The dumbest things said in a job interview
By Jason Buckland, Sympatico / MSN Finance
Getting a job in 2009 is no picnic.
The pressure is always cranked should you land an actual interview but, surely, this economy has added an extra layer of stress, driving competition through the roof.
Yet short of accidentally dumping your haemorrhoid cream on the desk or letting that swastika tattoo make an appearance, you’d have to think most people can hold their own when it comes to being grilled by prospective employers.
You’d think.
CareerBuilder.com has taken its best shot to set the human species back a few decades by compiling its list of 43 things actually said in job interviews.
Most of the idiocy comes across like something you’d hear in a mechanic’s garage, but CareerBuilder maintains the entire catalogue is legit.
What would prompt some to blurt, “You touch somebody and they call it sexual harassment!” in an interview? That’s up for debate. But what isn’t is – if you’ve ever caught an episode of Judge Joe Brown – us humans ain’t exactly as smart as we think.
My favourites from the list:
-“Cross dressing isn’t a problem, is it?”
-“If this doesn’t work out, can I call you to go out sometime?”
-“When you do background checks on candidates, do things like public drunkenness arrests come up?”
-“You should probably know I mud wrestle on the weekends.”
-“May I have a cup of coffee? I think I may still be a little drunk from last night.”
Not every response is a preposterous one-liner (such as the guy who said he didn’t have a mailing address because he was living in a gypsy camp at the airport), but the list is definitely worth checking out if you know someone who's got an interview on the horizon.
Anyone out there ever said anything this dumb to an employer?
Posted by: Chris | Aug 19, 2021 7:51:25 AM
I said something I'll never forget.
When asked what I did on my free time I responded:
- "Other than spanking my monkey.. I like to play hockey".
I didn't get the job.
Posted by: Frank | Aug 19, 2021 10:09:25 AM
Once I was in a group interview where they had everyone waiting in a big room and would take people out one by one to interview separately. While in the big room they where asking people to tell jokes to see who was outgoing... I had several stuck in my mind and could not think of any others... I wanted to say something... but was probably better off keeping my mouth shut. Dead baby jokes don't fly at interviews.
Posted by: Terry | Aug 19, 2021 11:24:11 AM
I once went to an interview and admitted that I thought I was interviewing for a different company.
A few minutes into the interview at company XYZ she asked for my references. I said that I had given them at the first interview and didn't bring additional copies with me. Then it hit me what had happened and I fessed up and said excuse me, I thought I was at the second interview with ABC company, but this is XYZ right?
Didn't matter in the end. XYZ was so stuffy that I didn't want to work there anyways. I never followed up with them and they never followed up with me.
Posted by: Jill | Aug 19, 2021 11:46:32 AM
The inevitable "What are your strengths/weaknesses questions came up in one interview I was on. When the lady asked me what my weakness is, without hesitation I blurted "Candy!" I got the job.
Posted by: Tim Landry | Aug 19, 2021 1:23:36 PM
This was NOT in a job interview and it was said TO me (and my wife) by a young lady our son had introduced us to less than 5 minutes previously "How come your son is circumcised?"
Posted by: Lori | Aug 19, 2021 3:15:48 PM
to the first guy Chris . thanks for making my day . I can't stop laughing . I know you didn't get the job but I hope you got to spank your monkey
Posted by: Dawn | Aug 19, 2021 8:00:32 PM
At an interview, being olive skinned with dark brown eyes I was asked if I was "First Nations, as they were a minority sought" - I answered "No, I am second nations. Ukrainian - and I sense I am more educated". I got the job based on "moxie" they told me.
Posted by: Chris Green | Aug 19, 2021 9:19:02 PM
When the interviewer asked me if I would like a coffee, I said yes. He then said "How do you like it?" and I said "I like my coffee like I like my women, ground up and in the freezer". This stunned him so I said "Actually, I like my coffee like I like my men, tall and black." He thought that my sense of humour was tasteless, and never called me back. He was a dick anyways and he was black.
Posted by: Burt | Aug 19, 2021 9:28:42 PM
I was asked years ago a at job interview "What equipment can you operate?" I answered "Telephone, switchblade, bumper jack, blender..." They laughed nervously but I got the job...
Posted by: mel | Aug 19, 2021 11:51:44 PM
On my third interview for a sales position with this Tobacco company, the sales manager
suddenly offered me a cigarette.
I just said "ohh I don't smoke".
Needless to say, I never got the job..
Posted by: MoneyMaker | Aug 19, 2021 11:57:50 PM
Lol, this was too hilarious. The only thing I ever regretted in my job interview was giving the interviewer such breathing room for my payrate. I wanted something around 11 bucks, but I said 10-12. Made it easier for them to give me $9.50.
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Posted by: Jill | Aug 20, 2021 12:30:52 AM
Had a friend who told me about an interview - was asked by a table of men & women how they would resolve a conflict between two subordinates - his answer? Octagon. Octagon? they asked. Yup, he said - two men enter, one man leaves.
The men laughed, the women didn't. He didn't get the job - funny?
Posted by: Ahmad | Aug 20, 2021 12:47:17 AM
The list it very good actually i've said a couple of those things and regret it. Anyways if any of you are interested check out this site it's like a second income completely free no strings attached http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/pure3lite1
Posted by: Sam | Aug 20, 2021 1:37:45 AM
My friend Rob went for an interview trying to land a position as a sales representative. The interviewer asked if he had experience, to which Rob replied "yes". The interview then asked "are you sure?". Rob said "No". He didnt get the job.
Posted by: lol | Aug 20, 2021 2:07:33 AM
i asked my interviewer at rona what if someone gets into a fight with you do you back down or what? lol
Posted by: Chelsea | Aug 20, 2021 4:35:47 AM
I JUST went for an interview for a banking position and repeatedly said the banks name wrong. I noticed my mistake half way through and made a joke about it. I should be hearing from them in a couple of days. Not holding my breath.
Posted by: marie girard | Aug 20, 2021 10:37:21 AM
My son went for a job driving a truck which he had a job like that before. When asked was he a good driver the dummy says not bad, on my last driving job I only took 3 mail boxes off a corner in 8 months. Hes working parking smaller cars now.
Posted by: Linda P | Aug 20, 2021 5:01:33 PM
I once had an interview with a lady who stated she preferred to work the graveyard shift as that was when the methadone she was taking was most effective....