We have already scared you with blog posts about employer ghosting and ghost jobs. This Halloween, we want to turn the tables and share some recruitment horror stories.
The recruitment process is a stressful time in our lives. It’s understandable that nerves might drive candidates to say and do embarrassing or even inappropriate things.
However, some applicants bring this to another level. We have asked recruiters for some recruitment horror stories that were particularly memorable. Read about candidate experiences you wouldn’t want to go through yourself.
One time, a question asked during an online job interview stressed a candidate so much that they abruptly ended the call instead of answering. The recruiter tried calling back, thinking that maybe the call was disrupted due to poor internet connection but quickly realised that wasn’t the case.
Needless to say, the candidate didn’t get hired. The recruiter didn’t even hear from them ever again.
Don’t panic. Recruiters are people and they understand that job interviews are a stressful experience. If you need a moment to think about your answer, just be honest and communicate it.
Also, don’t burn bridges. In fact, the recruiter was willing to give that candidate a second chance but they never responded to their calls and emails.
The solution to making sure you don’t freeze during a job interview is to practice beforehand. Research the most commonly asked questions, prepare answers for them in advance, and either record yourself or act the interview out with someone you trust.
Lying in a CV is bad practice in general. But some candidates take it even a step further. They don’t just lie - they make up nonexistent skills.
A recruiter once received an application from a person claiming to be fluent in a language they have never heard of. A quick Google search revealed that it was no wonder, since that language simply didn’t exist. Not even in pop culture.
Another candidate included in their CV years of experience as a coach of a made-up sport.
Don’t lie. Recruiters - like most people - have access to Google. They can easily verify whether something about you or your past is true or not - especially if it returns zero search results.
It’s very common for recruiters to investigate a candidate’s online presence, including visiting their social media profiles (and we don’t only mean LinkedIn). Make sure your personal brand is consistent across different channels to avoid coming off as unreliable.
If a recruiter spots one white lie, they will start wondering whether everything else in your application is true. It’s just not worth it.
This recruitment horror story actually happened to more than one recruiter. They had a candidate ask them for the name of the company they represented - in the middle of an interview.
Recruiters are aware that job seekers often go through a few job interviews every day. But for the love of God, you don’t need to remind them of that.
Do your company research before every job interview. Find out what they do, what products or services they offer, what they post on their social media, and what kind of values they promote.
First, you need to decide if the company is a good match for you and whether you would feel happy working there. And second, this way you can avoid slip-ups such as asking a recruiter who they work for.
Any Friends fans here? Remember when Ross was getting married to Emily but said Rachel’s name at the altar instead?
Yeah. Getting the recruiter’s name wrong is even worse.
It happened to one recruiter we talked to. And it wasn’t even similar to their actual name - started with a different letter and all.
This seemingly small mistake cost the candidate their chance of being considered for the role. It was clear that they had no idea who they were talking to, or confused people and thought they were speaking with somebody else.
Organise your job search. It’s normal to apply for dozens of jobs at the same time during periods of intense job hunt.
Make sure you avoid harmful mistakes by creating a spreadsheet, where you will include all the details about every application - company name, recruiter name, date you applied, and job title. You can even attach a small description of the company and of the role to avoid confusion.
This one - although shocking - is pretty self-explanatory. At least, it wasn’t the candidate who burped during the job interview. It was a video call, and the interviewee was attending with a friend sitting next to them.
Halfway through the interview, their friend burped. Loudly. Loud enough that the recruiter was able to hear it.
Attend online job interviews in a peaceful setting. Avoid loud, crowded places such as cafés. Find somewhere with a neutral background, without noise or other people lingering around. You will find it easier to focus in such a setting as well.
A candidate once deemed it appropriate to answer a video call from a recruiter shirtless and lying in bed. When asked if this was a bad time, they denied, saying they were ready for the interview.
In this case, it was the recruiter who hung up on them. They felt uncomfortable and didn’t go forward with the job interview.
Attend an online interview dressed as you would for an in-person one. This also applies to the bottom part of your body - it’s not usually visible when you sit down, but what happens if you have to stand up to get some documents or tell the postman to come back later?
A bed isn’t the right setup for a job interview, either. Attend calls with recruiters seated by a desk or a table, with a neutral or blurred background.
