Crazy interviews? Or something wrong with the system?

It’s probably fair to say that recruiters interviewing candidates week-in, week-out, will have a few anecdotes up their sleeves.

This week workplace law consultancy Protecting.co.uk shared some of the worst experiences hiring managers and candidates have experienced during job interviews. They included bizarre behaviour, otherwise fantastic candidates losing the plot when put on the spot, and even one starting to eat his packed lunch.

In a changing world where we happily share snapshots of our lives on social media and make business connections ‘virtually’ over LinkedIn, placing someone in front of a panel of interviewers to be grilled can seem old-fashioned – so it’s not totally surprising that some people misjudge the situation and behave strangely, or become overtaken by nerves. 

And in a bid to make themselves look ‘quirky’ or attract a particular type of (young and fashionable) candidate, some employers turn the interview process into such a show that it stops being either helpful for the process or fair on the candidate. For example, a couple of years ago, it emerged that document storage company Dropbox had been asking candidates ‘What would you do if there was a zombie apocalypse in the next hour?’

What employers expect when they turn the interview process into the job-seeking equivalent of an open mic night is hard to see. That said, candidates also often behave in equally inappropriate ways, such as Protecting’s example of one candidate who answered ‘Where do you see yourself in a year’s time?’ with ‘Marrying my manager’. 

Recruiters have a difficult balance to strike here – on the one hand engaging candidates without turning it into a show; on the other ensuring the process is objectively fair and there is no risk of legal repercussions.

Taking a step back to consider the role of the interview and how it should be pitched can pay dividends. It will help ensure you engage a diverse set of candidates and don’t risk alienating certain individuals who perform well in a different setting. And it doesn’t have to be the one and only form of assessment – it’s just another tool in your arsenal to get people with the best attitude and skills fit for your organisation.