What was your worst mistake during an interview?

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Did you beat yourself up over it? How did you get over it?

Last edited by OneStepAtATime on 05 Dec 2012, 3:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Google to find the source
"Believe it or not, I did have a candidate who showed up without a bra -- wearing a silk dress. It was really obvious and made me worry that she would be an employee who didn't know what's appropriate," says the website editor.

The hiring manager shares the opposite story: "One candidate came in wearing a see-through cover up, but you could totally see that she was wearing a bright yellow bathing suit under it," she says.
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"One candidate I interviewed while I was eight months pregnant. She looked professional, but as soon as she sat down in my office, she asked me if I was planning on breast-feeding my baby. Another candidate who interviewed really well blew it at the end when I got up to walk her to the reception area, and she gave me a hug. Awkward!" says the website editor.
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"I recently interviewed someone whose cell phone rang during our interview. She hit the 'ignore' button, but the person kept calling back -- and she didn't put the ringer on mute. So our interview was interrupted four or five times by phone calls, and it just said to me, this isn't a person who has good common sense," says the website editor.
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"I interviewed a young woman for a corporate position, and she showed up in what I can only describe as 'club appropriate' attire. She had so much cleavage out on the table and her skirt was so short, I could barely focus," says the recruiter.
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"One woman I interviewed came in and sat down, and I immediately noticed that she had a huge tag hanging out from her suit. It was so obvious that she had just bought her outfit, and she just never thought about taking the tag off," says the hiring manager.
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"One girl showed up for her interview in shorts and flip flops. One of the questions asked if she had any visible tattoos (which was important for the position she was applying for), and she said no. But on her way out, I noticed that she had a HUGE tattoo on her calf. Really?" says the hiring manager.

I answered interview questions like regular conversational questions. Big mistake as I had learned later. Then, after learning more about interviews, I started developing scripts for interviews, based on typical interview questions and answers that employers usually look for.

I just didn't get the job. I also wrote them a long letter after clarifying some points I didn't make well in the interview. I also disclosed after the interview. All big mistakes. I was upset, of course. Even after interview training, I still haven't succeeded in getting a job just through an interview... it's all been either job agencies or personal connections. But then again, I haven't been looking too actively since.

Really? I found the greatest success when I did answer 'conversationally' with personal anecdotes thrown in, usually involving hockey (since this is Canada!). When I tried the boring, cliched answered I failed miserably because I can't think on my feet and cannot BS or wing answers.

Worst interview? At 16 I did one for DQ. I was asked about working late one evening a week until 11:30 and I said "sure, I mean no because I'm in high school but then again it shouldn't be a problem when block C is the first in the morning since that's an off class but I would prefer not to but I would have to check with dad since I don't have a license and the buses don't go by my house that late but I can't see it being a problem." Am I an Aspie or what?

Here are some things I've experienced with job candidates:

• A candidate insisted that I hire him on the spot, and threatened legal action if I didn't.
  
• Another threw up right after the first question.
  
• Another candidate insisted that she be interviewed only by women.
  
• One brought his mom, who sat through the entire interview and answered all of his questions for him.
  
• A smoker was not allowed to light up during the interview, and then sent a scathing letter to my boss demanding his "rights".
  
• One candidate fell asleep in one of our restrooms.
  
• Another candidate was well-dressed, clean-shaven, and had a nice haircut, but his breath was horrible.
  
• A candidate would finish each sentence with "... and I'm a good worker".

None of these candidates were hired at the company I worked for at the time.

Well, thing is, my answers in conversation are usually really short. I don't tend to elaborate on things and my mind tends to dwell on things that are anything but situationally relevant, so I stay away from saying much in formal situations like this. But then I learned that you are supposed to elaborate on relevant, positive (whenever possible) experiences that you have had, which is very different. And having a script enabled me to say much more than I would usually say in a socially censored conversation.

Last edited by MathGirl on 06 Dec 2012, 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I once went to an interview thinking the job was something different than what it actually was. That was pretty embarrassing, but it's okay...it was a crappy job anyway (I went in thinking it was an interview for a GOOD job).

I had several interviews in a row at the same place for a position that should have been a slam-dunk b/c it's pretty much exactly what I'm already doing. I blew it.

In typical Aspie fashion I asked a lot of questions about the position to see if it would be a good fit for ME. Entirely forgot to focus on getting across what I had to offer THEM! duh.

Haven't heard but I don't think I'm gonna.

Well, first interview in 4 years since I got current job. Live and learn.

I went to an interview at Starbucks and told them I didn't drink coffee and was more of a tea person when they asked me what my favorite drink of theirs was.

For some reason I still thought I'd get the job? Was still waiting on a callback two months later when I interviewed at the ad agency I now work with. Overall I think it all worked out for the best...but still.

I told them I didn't like coffee. WHY did I think that was a good idea? LOL

Showing up and forgetting the name of the person I was interviewing with. I went to like 5 interviews with unclear points on my resume. I was oblivious to there confused reactions, It was something I should have noticed. I also hate having to fill out an application the day of the interview. Luckily most are online now.

My last interview was going really well. At least I thought so. The folks were great, I made some awesome comparisons between past tasks and the tasks I'd be expected to do.

A couple of times, I worried that I was giving too much information, or had rambled too long, so I'd throw myself off. But, I kept going. It was a really great fit for my personality.

BUT, right at the end... they asked me to take a SQL test.

I'd put down on my application that I had beginner-level SQL experience, because I'd used it in four classes at Uni and had done well with it, so I clearly had the capacity (two years prior to the interview). But, I had not studied up on it at all.
In my weak defense, the job description and advertisement said not ONE SINGLE THING about SQL. But, as the position was based around data standards, I should have reasoned out that they'd want me to display some database knowledge.
I couldn't write a query (aside from picking out the necessary fields from each table I'd need to reference), but, I couldn't start the SELECT statement, nor remember the terms INNER and OUTER JOIN.

I must've just frozen and showed the stark fear on my face. I also have rosacea, so, the second I get agitated, my entire face and chest flame bright red. The main interviewer was really nice about it and told me not to worry. But, let's face it, freezing up on something obvious in a group interview (I thought it would just be the hiring manager, but, they brought the whole team in, which was scary enough). I felt like such a child!

I took the sample data sheet home with me, and, as soon as I sat down, I grabbed my old class notes, wrote the queries and emailed them off to the hiring manager, along with my thanks for her time and mentioning a couple of highlights from the interview.

They still went on to check my references after that, but, I did not get the job.