{"id":4762,"date":"2014-04-22T08:59:41","date_gmt":"2014-04-22T15:59:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/recruitloop.wpengine.com\/?p=4762"},"modified":"2023-05-15T10:47:27","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T17:47:27","slug":"8-of-my-most-bizarre-hiring-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zippia.com\/employer\/8-of-my-most-bizarre-hiring-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Hiring Stories You Couldn’t Make Up Even If You Tried"},"content":{"rendered":"

I know I have placed thousands<\/em> of candidates into jobs for my clients throughout my recruitment career. But over the years I have also hired at least a few hundred people to work directly in my own teams.<\/p>\n

I have always liked to describe myself as a pretty good recruiter but there have been a few occasions when I asked myself if maybe I was losing my innate ability to spot a super star!<\/p>\n

Here are 8 of my most \u2018bizarre\u2019 hiring stories.<\/p>\n

Enjoy \u2026<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0What\u2019s wrong with this tie?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I could distinctly remember what Lawrence had worn to his interview \u2013 well at least the tie he\u2019d worn since it had been pretty bright. There was nothing wrong with it at all. It was just bright.<\/p>\n

He wore the same tie on his first day. And then came in wearing it again on his second day \u2026 and third day.<\/p>\n

At the end of his first week, one of the ladies in Lawrence\u2019s team came to see me and asked me if I\u2019d noticed that he\u2019d worn the same clothes every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a pretty loud tie<\/em>\u201d, I said. \u201cBut at least it shows he\u2019s got a bit of personality<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul he\u2019s worn exactly the same clothes every day this week<\/em>\u201d, Elana said. \u201cSame shirt. Same pants. And he hasn\u2019t even washed the shirt \u2026 that\u2019s for sure<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

When I caught up with Lawrence on the Friday afternoon, I immediately detected a slight odour when I shut the door. It was a rather sensitive issue, but I asked if \u00a0he\u2019d worn the same clothes to work five days in a row.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with this tie?<\/em>\u201d, he asked.<\/p>\n

By the middle of the following week I had to pull him aside. He told me he\u2019d never believed in wasting money on clothes. That he wasn\u2019t materialistic. My not so subtle suggestion to invest in a few new shirts clearly didn\u2019t go down very well since he came in the following day wearing the all too familiar shirt-pants-tie combo \u2026 only to hand in his resignation.<\/p>\n

Note to self: In all future reference checks<\/a>, try to find out the candidates’ clothing habits!<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0So you\u2019re fantasising about your Team Leader?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Francine was quite a lot older than the rest of the team but I felt the experience she would bring would really help John\u2019s team reach its targets. I should also point out that John was one of the younger team leaders in the business.<\/p>\n

During her first week John had let me know that things were going reasonably well but that Francine was coming to him with a lot of questions \u2013 often asking him things he\u2019d already covered off several times.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d asked me to check in with her at the end of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow have you found the first week? Not too overwhelming I hope<\/em>\u201d. \u201cOh not at all. I\u2019m really enjoying it<\/em>\u201d, Francine said. \u201cAnd how\u2019s everything going with John? Are you comfortable with the help he\u2019s given you?<\/em>\u201d \u201cAbsolutely<\/em>. [pause]. Actually he\u2019s a complete dreamboat and I can\u2019t stop thinking about him<\/em>. [insert fantasy far too inappropriate to include in this blog post!].<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got a body like a battle-axe and those eyes are to die for. I\u2019d be happy for him to land in my in-box any time<\/em>\u201d! \u201cFrancine I think it might be best if we move you into another team<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

John received an email from Francine that weekend in which she (a) decided to elaborate on the inappropriate fantasy I chose not to include; and (b) hand in her notice<\/a>. Here\u2019s to you, Mrs Robinson!<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Salary includes free accommodation \u2026 not<\/em>!<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Many of my team used to bring their shirts into the office at the beginning of the week since they would often ride their bikes or run into work some mornings and it was just easier for them to shower and change in the office.<\/p>\n

So when I saw Leon hang a whole lot of clothes in the coat cupboard on his first day I really thought nothing of it. Actually I liked the idea of a fitness-conscious team.<\/p>\n

I also just assumed he was demonstrating his enthusiasm and dedication when he was still in the office when I left fairly late that night \u2026 and the night after that.<\/p>\n

But when I came in very early the next morning and found Leon fast asleep on the couch in the front reception area, I think he got more of a shock than I did.<\/p>\n

He’d been evicted from his apartment (for reasons he \u2018preferred\u2019 not to go into), he wasn\u2019t going to be getting his bond back, and he couldn\u2019t afford to find a new place until his first pay (which would only be at the end of the month).<\/p>\n

He actually thought he\u2019d be able to sleep on the couch every night. I guess it brings an entirely new meaning to the concept of a ‘home office’!<\/p>\n