Too much information

jmpmo · May 2003

What is some of the worst information candidates have volunteered to you in an interview? Let's face it, they share their lives with us typically. It is like being a bartender. Yesterday I interviewed a young man who was VERY interesting. On one of his jobs under reason for leaving he put "conflict with supervisor which has since been resolved." I said, well, I see you have dealt with conflict, how did you resolve it? Answer: "I quit that job." Then I asked him how he dealt with stress. "Oh, I just hum a song in my head. Right now it is Carry on My Wayward Son by Kansas." I wanted to look at him and ask what other things he was hearing in his head. Finally I asked him if he could have any job in the world what would he do? "Well, I think I would go back to work at the nursing home, but they would have to get rid of all the grouchy people." I am telling you, after he left the room I have not laughed so hard in a long time.

Always Learning in OR · May 2003

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 05-30-03 AT 09:14AM (CST)[/font][p]I don't know if this qualifies as "too much information" but I had a candidate for a teller position whose blue, cotton and lace, thong underwear came up about six inches over her low rise pants, and weren't covered by her shorty style midrif shirt.

Margaret Morford · May 2003

I had a women that put down she was a song writer. (Imagine here in Nashville, Tennessee!) When I ask her about it, she told me she actually only acted as a song receiver because there were songs in the air everywhere. She then proceeded to sing the latest song she'd plucked out of the air at the top of her lungs while stomping her feet and clapping her hands. Unfortunately, I shared a wall with the CEO. My intercom went off and it was the CEO wanting to know what in the #$%! was going on in my office. Luckily, he had a good sense of humor and my carrer didn't come to a screeching halt in my early twenties. However, when I went out into the waiting room to get my next interview, it was empty. Previous to the song writer, I'd had five people waiting for an interview!

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Mentel · May 2003

I had a woman applying for a job on a survey crew. She proceeded to tell me about her three divorces in detail and how she was trying to get her life together. Did I also mentioned that she was inappropriately dressed for the interview, also. What was she thinking? Way tooooo much information!!!

Leslie · May 2003

I had a new hire who had recently moved from Tennessee and needed to provide a prescription verification for her pre-employment drug test. She came in with 12 prescription bottles, all from Tennessee, and would not stop talking about why she was taking this one or that one - stories of car wrecks, abusive husband, run away boyfriend, and stays in an institution for the mind (kindly said.) Wow. I warned the department manager to keep an eye on her. Why he asked. No reason, I replied, just a feeling. Lo and behold, eight months later he's in my office saying she is a nightmare and he thinks she is coming to work impaired. She was actually wandering the back hallways with basically no idea where she was. She was discharged. What a surprise. #-o.

TALLEY · May 2003

TMI happens to me all the time! Not just interview situations. People just seem to want to share everything. Whether at a party, waiting in the doctor's office or with a cashier at a store. After paying for a purchase, I've come away knowing the cashier's grade point average, where she attends school, that her mother paid for her car, how much her insurance is every month and what her favorite foods are. Maybe by virtue of our occupations we invite the conversations or maybe we just ask really good questions. Does this happen with anyone else?

Margaret Morford · June 2003

I absolutely know what you mean and bet everyone on this Forum has had similar experiences. My husband is continually amazed at the things people will tell me or want to share with me. He calls it that "HR thing." He'll say. "Do you think you can rein in that HR thing so that we can get our dinner finished and I can pay the check?" The maddest it ever made him was when we were on a tour in Australia and the tour bus got off the tour route - we started driving through this residential area. Everyone was a little mistified, except my husband. He turned to me and said, "What have you done?" I had to explain that the driver had told me all about his difficulties with the aboriginal tribe from which he was trying to buy his house. When the driver found out I was an attorney in Tennessee, he wanted some legal advice. Then he wanted to show me his house and his garden and his dog, Tiger and the rest of the tour group was forced to go along for the ride! My husband looked at me and said, "Damn it, Margaret, you are not even licensed to practice law in this hemisphere! Now turn off that HR thing and get this tour back on track!" Poor man! We've been together for 12 years and married eight and a half! It's amazing that HR thing hasn't put him in the Rubber Ramada by now!

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

TALLEY · June 2003

It's not my husband that gets upset with me because he's never met a stranger. In fact, I get fairly upset with him because he sometimes initiates conversations with others when I would prefer he pay attention to me or our sons. After 29 years of marriage, I just let it go. I don't think I intitiate most of the conversations, but I'm not unfriendly, so once contact is made, we're off. My kids, however, get pretty aggravated with me and their father.

scottorr · May 2003

Two years ago I was interviewing a 60 year old gentleman. I asked him "why should I hire you over the next applicant?" This was how I ended all interviews. He answered by saying he had a 20 something girlfriend and began to describe their sex life. After several attempts to get him back on target, I ended the interview. He had the job up until that point.

