PEOPLE SAY THE FUNNIEST #@$%...
I wanted to share with you a compilation of some of the amusing things I have heard in the past few months from both candidates and the people interviewing them.
"I am a people person" - of course you are, otherwise you would be a Veterinarian or work in a Zoo. This is not a skill...
"Many women are intimidated by my looks" - yes...I am certain that is exactly why you have been interviewing for 8 months with no offers...you are just too good looking...
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" - one of the dumbest/old school interview questions I still continue to hear. I think if I was interviewing, I might be tempted to say something silly like...Florida perhaps
"My company is changing" - surprisingly, this is one of the more common reasons given for wanting to leave. What does this mean? It is usually difficult for those who say this to describe what they mean
"I am excellent in interviews, I've had 13 in in the last month!" - this is also a favorite of mine...it never occurs to the person saying this that OFFERS usually accompany good interviews...having many interviews does not necessarily make you good
"They are not exactly knocking down your door." - this was what another recruiter I referred my candidate to said to my candidate regarding her lack of interviews
"She looked like a bad day at Wal-Mart" - This is how a SVP, Marketing described my candidate's appearance for her final interview
"I spoke to my friends and they told me I should be making $___" - people tend to OVERVALUE the career advice given to them by friends...it is usually not accurate & not what you should be basing your requirements on
"I've heard a lot of bad things about them" - this is repeated many times everyday to me...why? because EVERY company has existing or previous employees who did not have a positive experience. This is NOT a reason to NOT pursue an interview & formulate your own opinion
"There is no room for growth" - sometimes this is true...however, I hear it more often from candidates who have never been at one job for more than a year
"The candidate was not a CULTURAL match." - this has become the number one reason HR gives to me for not moving a candidate forward in the interview process...it could cover everything from personality to communication style to fashion sense to sense of humor...it is an all encompassing blow-off
"I am better when I am in a REAL interview" - one of the most annoying things to come out of a candidate's mouth when interviewing with me...What am I wood? Am I not the guy you want to be excited about representing you? I assume the way you conduct yourself in front of me is the way you will interview with my clients
"I left Bartender and Lifeguard on my resume to show my versatility" - love the effort...still not easy to sell
"Your temp is using our courtyard as a urinal" - unfortunately...this is true...told to me by a very senior executive at a Hospital I was staffing who was looking out his window and observing this
I am sure you have had enough for now. This is a very small sampling of some ridiculous stuff that has actually been said. I'll give another update down the road.
"I'm afraid of the future...you all respect the one who got shot...I respect the shooter!" - JAY-Z
"I am a people person" - of course you are, otherwise you would be a Veterinarian or work in a Zoo. This is not a skill...
"Many women are intimidated by my looks" - yes...I am certain that is exactly why you have been interviewing for 8 months with no offers...you are just too good looking...
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" - one of the dumbest/old school interview questions I still continue to hear. I think if I was interviewing, I might be tempted to say something silly like...Florida perhaps
"My company is changing" - surprisingly, this is one of the more common reasons given for wanting to leave. What does this mean? It is usually difficult for those who say this to describe what they mean
"I am excellent in interviews, I've had 13 in in the last month!" - this is also a favorite of mine...it never occurs to the person saying this that OFFERS usually accompany good interviews...having many interviews does not necessarily make you good
"They are not exactly knocking down your door." - this was what another recruiter I referred my candidate to said to my candidate regarding her lack of interviews
"She looked like a bad day at Wal-Mart" - This is how a SVP, Marketing described my candidate's appearance for her final interview
"I spoke to my friends and they told me I should be making $___" - people tend to OVERVALUE the career advice given to them by friends...it is usually not accurate & not what you should be basing your requirements on
"I've heard a lot of bad things about them" - this is repeated many times everyday to me...why? because EVERY company has existing or previous employees who did not have a positive experience. This is NOT a reason to NOT pursue an interview & formulate your own opinion
"There is no room for growth" - sometimes this is true...however, I hear it more often from candidates who have never been at one job for more than a year
"The candidate was not a CULTURAL match." - this has become the number one reason HR gives to me for not moving a candidate forward in the interview process...it could cover everything from personality to communication style to fashion sense to sense of humor...it is an all encompassing blow-off
"I am better when I am in a REAL interview" - one of the most annoying things to come out of a candidate's mouth when interviewing with me...What am I wood? Am I not the guy you want to be excited about representing you? I assume the way you conduct yourself in front of me is the way you will interview with my clients
"I left Bartender and Lifeguard on my resume to show my versatility" - love the effort...still not easy to sell
"Your temp is using our courtyard as a urinal" - unfortunately...this is true...told to me by a very senior executive at a Hospital I was staffing who was looking out his window and observing this
I am sure you have had enough for now. This is a very small sampling of some ridiculous stuff that has actually been said. I'll give another update down the road.
"I'm afraid of the future...you all respect the one who got shot...I respect the shooter!" - JAY-Z
