Vice Presidents and personnel directors of the one hundred largest corporations were asked to describe their most unusual experience interviewing prospective employees: A job applicant challenged the interviewer to arm wrestle. Interviewee wore a Walkman, explaining that she could listen to the interviewer and the music at the same time. Candidate fell and broke arm during interview. Candidate announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office. Candidate explained that her long-term goals was to replace the interviewer. Candidate said he never finished high school because he was kidnapped and kept in a closet in Mexico. Balding candidate excused himself and returned to the office a few minutes later wearing a headpiece. Applicant said if he was hired he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm. Applicant interrupted interview to phone her therapist for advice on how to answer specific interview questions. Candidate brought large dog to interview. Applicant refused to sit down and insisted on being interviewed standing up. Candidate dozed off during interview. The employers were also asked to list the "most unusual" questions that have been asked by job candidates: "what is it that you people do at this company?" "What is the company motto?" "Why aren't you in a more interesting business?" "What are the zodiac signs of all the board members?" "Why do you want references?" "Do I have to dress for the next interview?" "I know this is off the subject, but will you marry me?" "Will the company move my rock collection from California to Maryland?" "Will the company pay to relocate my horse?" "Does your health insurance cover pets?" "Would it be a problem if I'm angry most of the time?" "Does your company have a policy regarding concealed weapons?" "Do you think the company would be willing to lower my pay?" "Why am I here?" Also included are a number of unusual statement made by candidates during the interview process: I have no difficulty in starting or holding my bowel movement. At times I have the strong urge to do something harmful or shocking. I feel uneasy indoors. Sometimes I feel like smashing things. Women should not be allowed to drink in cocktail bars. I think that Lincoln was greater than Washington. I get excited very easily. Once a week, I usually feel hot all over. I am fascinated by fire. I like tall women. Whenever a man is with a woman he is usually thinking about sex. People are always watching me. If I get too much change in a store, I always give it back. Almost everyone is guilty of bad sexual conduct. I must admit that I am a pretty fair talker. I never get hungry. I know who is responsible for most of my troubles If the pay was right, I'd travel with the carnival. I would have been more successful if nobody would have snitched on me. My legs are really hairy. Remeber this next time you go for an interview! (Message inbox:8773) Return-Path: melissa@ida.his.se Received: from karon.his.se (karon.his.se [193.10.176.23]) by cs.rice.edu (8.8.5/8.7.1) with SMTP id DAA09732 for ; Tue, 3 Jun 1997 03:58:21 -0500 (CDT) Received: from ida.his.se (mhost.ida.his.se) by karon.his.se (5.0/his.se-970409) id AA29733; Tue, 3 Jun 1997 11:05:31 +0200 Received: from oden by ida.his.se (5.x/SMI-SVR4-ida-2) id AA14724; Tue, 3 Jun 1997 10:57:50 +0200 Message-Id: <9706030857.AA14724@ida.his.se> X-Mailer: exmh version 1.6.2 7/18/95 To: n_kamper@kla.com, giza@aolnorth.com, jgarcia@cse.ucsc.edu, rph@cse.ucsc.edu, ian@cs.rice.edu, ArosaCline@aol.com, kristen@synopsys.com, develyn@reachsct.com Subject: Memorable interviews Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Date: Tue, 03 Jun 1997 10:57:47 +0200 From: Melissa Cline Subject: FW: Looking for a new job? Interviews -- What Not To Do We've all been interviewed for jobs. And, we've all spent most of those interviews thinking about what not to do. Don't bite your nails. Don't fidget. Don't interrupt. Don't belch. If we did any of the don'ts, we knew we'd disqualify ourselves 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: 1. Said he was so well-qualified [that! if he didn't get the job, it would prove that the company's management was incompetent. 2. Stretched out on the floor to fill out the job application. 3. Brought her large dog to the interview. 4. Chewed bubble gum and constantly blew bubbles. 5. Candidate kept giggling through serious interview. 6. She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time. 7. Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece. 8. Applicant challenged interviewer to arm wrestle. 9. Asked to see interviewer's resume to see if the personnel executive was qualified to judge the candidate. 10. Announced she hadn't had lunch and proceeded to eat a hamburger and french fries in the interviewer's office. 11. Without saying a word, candidate stood up and walked out during the middle of the interview. 12. Man wore jogging suit to interview for position as financial vice president. 13. Said if he were hired, he would demonstrate his loyalty by having the corporate logo tattooed on his forearm. 14. Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions. 15. Wouldn't get out of the chair until I would hire him. I had to call the police. 16. When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office. 17. Had a little pinball game and challenged me to play with him. 18. Bounced up and down on my carpet and told me I must be highly thought of by the company because I was given such a thick carpet. 19. Took a brush out of my purse, brushed his hair and left. 20. Pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him. 21. Candidate asked me if I would put on a suit jacket to insure that the offer was formal. 22. Said he wasn't interested because the position paid too much. 23. While I was on a long-distance phone call, the applicant took out a copy of Penthouse, and looked through the photos only, stopping longest at the centerfold. 24. 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. 25. A telephone call came in for the job applicant. It was from his wife. His side of the conversation went like this: "Which company? When do l start? What's the salary?" I said, "l 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. 26. An applicant came in wearing only one shoe. She explained that the other shoe was stolen off her foot in the bus. 27. His attache [case! opened when he picked it up and the contents spilled, revealing ladies' undergarments and assorted makeup and perfume. 28. He came to the interview with a mo-ped and left it in the reception area. He didn't want it to get stolen, and stated that he would require indoor parking for the mo-ped. 29. He took off his right shoe and sock, removed a medicated foot powder and dusted it on the foot and in the shoe. While he was putting back the shoe and sock, he mentioned that he had to use the powder four times a day, and this was the time. 30. Candidate said he really didn't want to get a job, but the unemployment office needed proof that he was looking for one. 31. He whistled when the interviewer was talking. 32. 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. 33. She threw-up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened. 34. Pointing to a black case he carried into my office, he 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. 35. Asked if I wanted some cocaine before starting the interview.