Tales From the Hiring Hall

As a former manager, I can say without reservation that the least favorite part of my job description entailed the interviewing and hiring process. Too much paperwork, too many repetitive questions lobbed at each potential candidate and the normal amount of uncertainty that you made the right decision.

But I’m happy to say that despite all that, my hires worked out roughly 90 percent of the time, including several who went on to forge stellar careers with national consumer publications. But still, at this point in my career, I have no desire to revisit the process.

I harken back to these hiring hall tales, because now is the time that many CPA firms are padding their staffs in preparation for the onslaught that awaits them two or three weeks down the road. And while many of their respective hires will be relatively brief occupants in their cubicles, it’s probably a wise strategy to determine a sound set of criterion of what to look for –even if it’s temporary.

So it’s on that premise that I regale you will a collection of incredible anecdotes that actually happened during the interview process. I once had a promising young woman tell me that quite frankly, 8:30 am was far too early to come to the office and she preferred to meander in about 10. I quickly thanked her for coming in and placed her resume in the nearest shredder.

But that experience pales into comparison with these “I can’t make this stuff up” true life vignettes. I’ll assume most of you could enjoy a laugh or two before you’re breast stroking through a pile of 1040s.

To wit:

• An applicant warned the interviewer that prior to coming in she had taken too much valium
• One candidate actually fielded a call during the interview from a competitor
• Casting aside the traditional coat and tie, a hopeful arrived in a tracksuit because he had planned to run after the interview, while another refused to remove his headphones.
• When asking about the company’s health benefits and specifically their dental plan, one applicant popped out his dentures
• Even before sitting for the interview, one unfortunate soul crashed her car into the employer’s building
• When asked if he had a family, one applicant replied yes, but he questioned his daughter’s paternity
• And perhaps my favorite, at the end of the interview one applicant asked for the number of the receptionist because he thought she was “hot.”

Good luck!