An economy that is turning around means there's more people interviewing for newly-minted positions. Yet even during the worst of the downturn, when people should have known better than to make a bad impression, job applicants were committing mind-boggling, jaw-dropping mistakes during their interviews.

In a newly released report, career website operator CareerBuilder surveyed more than 3,000 hiring managers, asking what some of the worst interview experiences of 2011 were.

It may seem unlikely that candidates would ever answer a cell phone during an interview, or wear shorts, but when we talk to hiring managers, we remarkably hear these stories all of the time, Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, said in a statement.

Answering a cell phone, texting, or appearing disinterested seem to be the most serious mistakes a potential employee can do at an interview, with more than three-quarters of hiring managers saying they were most detrimental to interview performance.

The CareerBuilder survey also included some truly outstanding anecdotal stories of horrible candidates. Perhaps those coming out crest-fallen after a particularly tough interview can take comfort in knowing they were not as bad as some of these applicants.

Click 'continue' below to read about some of the most egregious mistakes.

Being Absolutely Clueless
Not being aware about the details of a company to which one is applying is a huge red flag to interviewers, who might question a candidates' true desire to fill the position they are applying for. The CareerBuilder survey, however, shows just how clueless some job applicants can be. According to the poll, at least one hiring manager described interviewing a candidate who stated "What company is this again?" after the interview began. Another anecdote tells of an applicant who brought a "how to interview book" with him to the interview. Cluelessness regarding one's own strengths and weaknesses can also earn one a spot in the job applicant hall of shame. The CareerBuilder survey mentions a candidate who talked about promptness as one of her strengths... after showing up ten minutes late to the interview. Creative Commons
Being Rude to the Interviewer
Apparently not every job applicant is on their best behavior the day of the interview. The CareerBuilder survey tells the story of a prospective employee who, on the way to the interview, passed, cut-off, and flipped his middle finger at another driver. When he arrived to the interview, the road rager found out that other driver just so happened to be his interviewer. Another story tells of a candidate who put the interviewer on hold during a phone conversation. When she came back on the line, she told the interviewer that she had been arranging a date on the other line. The epitome of rudeness, however, might be a candidate who told the interviewer she wasn't sure if the job offered was worth "starting the car for." Creative Commons
Being a Criminal
It appears not every job applicant believes their criminal tendencies will disqualify them from landing their preferred gig. A good example was a candidate who was arrested by federal authorities during a job interview, after a background check tipped authorities off as to the location of the wanted suspect, who had an outstanding warrant. Another story cited in the CareerBuilder survey is even worse: when candidate interviewing for a security position wasn't hired on the spot, he painted graffiti on the company's building. Reuters
Being Inexplicably Awkward
While showing character might be a plus for certain positions, the line between quirky and plain weird seems to be crossed rather frequently in job interviews. The CareerBuilder survey tells a story of a candidate who referred to himself in the third person throughout the interview. Another wore a Boy Scout uniform and never told interviewers why. Creative Commons
Getting Too Comfortable With Your Interviewer
While seeming relaxed and confident is generally a plus, even that positive trait can be taken too far. The CareerBuilder survey talks of a job applicant who took off his shoes during the interview. Another candidate asked for a sip of the interviewer's coffee. Creative Commons