The Wackiest Interview Blunders

Edited by Jeremy Cohen

What's the most unusual thing a candidate ever did in a job interview? Fall asleep? Disappear? Bring his/her mom? CareerBuilder.com released its annual survey of the most outrageous interview mistakes candidates have made, as related by more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals nationwide. Among this year's top 10 dubious occurrences:

• A candidate who answered a cell phone call, then asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a “private” conversation.

• A candidate who 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."

• A candidate who told the interviewer he was fired for beating up his last boss.

• A candidate who, when offered food before the interview, declined by saying he didn't want to line his stomach with grease before going out drinking.

• A candidate who flushed the toilet during a phone interview.

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

"Interviews give employers a window into what its really like to work with a candidate—how they react under pressure, what motivates them and how they interact with others," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder.com. "If a candidate is overly negative, plays the blame game, is easily frazzled or doesn't come prepared, it usually sends up a red flag for employers. Be knowledgeable about the company, rehearse answers to potential questions and always maintain a professional manner."

Haefner offers the following tips for successful interviews:

• Do your homework. Nothing says "I'm not that interested in this job" like someone who has done no research and knows little about a company. It's easier than ever to find information about a company and its activities—candidates who don't could be perceived as lazy, unmotivated or disinterested.

• Don't get too personal. The last thing an employer wants to do is to hire someone who brings all their personal drama to the office. Even if the interview seems casual, always keep it professional and avoid sharing unnecessary personal information.

• Be honest. Interviewers don't expect you to have all the answers. Often they are testing your reaction to "tough questions" to see how you respond under pressure. It's much worse to get caught in a lie than admit you don’t know something. If you are unsure of an answer, it's okay to say you don't know, but then outline the steps you would take to find out. This will demonstrate you're a problem-solver.

• Come prepared. Be ready to answer these common open-ended questions: "Tell me about yourself." "Why do you want to work here?" "What motivates you?" These questions may seem easy, but because they are so broad, candidates can get tripped up by them if they don’t know where to start … or end.

• Don't go negative. No matter how tempting it is to share woes from prior jobs or how much an interviewer is pushing you to do so, it's never a good idea to say negative things about a previous employer. The interviewer will assume you will also be likely to bad-mouth their company in the future