Interviews/applications - Gems and down right uglies

[Guest Nuby]

argh!!!!!! When an applicant doesn't put their previous employer as a ref but they tell you in interview that they never finished their probation at their last two jobs because 'it just wasn't for them!!!!'

Please share your stories ....did any of you take a chance on somebody and they turned out a real gem or a real nightmare?

[Bee21]

"Why do you work with or want to work with young children?!"

 

"Cos I love kids I do, they're dead cute!"

 

"Ummmmmm a week here will soon get that out of your system"

[Stargrower]

I once interviewed someone who swore all through the interview. I'm not talking "flipping 'eck" either! The one that sticks in my mind (that is mild enough to share) is that she "couldn't be *rsed" to carry on in her current job. Guess whether I employed her or not?

 

Edit: Just remembered another one, who when I asked why she wanted to come and work with us answered

"Cos if I don't get off my **** and get a job, my mum will throw me out" !

Edited July 18, 2014 by Stargrower

[Guest]

We interviewed for a nursery position and when asked if the applicant would take the job if offered it, she proceeded to talk for ten minutes about the pros and cons of the job and it was seriously hard to tell if she was going to eventually say yes or no!

 

Anyway after that we didn't feel we wanted to offer her the job! So we didn't

[Guest]

I get them to spend an hour or so in the setting usually sorts the ones that r ok to the ones who are just not right

[Mouseketeer]

When asked 'can you tell us how you would manage unacceptable behaviour' a candidate answered "a little tap on the back of the leg usually sorts it's" uh NOOOOOOOOO !!

[louby loo]

We.ve had a few corkers.....

Job advertised as 8.3 - 3.30, involving physical work setting up room etc..

 

Candidate- "we'll, could maybe get in for just after 9...- but more realistically we are talking 10oc, and I would have to leave by 2oc at the very latest.... Oh, and I can't do any lifting"

 

Personally I blame the job centres. The one and only time we have advertised through there we had a right selection of people who very obviously wanted to be seen 'actively seeking employment' rather than actually wanting a job.

[Wildflowers]

I've only had surprises when it comes to students visiting, appearing in completely inappropriate clothing and covered in make up. They are spending time and money to be trained to get a job and seem to have very little understanding of other aspects of actually getting or having one. I wouldn't employ some of the ones I've met or trust them to care for or educate my child. I understand that colleges and universities can't add appearance and conduct to their curriculum, but think it would be helpful...

[finleysmaid]

Tell norland nannies that!!

[Wildflowers]

Tell norland nannies that!!

I assume that what is an appropriate amount of make-up is part of their course...

A student came to see early years education in woodlands wearing a very short dress and flip flops. But, to be fair, she wasn't applying for a job...

[finleysmaid]

sorry dont know what happened there...i was quoting the colleges cant set standards for appearance and conducts (don;t know if you saw the programme the other night!!).....i went on a forest school course where one of the students turned up in flip flops and a long skirt too!!

[Wildflowers]

If employers can set codes of dress and conduct and colleges prepare students for a profession, I just thought that making them them aware would be helpful to the students themselves...

[Guest]

One candidate said she would be ok to get up if her mum was on early shift but would struggle if she was on a later one . I rang another who had been shortlisted but had just missed out because though she worked with children it was not in early years and the candidate that got the post had more experience. First she told me we had wasted her time then we should be sorry we had not employed her followed by some choice language about my parentage. Narrow escape for us no wonder the school she was at was making her redundant.

[Mouseketeer]

On the flip side, we have employed a couple who appeared fantastic at interview and practical visit but once employed were totally useless....one telling me they would bring 'umph' to the group and proceeded to spend the next couple of years practically comatosed, making a sloth look hyperactive in comparison and one when I discussed that 3 months in she should have figured out our routines, expectations and where things were by now rather than constantly asking other staff to find her things and do things for her told me she couldn't possibly work anywhere that using her own initiative wasn't respected, and left .....RESULT

[Guest]

I am a big 'gut feeling' kind of employer, one member of staff whom I employed for 9 years just turned up looking for work experience and I employed her virtually on the spot and another whom stayed with me 11 years, I met in pub where she was working and she made a lovely cup of tea as I had enough alcohol, we got chatting and that was that! the worst candidate I had for an advertised job was a lady who turned up with walking sticks and informed me that she couldn't bend down to the childrens level, couldn't sit on hard chairs and couldn't cope with dealing with bodily fluids

[caffinefreak]

I had a girl who came for interview, I asked her why she wanted to work with children, she said 'cos Tony and Guy ain't got no jobs' ... what a winner!!! xx

[Rea]

1. Wore very thin leggings and a really low cut top and had huge breasts, the anticipation of fallout was mesmerising.

2. 'Oh look at he mess, I've missed that like a hole n the head'.

