The client was a large publishing company who needed a Controller. Having worked with them many times before, I had a clear idea of the type of professional who would best fit with their culture. I prepped my candidate, we’ll call him Tom, and discussed how the department was set up, the current staff, the growth potential and all of the necessary details to get him ready. We were both confident no stone was left unturned in preparing for this interview.
About one hour after the interview was scheduled to begin, I received a call from Tom saying “I nailed it! No question I can handle this position and I already have ideas of how to make improvements.” Anxiously I called HR to get their feedback. Imagine my shock when the Director of HR said, “No way are we moving forward. Tom had a wad of green gum in his mouth and neither I nor my assistant could think of anything else.”
I did my best to minimize the trivial detail, “This candidate has 8 solid years of experience, he is a CPA, he can show up day 1 and make an impact. Why is the gum such a problem?”
I called Tom back and asked “Hey, why didn’t you tell me you were chewing gum in the interview?” Tom responded, “Oh, they noticed? I was chewing it when I was sitting in the lobby. The two HR ladies came out together and I didn’t know how to get rid of the gum! I considered swallowing it, but thought I might choke. So I hid it up in between my molars and my cheek. When I was talking, it kinda fell out into my mouth. Are you saying they had a problem with that?”
Oddly enough, they passed on this candidate JUST BECAUSE OF THE GUM! Infuriating right? Certainly not fair, but you never know what the person interviewing has stuck in their head (pun intended!).
In Tom’s case, it’s clear that he was well-qualified for the Controller position and had the potential to make a significant impact. However, interviewers often use interviews not only to assess qualifications but also to evaluate a candidate’s overall demeanor and fit within the company culture. Chewing gum might have been seen as unprofessional or distracting by the interviewers, causing them to focus on it rather than Tom’s qualifications and responses.
While it may seem unfair, these small details can influence a hiring decision, even if the candidate is otherwise highly qualified.
In the end, while it might seem infuriating, it’s a good reminder for both candidates and interviewers that perceptions and judgments during the interview process can be influenced by seemingly minor things, and it’s important to approach interviews with professionalism and attention to detail.
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