HS · May 2003

I had an applicant once tell me why she was 'let go' from a previous company. It involved some argument with a supervisor over something she says she didn't do. Oh, and how she's on food stamps now and her neighbor who is so kind picks up and delivers groceries to her, and how she's not a bad person...blah, blah, blah. Cried her eyes out in the interview, then called me several times crying about why she didn't get the job! #-o

Then there was the guy that was too honest about a gap in his employment. I was on probation for attempted battery, which wasn't what it appeared to be. You see, my wife was running around on me, I picked up a hairbrush and shook it at her during an argument. I've since found God and wouldn't ever do that again...blah, blah, blah. Well, on the brighter side, at least he was honest! x:P

ritaanz · May 2003

How about these... When asked the question of salary expectations, she said whatever the pay scale was is fine with her. Her youngest daughter, 14, just got pregnant and is eligible for welfare. "That will bring in a nice monthly check." (Said with a BIG smile.)

When interviewing a man for a warehouse position, I asked about the gaps in his employment. He proceeded to give me a lecture on welfare being his American birthright and as soon as his paperwork gets straightened out he will continue to enjoy his gift from the government.

Or the gal that filled the application out as Sally, kept referring to herself as Maria AND Adele. I asked her which name she preferred and why. The answer was all 3 at different times. She said that Sally is the real her but Maria comes out when she is stressed and Adele comes forward when she is bad. Ya know, you could look at it as getting 3 people for the price of one.

Leslie · May 2003

Does the name Sybelle come to mind?

Rockie · June 2003

Oh, here's a good one. When I worked for a hospital, I was interviewing a technical person and I had gotten information from another source that she was discharged from another hospital in the area, which was not on her resume.

Since I had already scheduled the interview, I talked with her. I asked her if she had worked at such and such hospital and she said, yes, but just for a few weeks and that's why she didn't put it on her resume. I asked if she cared to explain why she was no longer there. She looked at me and said "I have a problem." I replied "Yes?" She said "I hurt myself when I get under stress", and then she pulled her sleeves up and showed me where she cut herself in several places. She then told me that she was perfectly okay as long as she took her medication.

I graciously got her out of my office (and away from my scissors) as fast as I could.

hrbanker · June 2003

Interviewed a gentleman for bank custodian position. --This person would have the keys to the bank and work when no one else was around. When I asked about a gap in employment, he said he was in jail for bank robbery!

NaeNae55 · June 2003

Had a prospective employee tell me all about her husband in jail for burglary. She was doing fine because he was behind bars, but...he would be out hopefully next year with his appeal and all. If not it would be 2 more years. Once he got out, she HOPED she would stay off the bottle, but was afraid of his influence. By the way, she was looking for work because her previous employer had set her up. Her previous employer was a friend and had her signing checks and everything. Now the ex-friend had disappeared and she was under investigation for fraud and bad checks. But of course, she was innocent.

The very next interviewee started the interview by announcing she was pregnant. She was my best applicant so of course, I hired her. It was a bad decision.

I don't think I have ever recovered as I sure hate to do interviews now. x:D

WOCO Frank · June 2003

I know it's not something I should base my decision on, either legally or morally, but... everytime I have hired a woman whose husband is in jail, it has turned out badly for us.

I do have one that is bucking the trend. Jeannie's husband and her lover are co-defendants in a string of burglaries. The lover has already gone to the pen for it, the husband's trial is coming up. To top it off, my wife was the one who made the formal court recommendation for the lover's incarceration, and will do the same with Jeannie's husband.

Despite this, Jeannie continues to be a pretty dependable employee. My concern is that when her husband goes away to the pen, she will move to make it easier on her and the kids on visiting day.

I wonder if she gets separate visits for husband and lover, or whether it's just easier to get them all together at once.

What a screwed up girl.

Leslie · June 2003

I'm not sure the EAP could do much with this one.

DeidreFR5 · June 2003

I recently had a lady apply for a part-time teller position. Her previous employment was as a Common Street Walker (I really wanted to ask if there are other categories). She did state she had been arrested and was now in recovery. She stressed she was very good interacting with the public. Believe it or not, I passed on this one.

LeeR · June 2003

I had an applicant tell me how difficult it had been to remain drug free for the last month so he could pass our drug screening.

Too much information

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