Small Business

10 strangest job interview fails

By Jason McCormick

January 14, 2013 / 1:47 PM EST / CBS News

One job interviewee claimed he didn't have a cellphone even though the company staffer he was interviewing with could hear it ringing through his briefcase, reports CareerBuilder.com. The employment search firm's recent survey on the most common mistakes people make during job interviews asked more than 2,600 hiring managers to provide real-life examples of job candidates' most memorable failures.

Job candidate takes empoyer's candy -- all of it

A job candidate grabbed her prospective employer's candy dish and poured its entire contents into her pocket, according to an anonymous hiring manager who participated in a recent study by CareerBuilder.com.

Job candidate admits he wanted to steal

A former banker admitted during a job interview that he had quit a previous position because he always wanted to steal, according to CareerBuilder.com.

Job candidate makes a move

Evidently warming to the occasion, one candidate placed a hand on an interviewer's knee, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey on job interview mistakes. No word on where the relationship went from there.

Job candidate seeks easy job

CareerBulder.com reports that a job interviewee admitted to a hiring manager that he didn't want a job that would require him to "work a lot." Admittedly, not working is one advantage of unemployment.

Job candidate hates reading, waking up early

A job seeker told a hiring manager that he enjoyed sleeping in and disliked reading, reports CareerBuilder.com. Finding a job that combines both could be tough.

Job candidate volunteers to commit a crime

One candidate allegedly told a hiring manager that he would do anything for a job -- even if that meant committing a crime, according to CareerBuilder.com.

Job candidate hugs president

A job candidate reportedly hugged a prospective employer's president, according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com.

Job candidate asks what's for dinner?

Mmmm... — Left: Photo by Elsa/Getty Images); Right: Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

A hiring manager reported to CareerBuilder.com that one job candidate called his wife to make dinner plans -- during the interview.

Job candidate wants holiday gifts

Happy dolphin oven glove — Shirtcity.com/CBS

A job candidate asked to postpone a potential position's start date so she should get some holiday gifts at her current job, according to CareerBuilder.com. In its recent study on the most common job interview mistakes, it polled more than 2,600 hiring managers.

Jason McCormick

View all articles by Jason Henry McCormick on CBS MoneyWatch »

Jason is a producer with CBS MoneyWatch. Click here to contact him.

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