What is the most unusual experience you have had with a candidate?

I want to hear your most unusual, outrageous, funny, weird, disturbing candidate stories!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sherry Karr on May 4, 2007 at 9:08pm

Hmmm....I did have this guy once that asked if he relocated to my area for a job if he could sleep on my couch for a few weeks while he looked for a place to stay. I told him that I didn't think my husband would like that.

He didn't call so much after that to check up on new opportunities, hahah.

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Permalink Reply by Dawn Christine Khan on May 8, 2007 at 11:51am

This was years and years and years ago, and still is tops in my outrageous candidate story. This is the reason my return to staffing was marked with great trepidation.. :D

Tuesday the new hire that was delivering supplies at Stanford disappeared from his temporary job IN the Stanford delivery van. Phoned him at home and work that day, that night. Paged him. No answer, he appears to have disappeared.

Wednesday.. same drill. Thursday, looking into police actions, and by the evening.. a call left on voicemail after hours. "Hi, this is ***, I um, just got your message. Sorry it took me a while to um return the call. Can I come get my check tomorrow? Please call me back as soon as possible.

Friday in the office to pick up the paycheck, but more importantly to get the keys to the van; "I ain't gonna lie to you.. I uh, had a party to go to in Oakland. Do I only get paid for Monday then?"

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Albrecht Kembel on May 18, 2007 at 9:08pm

That's a good one!!!
Wendy:)

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Albrecht Kembel on May 18, 2007 at 9:09pm

Yep, that would make ya wonder about returning to recruiting!!!
Wendy:)

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Permalink Reply by Sherry Karr on May 29, 2007 at 5:39pm

Oh wow - WOW that is cold.
But then again, a candidate should show consistency. At least interview as the same sex. I have heard something like this happen before through another recruiter (though no bets were involved.) The fellow had a couple of good personal interviews as a man, and then when he flew in for the last interview, he was dressed as a woman. Hmmm...you know, that is a tough situation for people thinking of making a change, or if they haven't had a chance to change their legal name to match who they are planning on becoming.
But, my goodness - consistency - I think it is important in interviewing.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Harry on June 1, 2007 at 11:47am

I had a Big 5 candidate clip his toenails during an interview. I am still in therapy for that.

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Permalink Reply by Kristi Young on June 5, 2007 at 12:37pm

My boss said she once had a guy that would only talk through a puppet. Now that I would pay to see!

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Permalink Reply by Sherry Karr on June 10, 2007 at 7:07pm

hahaha that is hilarious.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Stair on June 19, 2007 at 5:28pm

My colleague was working with a client who flew the candidate in. My colleague always picked the candidates up from the hotel and drove them to the interview to make sure they were on time, didn't get lost and could debrief them before and after the interview. (Very high level positions.) One such morning the candidate was not ready. She phoned the candidate's cell phone but there was no answer. She notified the front desk that this was highly unusual and explained the situation. The hotel thinking that something serious had happened accessed his room and found him passed out drunk on the bed, buck naked with a hooker.

The candidate did not make it to the interview and certainly did not get the job!

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Permalink Reply by Kalch on June 26, 2007 at 1:28am

I once had a candidate with a strong career arc interview for a job. Under his education was a "small university" in england that I had never heard of, but didn't give it much thought.

Funny enough, one of the interviewers was from the town where this "university" is located. The client calls to inform me he had never heard of the university. And while the two of us were on the phone we googled the name of the university and found that it had been featured on a 20/20 type show as a diploma factory, and a degree could be had for $50.

Interestingly, I recruit for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, where education is a key component for many roles.

The candidate never called me back after I left a message on his v/m asking him to provide proof of graduation, education and transcripts.