The 10 most unusual interview mishaps

Just like a first date, a job interview can go from pure potential to pure disaster in mere minutes.

In a CareerBuilder survey, employers shared the most memorable job interview mistakes candidates have made and how body language can hinder their chances of moving forward in the interview process.

When asked to share the biggest mistakes job candidates have made or the most unusual things they’ve done during the interview process, employers and hiring managers recalled the following true life tales:

  • the candidate brought about 50 ink pens to the interview and proceeded to spread them out on the table;
  • the candidate kept fidgeting and repositioning his duffle bag, which turned out to have a dog inside;
  • after introducing himself by name, the candidate said, “But you can call me Tigger! That is the nickname I gave myself”;
  • in answer to a question about diversity, the candidate used the term “off the boat”;
  • the candidate asked if he could offer religious advice to the employees;
  • the candidate asked if his wife, who worked at the company for which he was interviewing, was cheating on him;
  • the candidate asked how much money everyone else makes;
  • the candidate gave the reason for leaving the previous position as “kicking someone’s butt who really needed it”;
  • the candidate sat in a yoga pose during the interview; and
  • the candidate tried to google the answer to a question.

Read: The 10 most memorable lies on resumés

Facial expressions, posture and other physical behaviours can reveal more about job seekers than the words they use. When asked to identify the biggest body language mistakes job seekers make, hiring managers named the following:

  • failing to make eye contact: 65%;
  • failing to smile: 36%;
  • playing with something on the table: 33%;
  • having bad posture: 30%;
  • fidgeting too much in their seat: 29%;
  • crossing their arms over their chest: 26%;
  • playing with their hair or touching their face: 25%;
  • having a weak handshake: 22%;
  • using too many hand gestures: 11%; and
  • having a handshake that is too strong: 7%.

The survey of more than 2,100 hiring and HR managers also finds 49% of employers know within the first five minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for a position. By minute 15, that number reaches 90%.

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