When working for a tech company, very casual environment, we interviewed a young woman for a software developer position. I happened to walk by the conference room where the interviews were taking place, and found the interviewer standing outside, looking stumped. After some prodding, he told me that the room grew warm during the interview. The candidate, in attempting to remove the sweatshirt she was wearing over a T-shirt, removed the T-shirt as well. Apparently she decided to go "au natural" that day. I won't say that the interviewer was "TJNTIY", as I believe he was into her, just not for the right reasons!

We told a young designer to "dress professional and wear a suit". He did wear a suit... with tennis shoes and eye brow piercings. He didn't get the job. TJNTIY.

Patricia Martin

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. 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.

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.

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.

"She threw up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened. " I think that person should get hired, or at least a serious consideration. It shows they don't get flustered by the unexpected. One time while in college, I was interviewing for an internship. I was asked if I could be an animal, what would I be. "I am an animal" was my response. TJNTIY.

One of my biggest pet-peeves is wearing too much perfume or cologne to an interview. Usually I try to deal with it (without taking a deep breath!) but one time I walked into the interview room and was almost knocked over by the smell. I had a very hard time listening to the candidate as I was feeling nauseated by the sickenly sweet scent that was permeating the entire room. I honestly wasn't sure if she was a good candidate or not when I finally had to get out of the room. Each of the other interviewers was supposed to bring me their feedback.