Nightmare Interviews

Have an interview story worth sharing? I do. On the subject of what could people possibly be thinking, once upon a time, I interviewed candidates for a professional sales and marketing position. Here were two of my nightmare candidates.

First Nightmare Interview Story

A business development professional had driven in from the other side of the state for the interview. As is my wont when I interview a candidate whose position spends a lot of time with customers and potential customers, we took her to lunch.

She had applied for a sales position, looked good on paper, and I genuinely liked her and found her qualified for the role. Her potential reporting manager had some concerns about her sales abilities but was comfortable with her experience in business development. The sales role would have taken her on the road with clients quite a bit, so I thought a lunch meeting was in order.

Midway through our lunch, the local tornado sirens went off, and amidst thunder, lightning, hail, and a curtain of rain, we were forced to move away from the restaurant window back behind a retaining wall. The next fifteen minutes made the candidate a nightmare. She started by taking out her compact and picking her teeth in front of the other customers and me.

Then, she informed me that she wanted to get several coffees for the road and that she'd add them to our bill. Upon her return, I noticed she had also ordered a dessert to go. These actions in combination with the fact that she talked to me when her mouth was full all during lunch, had convinced me that I didn't want her to be the public face of my client company.

She called the next morning to say she was no longer interested in the job. In retrospect, my suspicion is that she had already decided that when we went to lunch. But, even then, wouldn't you think she'd want our final taste of her professional presence to be positive? Instead she went on my nightmare candidate list. I hope she knows not to ever have anyone call me about her professionally.

Second Nightmare Interview Story

During the same set of interviews, another man responded to my opening question with a rambling, over-twenty minute monologue. And, no, I could not insert a comment. I tried unsuccessfully. So I politely endured the speech, knowing that I would not hire him for a business development position that had 100% contact with potential customers.

When he paused for a breath - thank goodness - I stood to escort him out. Half-way to the door, he paused and said, "I am a recovering alcoholic. I haven't had a drink in two years. Does that bother you?" I responded, "No, that piece of information, which I hadn't known until just now, would not influence my hiring decision at all."

He had, of course, already excluded himself from consideration. By escorting him out the door, I did my gatekeeper duty and saved my interview team's time.

Have you had a nightmare interview? Or even an interesting interview story, please share. Readers have shared their favorite interview questions and their memorable candidates' answers to their interview questions.

_{Image Copyright iStockphoto.com / Jacom Stevens}

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Source: http://humanresources.about.com/b/2012/07/07/nightmare-interviews.htm

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