Job interviews: Recruiters reveal the strangest things candidates have done

From stealing family photos to trying to read the interviewer’s fortune against his will — these are the candidates who stood out for all the wrong reasons.

1. There are fewer things more nerve-racking than a job interview but think about these poor candidates who have stuck out in their potential employer’s minds - and for all the wrong reasons.

2. A nationwide survey of HR managers in the US by the recruitment company CareerBuilder has found some of the strangest things that have ever happened during a job interview.

3. From theft to attempting to read the interviewer’s fortune against his will, these are some things not to do in a job interview:

• Candidate took a family photo off the interviewer’s desk and put it into her purse.

• Candidate started screaming that the interview was taking too long.

• Candidate said her main job was being a psychic/medium and tried to read interviewer’s palm, despite interviewer’s attempts to decline the offer.

• When asked what his ideal job was, the candidate said "painter of birdhouses." (Company was hiring for a data entry clerk.)

• Candidate sang her responses to questions.

• Candidate put lotion on his feet during the interview.

• When asked why he wanted the position, candidate replied, "My wife wants me to get a job."

• Candidate started feeling interviewer’s chest to find a heartbeat so they could "connect heart to heart."

• Candidate had a pet bird in his/her shirt.

• Candidate took phone interview in the bathroom — and flushed.

4. The survey also found that failing to make eye contact, not smiling and being caught in a lie were the biggest — and most common — mistakes candidates could make.

5. Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer for CareerBuilder, said: "Preparing for an interview takes a lot more than Googling answers to common interview questions.

6. "Candidates have to make a great first impression with their appearance, have a solid understanding of the target company, know exactly how to show that they’re the perfect fit for the job and control their body language."

(Adapted from The Independent, by Caroline Mortimer, 15 January 2016)

 

Read the article again and complete the tips below with suitable verbs. Which of these tips are the most important? Why?

1. _____________________ eye contact.

2. _____________________ a great first impression with your appearance.

3. _____________________ for the interview.

4. Don’t _____________________ in a lie.

5. _____________________ a solid understanding of the company.

6. _____________________ your body language.

Find a word or phrase in the article which means:

1. were noticed/remembered very easily (phrasal verb, SUBTITLE) _____________________

2. the crime of stealing something (noun, P3) _____________________

3. the inside surface of your hand (noun, P3) _____________________

4. emptied the toilet (verb, P3) _____________________

5. finding something in Google (verb, P5) _____________________

6. the company you are interested in (2-word noun, P6) _____________________

Task 10. Read the sentences below and match them to the character traits. What traits are important for the job that you want?

1. Mike doesn’t mind stress. In fact, it helps him to work better.

2. Julie is always sitting at her desk when everybody else arrives in the office.

3. Julio wants to be chairman of his company one day.

4. Dave hardly ever makes mistakes. He double-checks all his calculations.

5. Bettie keeps making the same silly mistakes. For example, she often misspells clients’ names in her emails.

6. Carlo always supports his colleagues and accepts their advice.

 

a. able to work in a team

b. able to work under pressure

c. ambitious

d. careful

e. careless

f. punctual

 

Now look at the list below. Do you think they are good or bad things to say in an interview? Put ‘G’ (Good) or ‘B’ (Bad) next to each sentence.

1. I’m looking for new challenges.

2. I’m really nervous.

3. How much will I earn?

4. In the short-term I want to develop my sales skills and gain more experience in selling.

5. My weakness is that I work too hard.

6. I really need this job!

7. I work quite well under pressure. I find it very motivating.

8. My current boss is horrible.

9. No, I don’t have any questions for you.

10. I love the idea of free snacks on Fridays!

 

Task 11. Complete the text below with statements from the previous exercise.