Interview Bloopers

Most of us manage to get through job interviews without making too much of a prat of ourselves. But there are some things that just shouldn’t be done:

Lesson 1: Ask sensible questions

One very mediocre candidate, asked at the end ‘do you have any questions?’ replied, ‘Yes, where is the organisation going these days?’

Lesson 2: Don’t be too sociable

For example, asking a member of the panel ‘when is your baby due?’ is not wise. The member of the panel was not pregnant.

Lesson 3: Watch for signs that you are not giving your best

One chief exec was so fed up with one candidate that, on hearing a distant phone ringing, got up, said ‘Oh, I must answer the phone’ and left, not returning for the remaining 30 minutes.

Lesson 4: Know your interviewer

One candidate got into details about a change processes at a previous employer. When challenged by the panel chair, they got into a wrangle. It ended, along with the candidate’s chances, when the chair said, ‘Well I led that particular change programme, and I’m telling you I’m right and you’re wrong'.

Lesson 5: Make no assumptions

One candidate, having been touched up by the panel’s chair, turned up at their interview for a very senior position expecting to discuss pay and conditions, size of office, etc. and was horrified to discover themselves facing a full, formal panel. Needless to say they went on to perform very badly…

Lesson 6: Do your homework.

Of 17 candidates going for a trainee producer position at the BBC (a rare opportunity to move from junior to editorial role), only four bothered to look at the employing department’s output. And, believe it or not, of those four, only one bothered to research it!

Lesson 7: Let the interviewer lead

John was met by the senior interviewer, and (quite naturally, he thought) proffered his hand. The interviewer looked at it as though he had been offered a dead rat. It was downhill from there. Moral: take your lead from the interviewer.