Tuesday, September 25, 2007

"I'm NOT a people person"

We all like to take our digs at hiring managers, with many of us having stories of how ill treated we have been by these people. They ask us stupid questions (or none at all), they are rude, dismissive and won't return phone calls or e-mails telling us whether or not we are still in contention for a job.

But there are two sides to every story -- and the tales some hiring managers are telling may explain why some of them treat us like alien beings.

Some 150 senior executives were asked to tell about the strangest pitches they've ever heard from potential hires. Those include:

  • The person who told the interviewer "he was allergic to unemployment."
  • The candidate who said the employer should hire him "because he would be a great addition to our softball team."
  • The musical candidates -- one sang all her responses to interview questions, while another delivered his entire cover letter verbally as a rap song.
  • The applicant who admitted she wanted the job "because she wanted to get away from dealing with people."
  • The mother who came with the applicant and did all of his talking.
  • The job seeker who said "he should get the job because he had already applied three times and felt that it was now his turn."
  • Because the company had good benefits, the applicant was happy "because he was going to need to take a lot of leave in the next year."

If any of these sound familiar, because you've done something nearly as boneheaded, I urge you to get a grip. Remember that when you're applying for a job, you want to make the employer sees you as the best candidate for the job based on your skills and abilities (not your ability to rap or play ball).

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