“What is your biggest weakness?” is one of the most common job interview questions. Recruiters receive all kinds of answers to it - and believe it or not “I’m a perfectionist” isn’t even the worst one (although still cringy).
The winner in this category of recruitment horror stories was a bit too honest and admitted that their biggest weakness was that they didn’t have a partner. Their biggest strength must have been optimism, though, because they promptly added that this was about to change because they’d seen a lot of candidates for that position in the office on their way to the meeting room.
High five to everyone who managed to guess whether they got hired or not.
Your answers to all job interview questions should be professional. Recruiters want to hear about your work performance, not your personal life.
A good horror story needs a ghost. But that’s not the case with recruitment horror stories.
There is little that upsets recruiters more than a candidate not showing up to a job interview without previous notice. And in most cases, this is also when the contact with the applicant cuts off.
Communicate with the recruiter. Even if you have found a job elsewhere and want to withdraw your candidature, let them know. This way, they will be aware of the reason and can move on.
If you don’t tell them anything, they can’t be sure if they should proceed with another candidate or keep following up. Employer ghosting is frustrating for candidates, so don’t subject recruiters to the same fate.
The record holder for the shortest cover letter submitted a document consisting of 3 lines and 2 sentences. Literally.
All it said was the candidate’s name and what job they were applying for. Clearly, they weren’t aware the recruiter could get this much from their CV.
Our advice
Write a cover letter well, or don’t write it at all. Attaching it to your application is usually optional and while many candidates feel pressured to send it anyway, that’s not always the best solution.
Don’t submit a cover letter if you’re going to use an impersonal template, write it carelessly, or make it too short. A bad cover letter can ruin your chances of getting hired just as much as a good one can help you stand out among the competition.
This recruitment horror story happens more often than we care to admit. We were told of many cases where the candidates showed up to a job interview with a friend, family member, or even a pet.
Now, we’re all about promoting pet-friendly offices, but bringing one to a job interview is a bit much. We also don’t encourage you to bring your parent or significant other along.
Arrive at a job interview alone. Find someone to take care of your pet for an hour or two and if somebody wants to accompany you, ask them to wait in the car or have a walk.
Not every office can accommodate multiple guests. Especially startups can’t guarantee a waiting room or enough seating space. Additionally, some of the employees may feel obliged to attend to the guests and neglect their tasks or feel uncomfortable working in the presence of strangers.
In some countries, including a photo in a CV is a requirement. In others, it’s not recommended or even forbidden.
Either way, when a picture is expected, make sure it’s of you.
What do you mean?, you may be wondering. Whose face would I put on my CV if not my own?
Well, there are candidates who don’t feel comfortable sharing their own photos to the point they decide to use somebody else’s. They are usually stock photos or, in extreme cases, even shots of celebrities.
Imagine the recruiter’s disappointment when it wasn’t George Clooney who showed up to the interview.
Use a professional photo for your CV and make sure you look like you. Recruiters can be confused if they don’t feel like they’re not talking to the person who submitted the CV.
And recruiters are busy people, but not busy enough to have never seen a film. Nobody will take you seriously if you use a photo of a famous movie star in your resume.
Do you know the feeling when you send an email with your job application, but forget to attach the CV? Well, there is an even worse scenario.
A candidate once applied for a job with PDF instructions on how to use Dropbox. It was an honest mistake - one that can happen to anyone, really. The file was probably right next to his CV and a small misclick led to an embarrassing faux-pas.
But it did make the recruiter wonder whether it was an innocent slip-up or a prank.
Double and triple-check every document you attach to your application. Don’t apply for jobs when you’re in a hurry - it’s better to do it right in a couple of hours than make mistakes right now.
And remember - recruiters are people. A wrong file doesn’t necessarily cross a candidate out on the spot. Some recruiters will be kind enough to inform you about the error and give you a chance to submit the right document.
Hopefully, the advice we shared will help you avoid similar recruitment horror stories. The key takeaway is this: recruiters are people, usually with a lot of empathy. They expect professionalism, but they can give second chances - especially in case of honest mistakes.
In moments of crisis, don’t panic. Apologise and get your head back in the game to ensure a smooth experience.
Do you have any recruitment horror stories of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments!
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