Interviewers Share Job Candidates' Strangest Answers

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


Although you prepare for a week ahead of your job interview, you can't help but make some mistakes. To ease your own nervousness about making mistakes during your next interview — and maybe to have a good laugh — take a look at some of these strange answers given in a 2016 survey administered by CareerBuilder.

CareerBuilder asked HR staffers and hiring managers about some of the zaniest answers and behaviors they observed during a job interview. These represent just a handful of the oddest ones, as determined by Business Insider.

Completely Wrong Answers

One HR staffer asked a candidate why he wanted the position, and the man replied, "My wife wants me to get a job." Another brought religion into the discussion by saying if the interviewer wanted to get to heaven, she should hire him. One man indicated that his perfect job was painting birdhouses — even though the job interview was for data-entry. By giving a completely wrong answer, these people clearly made a lasting impression.

If you're nervous and unsure of what to say, don't blurt out a strange answer to break the silence. Relax, ask someone to clarify the question, and take a brief moment to think of a response.

Rude Behavior

Rude behavior is disrespectful — not just in a blatant way, but also because it wastes valuable time. One respondent was shocked when a candidate screamed that the interview was taking too long. In another office, a job applicant brought the pizza he was eating to the job interview, but he didn't bother to share with everyone in the room.

Childishness

Interviewers might think a candidate is too immature to handle a grown-up job, which requires communicating and working well with others, time management, and general decorum. For example, one of the rules of a job interview is shutting off your cellphone or putting the device on mute. One prospective hire took breaking this rule a step further when he sought permission to call his wife so he could ask her if the starting salary was high enough. Another candidate took his childishness to an unhealthy new level by bringing toys to the interview.

Asking Odd Questions

Don't forget that any standard job interview includes a chance for the applicant to ask his own questions — another opportunity for things to go awry. A candidate for a job at a hotel asked if he could live at the hotel if he got the job. During another sit-down, the applicant inquired as to the location of the nearest bar. One interviewer was asked why her aura did not like the candidate.

When the time comes to walk into that office, take a deep breath, and relax. If you've practiced answers to common questions and you feel comfortable touting your abilities, you won't need to resort to more creative comebacks.


Photo courtesy of Alan Cleaver at Flickr.com

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