We were talking over here at Select Metrix about strange interviews so I decided to google the topic and found this site. There are some great, bizarre stories that will make you laugh. A few teasers:

“She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time.”

“… she threw-up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.”

“… asked if I wanted some cocaine before starting the interview.”

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Jason Davis at Recruiting.com points us to Resume Hell. I have a real weakness for poorly-worded resumes and cover letters. This site offers some entertaining quips. For example:

“interests and hobbies
none at present”

Or maybe this one:

“Hobbies
I enjoy cooking Chinese and Italians”

One final one:

“Hobbies…Liposuction…”

If you enjoy these items, check out the site – I guarantee you will laugh.

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This week we look at a trait that is growing in importance with the number of home-based sales position. We are working with multiple customers to find strong salespeople who are located in the territory and based out of their house. Truly this is a strong trend for the future. One trait that needs to be measured is this week’s offering.

Self-Direction
Balanced self-direction originates with an internal drive to excel in a chosen career path. It requires one to have a strong desire to be better than they currently are today. This trait includes having a clear vision of one’s future objectives and the self-discipline and organization necessary to achieve them.

A salesperson with strength in this capacity will tend to set personal goals, be open to change, operate with a passion in their endeavors and have a strong sense of duty to their own ideals and goals.

A salesperson with weakness in this area may be lacking a sense of mission and willingness to do more than is asked of him or her. They can be averse to change and may not work up to their full potential.

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Inc.com’s article Seven Out of 10 Employees Admit to Abusing Office Computers, Phones relays some stats from a recent Harris Interactive survey.

Nearly 72 percent of workers ages 18 to 24 said they check personal e-mail accounts at work (compared to 61 percent of the general population), and 77 percent are using the Internet personally (compared to 69 percent of workers overall), the survey says. Seventy-one percent of the young respondents said they maintain some sort of personal website. Personal blogs are the most popular among young workers, while 52 percent use networking accounts, such as MySpace or Facebook. Thirteen percent of workers 18 to 24 have an online dating account that they use at work, survey results show.

Is there any doubt that the younger generation is “wired?” With the ubiquitous nature of electronic monitoring, I am somewhat surprised that Gen Y dabbles in Facebook and online dating sites at work.

And there is this common caveat for young workers:

“We’ve seen instances where current or potential employers reviewed content of personal websites, and held employees accountable in different ways for what they post,” Kopit said. “Young people tend to live lives very openly online, which may have unintended repercussions when it comes to their employment.”

We google candidate names along with other techniques for checking their digital dirt. What we sometimes kick up never ceases to amaze me.

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Manage Smarter offers Understanding the 20-Something Workforce. I have to confess, in our business we do not have frequent interaction with 20 some year olds. Here are excerpts of the author’s suggestions:

1. Make their first day unforgettable.
Twenty-somethings thrive on instant gratification. “They’re used to taking a lot of data in at one time and making a choice,” Dorsey says. While this is a great asset in business, it unfortunately means a company has little time to make an positive impression.

2. Don’t rely on a competitive salary to keep talent.
“It’s a big realization, but money does not always build loyalty,” Dorsey says. Twenty-somethings’ parents, often Baby Boomers themselves, wanted their children to have an easier life than they had. As a result, twenty-somethings often don’t feel the same pressure to achieve personal and financial independence as their parents did.

3. Adjust to their high expectations.
Many twenty-somethings have extremely high career expectations, and Dorsey says “many believe that if they got good grades in college, they can be an executive in as little as two years.” This misconception results in many Gen-Yers’ discouragement, and they soon feel trapped in the limiting 9-to-5 mindset.

4. Create stimulating rewards.
Since twenty-somethings seek meaning in everything they do, simply handing out gift cards periodically for doing a good job isn’t very inspiring. This goes back to the idea of being emotionally invested, so make your rewards something special.

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