3. 'I've got some examples of work I've done with the children'. Opens a bag of stuffed animals that could have been made by machine. Children not included was our bet.

4. 'So what can you tell us about equal opportunities?' 'Its when boys and girls do the same thing'.

5. 'If you saw a member of staff hit a child what would you do?' 'Oh you wouldn't do that, I've met you, you're really nice'.

There are more but thy're locked away... :blink:

[Guest]

So funny but sad at the same time. This topic is mesmerising can we include school work placements too?

[Guest]

first day of work experience black mini skirt fish nets,stiletto's and captivating deep red lips, second day didn't show, third day came in with blue hair "soz about yesterday mum had to dye my hair good innit" 4th and last day sat at the computer with small child "get off its my turn now you've been on ages" her feet didn't hit the ground as she left the premises. Thankfully they are not all like that.

[Cait]

I had one who would text on Sunday night to say she had a mysterious rash so couldn't come in on Monday, had fluid in her lungs so couldn't come in Monday, had broken her arm possibly so couldn't come in Monday........ Do you get the drift? (Insect bites, a cough, bruise) The list is endless. It got so bad that if I got a text on Sunday, OH would say, 'what's her excuse this time?' Before I'd even picked my phone up! Needless to say, after a couple of months she was encouraged to find another placement

[flowlow]

I had one where the student turned up in her 'birthday jeans' which apparently cost in excess of £90 and didn't want to break her nails or get her jeans dirty. Then didn't turn up regularly for various 'illness's' when I phoned the collage they were just as bad for sometime couldn't even tell me if she was on a course or not! She left quickly

[tish501]

I could add a couple of really good examples but just having a browse on here to avoid find pet Insce for my 12 yr old dog because Tesco have doubled it from last years price.....but all I want to add is that I hope that the all theyoung people we have had bad experiences with, could see this forum and realise that they are unemployable with their present attitude and ways.....such a shame...I am sure there are youngsters out there that are suitable....but I am holding out for experienced lev 3 's for my 2 vacancies xx

[MarshaD]

I think a huge part of this is that careers advisers and the like still have the mentality that those who can't should go into childcare. Early years is not the doddle it's made out to be - as well we know.

Happy recruiting!

[flowlow]

I agree Marsha, it is still the place to send the drop outs, which sometimes if fine as just because you are not traditionally academic or that school doesn't work for you doesn't mean you wont be 'good with kids' but it is frustrating. I had a work experience in a few years back and she had real issues with social communication and had SEN needs of her own but as the employer we were not given the heads up. I had planned some really good experiences with us for her and the first day she was with us the activity I had planned basically triggered all her difficulties. With the best will in the world she had been talked into childcare as she was 'struggling' every where else and was on the schools SEN register and they automatically thought that pushing her into working with children was the best thing for her, however all the social skills, people skills etc... that you need (not to say anything now of the paperwork skills) to do the job she didn't have it was those skills that sent her into a panic. I was livid for her sake as well as ours and remember phoning them up and giving the college hell. If they had given me any indication what her difficulties were I could have prepared different experiences that would have been positive, even if you have to say at the end of the day look I am not sure this is the right 'job' for you. As it was I had to cope with her having a melt down then talk her round and start from a negative point to build her back up so that she got something out of the week!!!!!!

[Guest]

My favourite one recently was the person with the perfect CV, covering letters and emails that then at the interview didn't speak enough English to string 2 sentences together.

Then I asked another lady who has done level 1, 2 and 3 in childcare what the EYFS learning areas are and she didn't know.

Another lady showed up looking like she had just crashed out of bed, with a dirty white t shirt on. She then came back for a trial cause I really wanted to give her a chance and she wore the same dirty clothes.

Or the one I asked about anti-discriminatory practice answered: Does that matter? We're in England.

 

Aaaaahhh so fed up at the moment.

[Guest Nuby]

pahahahaha!! these are hilarious!!!!

[laura]

Ugh, we have interviewed this week for 1 full time position and 1 part time, had 5 candidates, one didn't turn up, we offered the 2 posts. The part time accepted, the full time neglected to tell us that she had 2 other interviews to go to and wants to go to them, so a week later we will still be waiting to see if she accepts our job or not. Otherwise it's back to the drawing board... i'm on holiday... need to have enough time for them to hand their notice in to start with us... we'll be left short staffed - wonderful! I'm going away to be less stressed!!!