Comments on: 8 bad interviewer habits candidates hate

By: Prakash K

Prakash K — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:37:33 +0000

I recently interviewed for a position that seemed like a good one based on the job description. The first phone interview seemed rushed, with the hiring manager saying that he wanted to do a screen first. He kept telling me how busy he was and that he only had 10 minutes (made me wonder why he didn’t reschedule the interview) … anyway, after a week, the HR lady scheduled a 1 hour followup.

The manager first set up some BS scenario he wanted me to respond to … after 10 minutes I realized that he was on an ego trip and just wanted to show off how much of a business savvy manager he was. Anytime I answered a question, he would try to trap me by asking why I hadn’t said it in a different way. After 20 minutes of this nonsense, I politely told him that this was pointless and I no longer was interested in the position. He sounded genuinely surprised – talk about being clueless!

By: melody monroe

melody monroe — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:36:54 +0000

RB: I had that with filthy pigs in countless area offices. All of you need to hear my radio show ‘Day Jobs’ on blog Talk Radio.. come on and tell your story! I am sticking up for the interviewee! So many rarely do. Just had an interview a week or so ago where employees wandered in to ask questions of the boss, who was interviewing me, and the ‘boss’ rudely took phone calls during the interview, on countless interviews. What a showing of lack of respect! And this is them on their best behavior?! It takes 2 minutes to tell your clerk you are interviewing today, hold all calls .

We have received ALL of the above treatment in interview after interview and somehow it is bring accepted by people. WE needput an end to inappropriate and wrong behavior by these companies and ‘interviewers’. Did you tell the companies of their unprofessionalism? BTW: I don’t have time to waste, so the person saying that mr wants-a-counselor (this happened to me many times, the guy or woman giving all their complaints about the company, their personal life details, DURING an interview!!!) we are not your therapist, we don’t want to hear it. God, how do they get away with this stuff? I have had MANY interviewers ask me my age and marital status during an interview, and sometimes still didn’t get the job! Insult to injury.

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:33:16 +0000

was it cardiff university by any chance! like any university, you are bound to find people who don’t know what they are doing…

By: R.E. Jones

R.E. Jones — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:49:14 +0000

I went for an interview recently at a popular South Wales university, and upon my entrance into the interview room, my suspicions on their disorganised standing was confirmed – suspicions founded in the fact that I did not even receive a job description, neither was there one available via their website; but luckily I knew more or less what the post entailed.

Firstly, one of the interviewers starred continuously, then another kept on glancing out through the window, completely disinterested, who also, upon my entrance, looked at me as though I was dirt, and shook my hand ever so softly and apathetically. Then All through the interview I as asked multiple questions in one – can you tell me this, and this, and this – please – and I was like “wow! Hang on, one question at time please…”

Then they asked questions that I obviously knew the answers to – i mean it was obvious from my CV – yet they still asked, which showed their lack of understanding for the post compared to my CV, and as a result of asking such questions, did not encourage me to “shine”, as they say… The interview was 20 minutes in duration – and I suspect that it was a complete waste of time?

What I dislike about such interviews is that through their own incompetence, it forces the interviewee to perform badly – Yes, I suppose I could laid myself down and declare myself – but the invitation did not exist, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself through showing more incentive than what was expected…Oh well – they’re loss!?

By: R. B.

R. B. — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:34:15 +0000

I was interviewed once for an HR Manager position in the meeting room of a ritzy hotel. Unfortunately, the environment didn’t “rub off” on the people interviewing me (the Corporate VP of HR, the Division Production Manager and the Division Safety Manager). They used the “f” word so many times I lost count, talked about how they all liked to party / get drunk after work and shared countless inside jokes that were tasteless during the interview. I was glad to get out of there after a couple of hours of this, only to be dismayed when they offered me the job! Needless to say, I nicely and professionally turned it down.

By: brookedayton

brookedayton — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:19:11 +0000

Back when I was young and green, I used to get calls from companies that wanted to set up appointments either at the airport (pre-9/11) or in the lobbies of hotels. Companies too cheap to pay for a conference room so they would fly the hiring person into a city, have them take a cab to a nearby hotel and tell them to just sit in the lobby and conduct job interviews.

I went on a few of these. It was a horrible experience. If you weren’t totally distracted by the foot traffic all around you, then it was the constant awareness that some creep was listening in on your interview. Oftentimes, I wondered if it was the person whose interview followed mine. What a nightmare! It didn’t take long for me to figure out that those were not companies that I wished to work for.

By: Shimaksy Xavier

Shimaksy Xavier — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:35:01 +0000

I was interviewed by this newbie, or thats how she looked, completely inexperienced, for every answer I gave she made it into a question. She asked me what my weaknesses were and when I said am a bit impulsive yet I try to fast and efficient and choose the best of options I have, which is mandatory for the field I am in, she repeated “are you sure that’s your weakness…I said yes, and its not completely negative in this field and again she asked the same question. irritable.

She was 30 mins late for the interview and and she interviewed me for 2 hrs, (though i had kept them informed i cannot spare more than 4 mins to 1 hr in their office)… and kept insisting that she wanted to see my work, I had told her I could do something new for her…but cant come up with the work I have done for another company yet she never stopped.

By: Janie Caldwell

Janie Caldwell — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:06:07 +0000

I learned many years ago that the interviewer who talks about him/herself in great detail, telling you things that are too personal, has no intention of hiring you, and this was decided before you walked in the room or shortly thereafter. This interviewer is simply spending time with you as a cover. If it ever happens to me again, I will know to expect “the letter” (at best) instead of “the call” because (after telling all) the interviewer never wants to see you again.

By: KP

KP — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:54:04 +0000

I interviewed with a VP of HR who was checking her cell phone and e-mails during the interview. She was also looking me up and down, checking out my shoes, hands, nails, etc. I wanted to get up and walk out. I interviewed at another company with a VP of HR and I think the woman was crazy – she started telling me all these personal stories about how she and her husband were fighting about packing for a trip. She also asked inappropriate questions about how many siblings I had, where I fell in the birth order, what sorority I was in at college, who was my personal hero, etc. What freaks!

By: Angel Montenegro

Angel Montenegro — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:17:34 +0000

I interviewed for a HR manager position in a hotel, now I know space is limited in a hotel but when they conduct interviews in a 6 x6 offcie with 3 other employees there, I knew that was not the environment I wanted to work in. The ad for the position was up for at least 6 months.