Upcoming job interview? Don’t fret.
No matter how stressed you might be, your will almost certainly perform better in your interview than these candidates’ did in theirs.
So take a deep breath and lean in as employers spill the tea on the worst interview behavior they’ve ever seen.
No Sense of Time
One employer looking to hire an architect, had a candidate turn up to the interview ten minutes late. Not great, but not a dealbreaker either. Except that the interviewee insisted that it was the company’s clock that was wrong. They even took the clock off the wall and turned it back ten minutes.
It was a great way to show the interviewee wouldn’t take accountability for the small stuff.
Too Many Excuses
Accidents happen. But when they happen over and over…it can be a red flag.
When one candidate called in and said they had been hit by a car, the employer agreed to rearrange the interview. When the candidate no-showed again, they claimed to have broken a tooth on a nut.
Graciously, the employer once again, agreed to reschedule. On the third attempt, the candidate showed up to the interview drunk. Next.
Failure to Launch
Despite an impressive resume, one candidate lost her chance at a job by turning up to the interview with her mother.
Surprisingly, this is more common than you might think. A survey in April found that a quarter of Gen Zers brought their parents to interviews.
Complicated Past
When one employer asked about a gap in a candidate’s work history, they weren’t expecting such an honest response.
The candidate shared that they were was working at that employer’s company, but had been kicked out by security for punching a coworker.
No employer wants that kind of liability on their payroll. Or near themselves or other coworkers, for that matter.
Communication Issues
At the start of the interview, this candidate said, “I am probably the smartest person you will ever meet.”
According to the interviewer, the candidate proceeded to demonstrated his superior his intellect by speaking in a language he had apparently made up.
It wasn’t the type of smarts the interviewer was looking for. The exit is thataway.
High Performance
One candidate had a bag of drugs fall out of his pocket during an interview. Whoops.
Luckily for him, the interviewer was legally blind, so they didn’t notice. But they still caught wind of what was going on, because the candidate apologized for dropping his crystal.
Spelling Issues
This one is isn’t exactly a worst interview behavior. But it still reflects on the candidate’s competency.
Though tattoos have gained mainstream acceptance in the workplace in recent years, especially in more casual jobs.
However, one employer couldn’t quite get over a candidate with a tattoo of a cannabis leaf with the word “canabus” written next to it — on his head.
The tattoo itself isn’t a dealbreaker — but its content still might be.
Evidence of Bad Intent
Sometimes, the worst interview behavior interview happens before the first handshake.
One employer canceled an interview after discovering a song made by the candidate, in which said candidate rapped about him killing his boss.
Friendly reminder: What you post online is generally reviewed by prospective employers — and its fair game.
Suspicious Intent
Common interview advice is to ask good questions. But there’s also such a thing as bad question, too.
An employer at a sandwich shop was interviewing a candidate who made themselves appear very suspicious with just three questions: “Can I get an advance on my first month’s pay?” “Will I be doing cash drops at night from the safe?” “Will I be working on the till?”
Yeah…no.
Too Much Passion
One employer was surprised when a candidate started ranting about a coworker who had impregnated the candidate’s girlfriend.
Perhaps seeing the employer’s reaction, the candidate assured them that he had “got him outside of work” — “but I NEVER touched him at work.”
Reassuring as that was, needless to say, the employer passed on the candidate.
