As the saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression—especially in a job interview. 914INC. spoke to some of Westchester’s hiring supervisors to learn some of the most, ahem, memorable moments from past interviews. (Note: The identities of the interviewers and interviewees have been withheld to protect the guilty, the innocent, and the embarrassed.)
› Stupidity won’t get you a job. When asked to list three strengths, one candidate replied: “I’m ambitious, and I’m the man.”
› Inappropriate frugality is not admired. A candidate phoned the receptionist once to let her know that he was having trouble finding a parking spot, and then again to say he was running out of gas. Finally, he called the interviewing supervisor to ask if she wouldn’t mind conducting their conversation in the business’s loading dock, so he could save money on parking.
› Cheating is a no-no. An interviewer left a candidate with the business’s technical exam for the position. When she returned, he was unabashedly googling the answers on his smartphone.
› Rudeness is a deal-breaker. One candidate’s cellphone went off during an interview—that’s not so uncommon—but he blew his chances when he answered it and put the interviewer (sitting in front of him) on hold.
› Drinking booze is not advisable. Interviewers reported multiple incidents of candidates showing up to the interview drunk. The telltale sign was never strange behavior—inebriated candidates simply reeked of booze.
› Flirting is not a good idea. One interviewer reported multiple flirtatious prospects. Candidates even went as far as using pick-up lines. One began, “I don’t see a ring on your finger…”
