Leadership

More Hiring Horror Stories

By Melissa Lourenco

Updated on: January 18, 2010 / 5:57 PM EST / MoneyWatch

I don't know if it's something in the air, but since I posted my list of recruitment no-nos, I've noticed similar lists on a lot of other sites.

Here's a selection of Wackiest Job Interviews from CareerBuilder.com:

Candidate answered cell phone and asked the interviewer to leave her own office because it was a "private" conversation.
Candidate told the interviewer he wouldn't be able to stay with the job long because he thought he might get an inheritance if his uncle died --- and his uncle wasn't "looking too good".
Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was "classified".
Candidate for an accounting position said she was a "people person" not a "numbers person".
Candidate flushed the toilet while talking to interviewer during a phone interview.

In addition to the most unusual blunders, employers were also asked about the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview. More than half (51 percent) of hiring managers cited dressing inappropriately as the most detrimental mistake a candidate can make in an interview. Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer came in second at 49 percent and appearing disinterested ranked third at 48 percent. Other mistakes included appearing arrogant (44 percent), not providing specific answers (30 percent) and not asking good questions (29 percent).