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What Won’t Get You Hired

Interviewing can be as much art as science, but there are some interview behaviors that can, and arguably should, flag a candidate as unacceptable. If you want a job with NAPA Net readers, you had better tell the truth, avoid that smartphone, and dress for success.

We often see variety in reader responses, but when it comes to red flags, one was a unanimous absolute failure: a candidate caught lying about something. Every single respondent to this week’s reader poll cited this as a red flag behavior. Not surprisingly, asked to pick a single red flag, this was the behavior, the choice of 75%.

Nearly as uniformly reviled (95.8%) was a candidate who answered a cellphone or text during the interview (#3 when narrowed to a single behavior flag). Dressing inappropriately was a red flag for 87.5% of respondents, while 79% each cited a candidate who appeared arrogant or entitled (at 12.5%, this was the distant second choice of those restricted to a single option) or one who badmouths their previous boss and/or employer. Roughly three-in-four cited a candidate who exhibited a lack of accountability.

Other red flag behaviors included:


  • When asked what they liked about last job, answered “the people”

  • Candidate keeps interrupting when I am speaking or not listening to what I say

  • A “know it all” attitude

  • Lack of eye contact


'Small(er)' Stuff

There are, of course, the screaming red flags, and then there are the smaller, annoying mannerisms that, while they may not ruin the interview, can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. We asked NAPA Net readers to list the most annoying mannerisms, and they were:

91.7% - Failing to make eye contact (limited to one choice, readers also found this the single most annoying)
51.2% - Having a weak handshake (this was also the second most annoying, but a distant second)
45.8% - Playing with something on the table
45.3% - Fidgeting too much in their seats
41.6% - Bad posture
41.2% - Playing with hair or touching their face
37.5% - Failing to smile
20.8% - Having a handshake that was too strong
16.67% - Using too many hand gestures

Other reader observations included:


  • “Anything with a smartphone or other device”

  • “Having their phone out on the table and constantly glancing at it. Really, what could be that important? If you are expecting an emergency call or text, just let us know before the interview begins.”

  • “Too many ‘ums’ and ‘ahs.’ Or using filler words generally, such as like, kinda.”


Reader Stories

Oh – and readers had stories to share as well. Here’s a sampling:


  • “I had one woman who had clearly mentally checked out. While I was talking, she was staring past me, looking at something on the wall. One thing that I find annoying is people that say, "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh," while I’m talking. I would really rather people keep quiet until it’s their turn to talk. Overall, I have an issue with all the red flags and mannerisms listed here. But hey, I’m sure I do my share of annoying things, too.”

  • “Years ago, I was one of 4 people who interviewed a candidate – 2 were not impressed, I had some concerns that she was hiding something, but my boss for some reason thought she was the best qualified and overruled us. She caused a lot of issues for almost 2 years before she found another job and quit. If 3 out of 4 interviewers have issues, the boss should listen!”

  • “My co-manager (male) and I (female) interviewed a qualified male candidate for a position open on my team. No matter what questions I asked, the interviewee would answer looking at my co-manager. Needless to say, he was not offered a position.”

  • “One interview, I was trapped in a small conference room with a woman who really loved perfume. The excessive smell was making my eyes water (I mumbled something about bad allergies...) and I cut out of there as soon as I could politely do so. We ended up passing on that candidate.”

  • “I interviewed someone who would not quit talking. Every time a question was asked he went on and on with the answer, saying the same things over and over. In order to ask another question, I had to interrupt him. The interview was about an hour and only 4 questions were asked. Obviously, he did not get the job.”

  • “If a candidate doesn’t have well-groomed nails (and I don’t necessarily mean a manicure with nail polish, just not ragged or dirty), or pressed clothing, or has stains on their clothes, or mismatched socks, I feel like he or she doesn’t pay attention to details. I realize these things might not be a concern for other industries, and might even be welcome (mismatched socks? You’re so artsy!), but in this field details are critical. You knew you were going to an interview, right? So make an effort.”


Weirdest Interview Behaviors

For what it’s worth, a nationwide survey conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder from Nov. 16 to Dec. 6, 2016 among more than 2,600 hiring and human resource managers found that about half of employers (51%) know within the first five minutes of an interview if a candidate is a good fit for a position. Those HR managers cited the following worst behaviors:

66% - Candidate is caught lying about something
64% - Candidate answers a cellphone or text during the interview
59% - Candidate appears arrogant or entitled
49% - Candidate dresses inappropriately
48% - Candidate appears to have a lack of accountability

However, when asked to share the most unusual things job candidates have done during the interview process, employers and hiring managers recalled the following (these should make you feel better):


  • Candidate asked to step away to call his wife to ask her if the starting salary was enough before he agreed to continue with the interview.

  • Candidate asked where the nearest bar was located.

  • Candidate brought his childhood toys to the interview.

  • Candidate ate a pizza he brought with him (and didn’t offer to share).

  • Candidate asked interviewer why her aura didn’t like the candidate.

  • Candidate invited interviewer to dinner afterwards.

  • Candidate stated that if the interviewer wanted to get to heaven, she would hire him.

  • Candidate ate crumbs off the table.

  • Candidate said her hair was perfect when asked why she should become part of the team.

  • Candidate sang to a song on the radio playing overhead.

  • Candidate bragged about the fact that they were in the local newspaper for allegedly stealing a treadmill from an older woman’s house.

  • Candidate put on and took off her sunglasses repeatedly.


Thanks to everyone who participated in our weekly NAPA Net reader poll!

Got a question you’d like to pose to our readers? Something on which you’d like to get a sense of the industry? Post it in the comments section below, or email me at [email protected].

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