There are certain universal truths we can all agree on.
Like the fact that eating chocolate cake for breakfast is always a good idea.
Or that there is always someone at work who leaves their dirty dishes in the sink as if by magic they will disappear.
And, of course, that applying for jobs is a bit like online dating - a confusing, soul-crushing experience that often leaves you wondering if perhaps you should just live in a cave and be done with it.
But nothing quite compares to the truly spectacular phenomenon of candidates who, for reasons unknown, turn up to an interview having absolutely no idea what job they’ve applied for.
Yes, really. It happens more often than you’d think.
The Classic ‘Wing It’ Approach
There’s a special kind of audacity in walking into an interview with all the confidence of a seasoned professional… and absolutely no idea what you’ve actually applied for.
I’ve seen it all: the wide, innocent eyes as they sit down, the nervous laughter as they realise they can’t remember the job title, and the valiant attempt to blag their way through the entire thing.
One memorable candidate, when asked what attracted them to the role, looked me dead in the eye and said:
"I’m passionate about… whatever it is you do here."
Ah yes, passionate. The universal filler word for "I have no clue, but I need to pay my rent."
The Overzealous Job Hunter
In today’s competitive job market, some candidates adopt a scattergun approach - applying for everything and anything in the hope that something sticks.
Of course, the inevitable downside is that when they finally get an interview, they have absolutely no recollection of which role it’s for, or even what company they’re speaking to.
One particularly industrious applicant arrived at an interview armed with a notepad. Not to jot down insightful questions, but because they’d written down the names of all the companies they’d applied to in an attempt to figure out which one we were.
They even had the sheer nerve to ask:
"So, what company is this again?"
At least they were honest.
The ‘It’s All About Me’ Candidate
Then, there are those who genuinely believe that the specifics of the job don’t matter because, quite frankly, they’re amazing and any company would be lucky to have them.
So, rather than familiarising themselves with the responsibilities or the industry, they spend the entire interview listing their achievements.
One such candidate regaled us with tales of their triumphant victory in the Year 8 regional chess tournament, their brief but impressive stint as a university DJ, and their unparalleled skill in assembling IKEA furniture.
All fantastic life skills, I’m sure, but none of them particularly relevant to the position of financial analyst.
The Last-Minute Realisation
And finally, we have the candidates who, just as they’re walking into the interview room, experience a moment of pure, unadulterated panic.
The realisation hits them like a tonne of bricks: they have no idea what they’re here for.
In an attempt to cover their tracks, they spend the entire interview skirting around the job description, nodding along enthusiastically and hoping nobody notices.
One candidate even managed to get through an entire interview by repeating:
"That’s a great question. I’d really love to hear more about what the role entails."
By the end of the interview, I almost admired their tenacity.
Struggling to Find Candidates Who Do Their Homework?
If you’ve had your fill of candidates who rock up unprepared, we’ve got you covered.
At Coburg Banks, we specialise in finding candidates who not only know what job they’re applying for but are also genuinely excited about it.
So if you need to recruit people who actually read the job description, get in touch.
We promise to find you candidates who are passionate, prepared, and, most importantly, know exactly what job they’re applying for.
