Professionals share their cringeworthy interview stories

Published 3 Min Read

Job candidate interviewing looks surprised
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We’ve all experienced a job interview that didn’t go quite as planned, and while these experiences can be worth sharing for a good laugh, they also serve as a valuable lesson of what not to do.

Only 20% of applicants get asked to interview, according to Simplilearn, so candidates need to make this part of the hiring process count. Twin Employment found that nearly half of recruiters would reject a candidate who couldn’t demonstrate company knowledge, and Jobspin reports that 39% of candidates will likely lose out on a position due to their confidence level. Those hiring aren’t the only picky ones, though: A bad interview experience is enough to make 42% of job candidates decline an offer, according to data from SHL. 

“I had a candidate take their shoes off, and later when I asked them about their favorite and least favorite managers, they said their favorite manager ‘had a smokin’ hot bod’ and their least favorite manager was a British person and they didn’t like British people. 

I was able to keep a straight face and gather even more information that showed they wouldn’t be a good fit for the role. However, it didn’t impact the way I treated or interviewed the candidate, as it’s important to ensure they have a great experience with your company.” 

Lee Hafner
Editor

Lee joined the EBN team in 2022, and covers areas including caregiving, employee health and wellness, healthcare innovation, and company culture. She created EBN's popular Benefits in Action and … Read full bio


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