The Most Outrageous Job Interview Mistakes

Asking the hiring manager for a sip of his coffee during an interview isn’t the smartest move–especially if you want the job. Taking your shoes off while you’re in the hot seat or asking, “What company is this again?” will never get you a job offer either–but these will earn you a spot on our list of the most unforgettable interview blunders hiring managers have seen.

Harris Interactive conducted a survey on behalf the jobs website CareerBuilder.com, in which they canvassed more than 3,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals between Nov. 9 and Dec. 5, 2011, to unearth the most shocking mistakes they had seen candidates make during interviews.

In Pictures: The Most Outrageous And Most Common Job Interview Mistakes

The sluggish hiring environment may cause frustrated candidates to make avoidable mistakes–but no amount of stress or pressure can justify some of these outrageous gaffes. Nerves and lack of preparation can also be to blame, says Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder’s vice president of human resources, leading to errors like referring to yourself in the third person or showing up in a Boy Scout uniform and never explaining why. “In this job market, it can be tough just to get a face-to-face interview. When the day comes, it’s not uncommon for anxiety to get the best of the person,” she points out. “On the other hand, there are candidates who are confident and are articulate about their own record, but fail to research anything about the prospective role or the organization.”

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True North Resource Advisors

True North Resource Advisors “TNRA” is an Atlanta based boutique staffing firm specializing in temporary, temp-hire, and permanent placement for a/f professionals of all levels. Our job is our passion and not what we do from 9-5! We care about the clients we serve, the candidates we represent and the success of the individuals and organizations we support. Our mission is not to “deploy talent” but to develop a firm understanding of our client’s needs/desires/preferences and vision for not only the position but for the department as well. True North Resource Advisors is very successful with developing a rich talent base and loyal client following by carefully screening and selecting our candidates and accurately matching talent to opportunities. Our resume submission is very low, yet our hire ratio is extremely high meaning we are not flooding inboxes but rather providing you with the top talent to match your overall desired hire! Please reach out to me if you have a staffing need or direct hire search that I may assist you with.

Tips for New Graduates

Recently, we have been working on a few positions were the hiring manager would consider a new grad. It has truly been exciting working on these positions and helping my fellow classmates find an opportunity where they are a fit.

Here is an article I found interesting and would be helpful for New Grads.

Questions to Ask on Your Next Interview

When it comes to job interview prep, much emphasis is put on having the right answers. But while you're struggling to come up with responses to queries on your biggest weakness and why you should be hired, don't forget to craft some smart questions, too.

You will be judged, after all, by what you ask (or fail to ask).

[See our list of the 50 Best Careers.]

"Candidates should always have questions prepared to ask during the interview," says Tom Gimbel of the Chicago-based staffing firm The LaSalle Network. "A lack of questions demonstrates a disinterest in the position and lack of preparation for the interview."

The questions you ask during an interview should give you a deeper understanding of the company and the job--and that information can help you better sell yourself as the right person for the position. Smart questions also show a prospective employer that you care about where you work, that you have some knowledge about the company, and that you understand the industry overall.

"Ask a few relevant questions that demonstrate you've done your research and that you're enthusiastic, and that will help you to make an informed decision as to whether or not this is the right opportunity for you," says Melanie Benwell of the Toronto-based recruiting firm PathWorks.

For your next interview, consider adding the following questions to your repertoire:

Employee Spotlight: Donna Mitchell

Name: Donna Mitchell
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Position: Managing Partner
Education: Duquesne University

What is your favorite thing about working for TNRA? Being able to take my passion and applying it to a business dedicated to providing outstanding service to both our candidates and clients.

What have you gained from working at TNRA? Grey hair! Kidding aside, I have had to step outside my comfort zone and make some really tough decisions for the benefit of the firm. My role requires me to switch gears at any given moment from operational management to sales and recruiting. I have really refined my time management skills and organizational skills.

What is your favorite thing about recruiting? I am passionate about helping people and love meeting interesting, talented professionals and matching them to the best opportunity.

What are your favorite jobs to recruit for? It is hard to say, while I love executive search and working on very complex requirements, I also love working with recent college graduates looking for that first professional job.

What have you learned about the recruiting world by working for TNRA? We have a very unique approach to our recruiting tactics and work tirelessly to grow our networks and build our talent pool with the as many “untouched” resources as possible. Our success has been achieved by presenting our clients with candidates who are not actively in the job search fast lane if you will.

What do you like to do in your free time? Run, hot yoga, decorate my home, spend time with my family, travel, shop and visit the spa!

Interesting/fun fact about yourself: I am obsessed with reality TV shows; not the game show type but the seedy cat fight, alleged cream of the crop classy ladies of any given city type.