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Original poster

Tell me about your interview failures

61 replies

roaringwater · 01/04/2019 20:05

Today I had a gruelling full day assessment centre for a job I really, really wanted. I didn't get it.

Please tell me your stories of interview failure so I feel worse a bit better.

OP posts:

QueenDoria · 01/04/2019 22:18

This thread is making me a bit sad. Hasn’t there been some research done somewhere indicating that interviews are not indicative of likely competency (particularly for women?)
If it helps with thread I cried all the way through an interview once...

Adname · 01/04/2019 22:31

I once had an argument with the lead interviewer, didn't get it.

Original poster

roaringwater · 01/04/2019 22:31

Oh my goodness QueenDoria however did you cry through it?!?

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Jobs

SlimGin · 01/04/2019 22:47

@QueenDoria yes I heard something about men being better 'blaggers' and more confident so more likely to get position even if not as competent as other candidates.

Also, not a huge failure but when I was a student I had a waitressing job and interviewed for a waitressing job at another restaurant. The interviewer asked me: 'so tell me about yourself, what do you enjoy doing' and my mind went blank and I replied 'I just love waitressing'. I didn't get the job.

Bishalisha · 01/04/2019 22:55

Told the interviewer that he was a patronising git. To be fair though, he was!

donajimena · 01/04/2019 22:55

I had a housemate/friend who ripped into me so badly the night before an interview I cried horribly. I had a bright red face and swollen eyes for the interview. I mumbled something about hayfever. I bombed the numeracy test which seemed more A- Level maths rather than the level required for the job. When I sat down in front of the panel I just said, look I won't waste any more of your time I don't think this is the right place for me. I meant it but I looked completely deranged from start to finish so they were probably glad to see me go.

Pammie70 · 02/04/2019 17:41

If it’s any consolation I have some memorable ones as an interviewer, bearing in mind I own a Pre-school. 1. The girl who said she wouldn’t be able to pick up and comfort children as she had “irritable bowel syndrome “ what did she think I wanted her to do eat them? 2. When I explained that all appointments were subject to a DBS she slid a certificate across the table explaining “just ignore the stalking charge” 😳 many more but they are definitely my favourites

Ninkaninus · 02/04/2019 18:07

I had a really shitty interview this week and I very much doubt I will get the job. I fully empathise and sympathise. [tea]

I’m going to drown my sorrows tonight.

The interview process absolutely does not reliably convey my level of competency, which is maddeningly frustrating and really, really upsets me. I honestly wish (just for tonight) that I could give up trying.

Never mind.

Ninkaninus · 02/04/2019 18:09

Sigh. I thought to myself, should I double check , and I didn’t. Because I can’t be fucking arsed with anything tonight.

KatsutheClockworkOctopus · 02/04/2019 18:41

An agency put me up for an interview. By coincidence, the interviewer had the exact same name as me. Turned up, seemed to cause some confusion when I announced I was there to see Katsutheclockworkoctopus but didn't really worry about it. Opened and closed the interview referring to the fact we were both called Katsu and how unusual that is.
As you've probably guessed, her name was not the same as mine-nothing like in fact. The agency had messed up when they sent me the info. I didn't get the job.

rockingthelook · 02/04/2019 20:27

I was interviewed by someone who seemed to relish the fact that I had more qualifications and experience than him, but here he was, interviewing me for a lower role, patronising git, then to put the tin hat on it, he gave me a basic excel document and asked me to organise it, I as so stressed and naffed off by his interviewing manner, I panicked and blew it completely, just froze, needless to say , I didn't get (or want!) the job :( , it did take me a while to get my confidence back though

Mother87 · 02/04/2019 20:32

Having squeezed myself into the only smart clothes that would go anywhere near me - with breast milk leaking through blouse whilst being interviewed by FOUR be-suited men for a job I was WOEFULLY under-qualified for (over ambitious recruitment consultant I think)Twenty years later I still cringe when I think about that day

Beamur · 02/04/2019 20:34

Friend of mine almost went into an interview with her skirt tucked into her knickers. Someone pointed it out to her just before the interview started but it shot her composure to bits!

googleismyfriend · 02/04/2019 20:38

What would you want to be if you weren't [insert job role here]

A firewoman, not a man because I'm not a man

for fucks sake

Beechview · 02/04/2019 20:39

I got a fit of giggles once when the interviewer started telling me about their in house system called ‘Termite’. I thought it was such a ridiculous name that I couldn’t stop laughing no matter how hard I was trying. I didn’t get that job but I was young and carefree then and got a better offer soon enough.

Cherrysoup · 02/04/2019 21:55

Oh god, a few, come to think of it. My first ever teaching interview, the deputy head asked where I saw myself in 5 years. I shot straight back with ‘In your job’. Duh. Didn’t get the job, obviously. I then left my purse and train tickets at the interview so had to call the school, reverse charge (back in the day) and travel home with no purse which was then sent on. Why I didn’t just get a taxi back, I do not know.

Next interview, the head of department interviewed me in Spanish, which I could barely speak but I’d put on my CV. Horrific. She then showed me my teaching room and told me I’d be in there from September. Why?! Think they were desperate.

MustBeAWeasly · 02/04/2019 22:01

When I was 18 I went for an interview at Starbucks. It all went great until we stood up and the interviewer went oh one more thing what's your favourite Starbucks drink. And I went oooh no I don't drink coffee disgusting stuff. Completely forgetting they do different drinks 🤦🏻‍♀️
Didn't get the job

Macaroonmayhem · 02/04/2019 22:08

Two stand out...

