20 Worst Questions Asked By Candidates

We all know you're supposed to ask questions when you're in an interview to show you're interested in the company, but sometimes it's just better to keep your mouth shut. The following are genuine questions asked by candidates during interview, along with the thought of the person interviewing them.

1 - Can I switch jobs with the hiring manager?

The candidate looked at the job in question but wanted the hiring manager’s job because it was a better position. He thought it would be “really easy” for the hiring manager to take the candidate’s existing job, creating a better opportunity for the candidate. I thought the candidate was kidding, but he wasn’t. I warned him that if he contacted the hiring manager, it would critically reduce his chances of getting the job he was interviewing for, but he didn’t listen. The hiring manager thought this guy must have eaten paint chips as a kid. Needless to say, he did not get the job.

Jason R.
Tampa, FL

2 - Does the company provide snacks?

This is a staggeringly immature question that indicates a staggeringly immature candidate.

Liz R.
Irving, TX

3 - Will they fire me for not wearing any underwear? My last boss was very upset when he found out, and I want to get the issue out of the way early.

I, usually of many words, was speechless.

Susan T.
Hartford, CT

4 - I need to leave the interview for a minute. Do you have a match?

Yes, your application for employment and the circular file. An applicant for a branch manager’s position asked to leave for a cigarette break in the middle of the interview, and then came back a few seconds later to offer this remarkable question.

John S.
Raleigh, NC

5 - What would you do if the coffeepot were empty?

I would make more coffee. You wouldn’t be around to get any.

Bob W.
Torrance, CA

6 - If I don’t take a lunch break, can I accumulate the time that I am forgoing and add it to my vacation time?

This candidate is already out to lunch. This question displays a fatal lack of judgment because the answer is so predictable. There is not a company in the world that would agree to such a business. As a general rule, any question with the word “lunch” in it is inappropriate.

Richard K.
Ontario, Canada

7 - So what is it exactly that you guys do?

If you don’t know and couldn’t be bothered to find out, it tells me you have no right to be in this culture where people are proud of what they do here.

Beau H.
Mountain View, CA

8 - Are there any apartment complexes nearby that offer a fitness center and free wine and cheese tasting?

This sounded an alarm, because my experience is that unusual requests like this right from the beginning always lead to requests that my clients can’t fulfill in the end.

Jason R.
Tampa, FL

9 - Why do I have to fill out this job application? It’s all on my résumé.

Treat the job application as your first assignment for the company. Who needs someone who resists work even before they are hired?

Melanie M.
Dallas, TX

10 - What’s the story with the receptionist?

The candidate was referring to a very attractive receptionist at the company. Who wants the risk of a harassment case? Next!

Bob C.
Bedford, MA

11 - What is the policy on long-term disability?

This is a self-limiting question at any point in the interview except when a written offer is in hand. The interviewer cannot inquire why you asked this question, and so will assume a scenario contrary to the candidate’s interests.

Bryan D.
Fort Worth, TX

12 - What’s your policy on dating coworkers?

What’s with this guy? What is his motivation for working here? There were many questions that went through my head, none of which I could ask. The question left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the interview. He was not offered a job.

Bryan D.
Fort Worth, TX

13 - Have you been playing pocket pool?

The candidate shook hands with the hiring manager, conspicuously wiped his hands on his trousers, and delivered the above question with a smirk. He was escorted out shortly thereafter.

HR manager for a Fortune 500 telecommunications company
Requested anonymity