Top 10 Unbelievable Interview Blunders

What is the most unusual thing a candidate has done in a job interview this year? Fall asleep? Disappear? Bring his or her mom? CareerBuilder.com released its annual survey of the most outrageous interview mistakes candidates have made, according to over 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals nationwide. This year's Top 10 List includes:

1. Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.
2. Candidate told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died - and his uncle "wasn't looking too good."
3. Candidate asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview.
4. Candidate smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room.
5. Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified."
6. Candidate told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.
7. When applicant was offered food before the interview he declined, saying that he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.
8. A candidate for an accounting position said she was a "people person," not a "numbers person."
9. Candidate flushed the toilet while talking to the interviewer during a phone interview.
10. Candidate took out a hair brush and brushed her hair mid-interview.

employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview.

In addition to the most unusual blunders, employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview. More than half (51 percent) of hiring managers cited dressing inappropriately as the most damaging mistake a candidate can make in an interview. Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer came in second at 49 percent, and appearing disinterested ranked third at 48 percent. Other mistakes included appearing arrogant (44 percent), not providing specific answers (30 percent), and not asking good questions (29 percent).

The above blunders may be extreme examples of job seeker missteps, but hiring managers also make similar mistakes that drive away excellent candidates.

Interviews give both the employer and interviewee insight into what it will be like to work together. The above blunders may be extreme examples of job seeker missteps, but hiring managers also make similar mistakes that drive away excellent candidates. Remember that employed candidates are not desperate for a job and are often looking for a better opportunity than their current employer is providing.

Active job seekers often interview with multiple companies in the same week. Therefore, it is just as important for the people giving the interviews to be prepared as it is for the candidate. Familiarize yourself with a candidate's resume and background, be prepared with a list of targeted and general questions, and be strategic in the interview style that you choose.

This article was taken from CareerBuilder.com

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