One of my very first as a school leaver was with a bank, and they told me part of the role would be to chase up mortgage arrears. At the ‘do you have any questions’ bit, I asked what an arrear was. Did not get the job.

Last year I had my first interview in 20 years, trying to return to work after being a SAHM. Unbenown to me at the point of interview, I was actually really rather seriously ill - I though I just had a cold so had dosed up on co-codamol but I took the pharmacy strength version that doesn’t really agree with me by mistake (I should really have thrown it out when I learned that shouldn’t I?). Anyway, car crash interview ensues - it wasn’t quite at Spud from trainspotting levels, but at one point my brain was screaming ‘stop talking now!’ as my mouth was wittering on, and on, and on. Oh, it was awful. I’m not at the point of being able to find it funny yet. Needless to say, I did not get the job.

morallowground · 02/04/2019 22:13

I went for one interview for a job I really wanted, bought a nice new suit and as I sat down to start the interview the trousers on the suit ripped right up my arse bottom to top. Everyone heard it and I was mortified I couldn’t concentrate for the whole interview the interviewers were all smirking at each other trying not to laugh. Then I had to get up at the end and walk out knowing I had a rip right up my arse, superwoman knickers on and a jacket that wasn’t long enough to cover me up I did a weird walking backwards thing as long as I could and rushed out of the door as fast as I could but I’m pretty sure they saw

One of my friends went to an interview and they started by saying tell us about yourself and she was so nervous as she started to speak she vomited all over the table. and had to leave the interview leaving the interviewers to clean up her stinky vomit

Another interview fail - it’s a wonder I have a job really
I went for an interview and I got nervous and my lips did this weird thing where they got so dry they curled unnaturally in the top of my mouth. So I looked like I had no lips and my entire gums and teeth were exposed. The interviewer said ‘moral do you want a glass of water?’ And for some reason I felt like accepting would make me look week and nervous, yunno like the lack of lips and over exposed gums weren’t already making me look bad and I said ‘no thank you I’m fine’ but due to lack of normally placed lips I couldn’t pronounce any letter during the interview that relied on my lips touching 🙈

herehear · 02/04/2019 22:29

Some of these are hilarious! I'm shit at interviews but these are brilliant!

AbsentmindedWoman · 02/04/2019 22:29

I went for an interview and I got nervous and my lips did this weird thing where they got so dry they curled unnaturally in the top of my mouth. So I looked like I had no lips and my entire gums and teeth were exposed. The interviewer said ‘moral do you want a glass of water?’ And for some reason I felt like accepting would make me look week and nervous, yunno like the lack of lips and over exposed gums weren’t already making me look bad and I said ‘no thank you I’m fine’ but due to lack of normally placed lips I couldn’t pronounce any letter during the interview that relied on my lips touching

@morallowground I can't stop laughing at this wtf was happening

nikkylou · 02/04/2019 22:31

Oooh poor you, assessment centres are awful. Everyone trying to show they're the most amazing and have all the ideas....
I don't perform great in those sort of competitive groups, so while they note I have all the correct answers, they also note I'm not great at pushing myself and opinion onto the group.
Generally, in interviews if involves a presentation, I speak at the speed of light.
For example, had a 10 min one, practised it at 14 mins, actually delivered it in the interview in 9... without actually cutting anything.

Worst interview though...was scheduled for 9am, as I had work later in the day. Place was about 25 miles away from me in the centre of MK. Found the area it was in but could not find the building or where to park...wasted the whole 10/15 mins time I'd allowed and called the agency in a panic. Arrived 10 mins late, which is obviously a big no no, and put me in a complete spin...
Walked through the whole office, sat in a room where they wanted to record the interview...
Struggled through the questions feeling rushed, as they kept bringing up how little time they had due to me being late..
I'd prepared a presentation (staying up late to get it done as well as the agency had only given me 3 days notice, and I was already working)... they asked me just to summarise it real quick...As you've guessed...my lateness meant I didn't have time to deliver my 10 min presentation properly....

I still wonder why I bothered staying and didn't have the confidence to turn around, apologise for wasting their time, and left early to have time to pick up a consolitatry Costa before work...as I pretty much knew I'd messed it up the moment I walked in.

Plus the mini parade through the office, I would have HATED working in that environment.

Turquoisesea · 02/04/2019 22:45

I had an interview years ago for an admin job and the interviewer said “tell me what you really don’t like” I think he meant in a “I don’t like filing, but like typing” kind of way. I just sat there & said “I don’t like wasps much!” Obviously not what he was asking & was a serious tumbleweed moment! Didn’t get the job, no surprise!

Echobelly · 02/04/2019 22:50

I went for an internal role, and realised as soon as they started asking questions that I'd totally misunderstood the role and they were having to really prompt me to give the sort of answers they were expecting

TBH, was just as well - it was under a very weird and rather unpleasant manager. The girl who got it (also already a colleague) lasted six months under her before going elsewhere.

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 02/04/2019 22:52

Had an interview for promotion, half an hour after finding out that DH had stage 4 terminal lung cancer. Went into the interview room, sobbed at the interviewers, refused their very kind offer of rescheduling in a very rude way ("he will still be dying in a week or a month so what good would it do?") and couldn't answer any of the questions with any depth. Didn't get it unsurprisingly.

On the plus side, it did make me feel a bit better that I had something to blame for my poor performance - if it had gone well but I didn't get it, I would have been really annoyed with myself. I applied for a secondment a week later at the promotion grade and was successful. I think that knowing things couldn't get worse than the previous interview helped!

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