Dumb Things Companies Do With Candidates

• Asking candidates to take a series of tests, why do they need to take a test if they have X amount of experience? Do you ask CEOs, accountants, managers, and lawyers to take tests before hiring them?
• Stating you have a specific need on the Job Application, then trying to test the candidate on completely different things
• Stating you have a specific need on the Job Application, then trying to test the candidate, if you can test them on the matter then you already have the skills, what do you need them for?
• Stating you need someone for X because they need to up skill their candidates, but then also stating that your team has the necessary skills, so which is it are they unskilled, do you have incompetent team even after such detailed tests at interview?
• Rejecting candidates because you are looking for specific keywords
• Rejecting candidates because you don’t like how they look
• Rejecting candidates because of diversity, inclusion, and equity reasons, so you specifically looking for a transgender woman? So, basically the opposite of practicing diversity, inclusion, and equity?
• Companies that post ghost jobs to frustrate applicants
• Trying to play games with candidates during interview stages and during offer stages to put them off the role and turning it into a wasted time
• Part way through an interview process putting the job on hold or filling the job internally
• After successfully interviewing and going through the stages telling candidates that they couldn’t secure funding to hire
• Getting candidates to interview for a different role than the one they applied for because you think you know more about a candidate's skills and they would be more suitable for the other role
• Not acknowledging candidate application and then violating GDPR
• Not providing candidate feedback along the interview process and then again violating GDPR
• Using candidate CV/Resume as a scratch paper during the interview which again violates GDPR, especially if you throw it away in the bin in front of them
• Using racist, biased, and discriminatory language during an interview with candidates
• Rejecting a candidate before interviewing them or had a chance to get to know them
• Making assumptions about a candidate application, if you had to make an assumption then what is the point of interviewing them?
• Rejecting a candidate because they like a different football team, even if they had the skills to do the job, like how is that relevant to the role?
• Rejecting a candidate because they didn't use the correct pronouns
• Rejecting a candidate's test because they used american english instead of british english?
• Trying to expect candidates to answer based on a script
• Rejecting a candidate because they gave a different model answer than what you are expecting, even though the candidate answer was likely better than the model solution that you were expecting
• Rejecting a candidate because they make you feel insecure in your own role
• Run candidates around in circles of red tape and politics
• Not willing to provide the right offer and on time
• Being stingy with job interview feedback
• Showcasing to candidates about how bad it is to work there, especially through employee feedback
• Not using an accurate job ad that reflects the reality of the job
• Talking about cultural fit like you looking to slot fill candidates rather than hire for their skills
• Expecting the candidate to have all the free time in the world and should be completely flexible
• Constantly changing interview dates with candidates, especially at the last minute
• Being too flippant and pedantic
• Refusing to shake hands with candidates during an on-site interview
• Being more curious about the background wallpaper they used on a virtual interview
• Having children running around in the background while conducting a virtual interview
• Asking the same question over and over again to the candidate, especially if the candidate has already answered it in full
• Being patronizing towards the candidate just because they are of a different race or have specific credentials, like what has any of that got to do with the job?
• Mixing up job applications and rejecting the wrong candidate
• Trying to offer a lower compensation to a candidate because they are of a specific racial background then making it obvious
• Rejecting a candidate because you think the candidate  doesn't have the right to work in a specific location even when the candidate has provided proof that they do
• When interviewers are extremely late to interview a candidate and keep them hanging without any courtesy of excuse
• Being distracted with other things while interviewing a candidate
• Ghosting on candidates
• Giving preferential treatment to certain candidates over others while stating you practice diversity, inclusion, and equity