our receptionist, not filling in the app and writing "see resume" instead, and calling me every morning to see if I read his app yet when I specifically said I didn't have time and would call him if I was interested. More subtle red flags: not having an idea where they want to be in 5 years, having issues with all of their past employers, using the response "I don't know" without giving it much thought.
I had to interview a number of people for a position and there were 5 people all arriving one after the other. One of the candidates arrived early, which I thought was a good sign and the interview proceeded very well, till, that moment when I asked her to tell me why I should hire her. She began by explaining how she knew that the guy before her was unacceptable, by the way he dressed his walk and his facial expressions. Because, she knows people and she can tell!! Not content with that she then began to tell me about what type of manager I am.
On another occasion I was interviewing a smart young lady who was graduating from college and looking for a full time job. The interview was going in her favor until she stopped and said "I expect your company pays competitive salaries because if they don't I don't want to waste my time interviewing any further." I looked her in the eyes and said "yes, we always pay competitive salaries; however, I don't want to waste your time, so we really can end the interview now." (Needless to say, her interview coach at college wasn't doing her any favor!) I'll save the one about the lady who passed out on me during an interview! TJNTIY.
I have candidates come to me who thought that they were the best thing since sliced bread. One such candidate seemed a little foggy when I asked what a former boss would say. She said "Oh, he hates everyone." Ironically this same boss was listed as a reference. Given her the benefit of the doubt, I contacted this so-called boss and the recommendation was as glowing as a light bulb missing its filament! TJNTIY.
1) I was interviewing one gentleman some time ago and in the middle of the interview he took out two bottles of massage oil and proceeded to first warm it in his hands and then massaged it all over his neck, back and front. He repeated the procedure with the second bottle. It was weird. (2) During an interview with another senior consultant, after offering him mine and my colleague's business cards, the gentleman proceeded to pick his teeth with both our cards, all the while talking about how his deep experience and professionalism will most definitely get him the contract. Ugh. TJNTIY.
I once had a candidate for an interview. My recruiting assistant brought the candidate to meet me in a conference room. I greeted the candidate, had him sit down, and began the interview process. Into the interview for about five minutes the candidate suddenly changed subjects and asked whether his mother could come into the conference room to join him! I told the candidate I only had two or three questions that I needed to ask him and I asked those questions quickly! TJNTIY.
I once fortuitously blew my own chances during an interview. I had asked the headhunter what the attire was at the company, and he said, "Business formal", so I showed up in a suit. Whoops! I was the only person in the office wearing a necktie, let alone a suit. Then it turned out I had over a decade's more experience than their most senior developers, and my in-depth answers and questions about their products seemed to unnerve them. I had a co-worker at a later job who had previously for that company, and he told me many reasons I was lucky to have escaped getting a job there. TJNTIY.
Hello to everyone. Well I thought that I had the greatest story, but some of the stories here are great. I usually reject candidates that send me crappy CVs. During the interviews I usually reject the people that forget that they came for an interview and talk and act as if I am the one being interviewed. Finally, I hate people that ask about the money first, but I don't reject them right away. My best story was about the girl that came to the interview with her mother. Once I called the candidate both of them entered my office, and we had an unpleasant moment when I asked the mother to step out. As if that was not enough, once we got talking the girl stopped me and just told me what she was not willing to do!!! Well, needless to say we did not hire her, maybe because we couldn't afford the mother too. TJNTIY.
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