Job interviews: Recruiters reveal the five worst mistakes you can make
Never, ever, ever, be late
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Past and present recruiters have revealed some of the worst mistakes during interviews they have witnessed in more than 20 years of working.
Many of those responding to the question on the social website Quora said drunk, high or otherwise incapacitated candidates were among the worst – although often only because they stood out.
Lateness
“Employers will pickup on verbal and nonverbal indicators that help them predict what kind of employee you will be,” Chau Nguyen, founder of HireWire, writes.
Mr Nguyen added nothing “screams red flag” more than a prospective candidate being unable to make an appointment on time.
Marcus Ronaldi, also in recruitment, added: “Unless you have a fantastic excuse that was on the news, this is a hard hole to climb out of.”
Hungover, drunk or high
Ambra Benjamin, an engineering recruiter at Facebook, says drunken interviewees “happen a lot more than one might think.”
The unnamed man had been “a little too aggressive with the hotel minibar, got hungover and missed the entire 4-hour interview the next morning.” He did not get the job.
Her favourite was a candidate being interviewed by a company director in a nearby coffee shop. After the interview, she messaged the director to ask how it went:
"It was fine I guess,” the director replied. “I mean, he asked me if I wanted to go smoke weed after the interview, so I guess you could say we hit it off…"
Not stopping talking
Recruiter Matthew Lancy described one candidate who after acing his interview, then proceeded to force his interviews to look through his pre-prepared work.
“In the end the interviewer had to tell him to stop so she could get to her next meeting on time,” he wrote. The candidate didn’t get the job.
Talking on the phone
Not just answering calls, but Kory Ferbert describes one candidate answering a call from another firm about recruitment mid-interview.
And finally -
Hitting their interviewer with a car
Although fairly unusual, Eugene Akulich described how en route to work (where he was interviewing candidates for a position) he was hit by a car. “The guy yelled at me swearing dirty and threatened to smack me into my face because I could have scratched his car and was wasting his time as he was running late.”
After arriving – late – at his office he found the man waiting for him in the lorry was the driver of the vehicle.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments