It’s that special spooky time of year, when ghosts and goblins emerge from their graves and nightmares come to haunt your dreams. Here at ClearanceJobs we’re digging out the ghosts of interviews past, with the interview horror stories you hope never happen to you.
- You know those nightmares where you wake up in the middle of a scary situation, but you don’t know how you got there? How about mid-interview you forget the position you’re applying for. Sound ridiculous? It’s happened. And the only thing worse than a candidate forgetting the position they’re applying for is them actually mentioning the wrong company or position in the interview. Keep this one from happening to you by repeating the company, position and interviewer name to yourself several times to yourself before entering the room (but, please – only if you’re alone). If it’s a phone interview, keep notes with a header at the top of the paper listing the company name, position name and the name of the person interviewing you.
- Your interview attire looks more like funeral attire. We’re not knocking black, but there is something to be said for showing a little bit of personality (with an emphasis on a little – moderation is key). It’s also great to embrace company culture a bit. If you’re looking to get a position in public relations or sales, you’ll need to dress the part, so try to get an idea of what office attire is generally in vogue, and when in doubt go more professional than casual.
- The interviewer violates Equal Employment Opportunity during your interview. A police uniform might make great Halloween garb but actually breaking the law isn’t so neat. The fact is many companies will ask no-no questions, like age, marital status or race. Don’t answer those questions if you’re uncomfortable, and if you feel like you didn’t get the job due to your age, race or disability, contact the human resources department of the company to file a complaint.
- You’re interviewed in a foreign language. We’ve talked a lot at ClearanceJobs about the importance of wiping acronyms from your interview vocabulary. Sometimes it’s recruiters who are the ones with their own language, however. If they start asking you about CIFS, NFS, ISCSI, and FCOE solutions, don’t hesitate to ask for the definition. And if you don’t know the answer, admit it.
- Ghosts and goblins emerge mid-interview. And by creepy creatures, we mean your children, pets, significant others or ringing cell phones. Whether your interview is in-person or via phone, it’s vitally important to silence all of the distractions before you get started. Your interviewer may love children or pets, but probably won’t like the sound of them howling in the background during your interview.
- Classified information haunts your resume…and your recruiter. As a security-cleared professional you should know more than anyone not to put classified details or information on your resume. If you do, it won’t just ruin your chances of getting the job, it will also cause a lot of trouble for the person who receives your application. If you wonder what you can reveal without breaking the rules, ask the facility security officer for the company where you worked on the classified project to review your resume.
Interview nightmares are enough to keep both job seekers and recruiters up at night. Security-cleared spooks need to be especially careful. You don’t want a trick to stand between the treat you’re looking for – that perfect cleared job.
