Biosystems Engineering
at Oklahoma State University
Job Interview
Low-Lights
(5/12/00)
Some
pointers for soon-to-be-graduates who are interviewing with prospective
employers. Spend some time thinking about what not to do. Don't
bite your nails. Don't fidget. Don't interrupt. Don't belch.
If you do any of the "Don'ts", you may disqualify yourselves
instantly. But some job applicants go light years beyond this.
We surveyed top personnel executives of 100 major American corporations
and asked for stories of unusual behavior by job applicants.
The lowlights included interviewees who:
1. "... stretched out on the floor to fill out the job
application."
2. "... wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me
and the music at the same time."
3. "... was a balding man who abruptly excused himself
and 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, 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. "... received a telephone call from his wife during
the interview. 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. "... whose attaché [case] opened when he picked
it up and the contents spilled, revealing ladies' undergarments
and assorted makeup and perfume."
16. "... 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. "... pointed to a black case he carried into my office,
and 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."
