Worst/bizarre interviews you have ever had...

[Franklymydearidontgiveadam]

I've got a few interviews lined up

Had 3 already this week, one interview I sent my cv, invited for interview during my interview I had to write an application form Inc work history which was painstaking and one I've just had now invloved a game show like quiz.....

I have another this afternoon, i'm drained already!

And what does your father do?
Sorry, why is that relevant?
Oh, we like to know we’re employing county people, you wouldn’t believe the chaff that blows through here.

^^

Same here! For a large recruitment group that rhymes with Bays

I got asked what my starsign was at an interview for perfume shop sales assistant.
When I answered 'Leo' the manager shook her head and said 'oh gosh, we've already got a fire sign'

Still offered me the job!

@Redyellowpink - the generic civil service assessments are fine if you can read and analyse fast. But had a departmental one which included a personality test then a psychologist interview.

Psych grills me about why I said x rather than y, but a not b, then announces, "Well, your test results showed you were a high-functioning sociopath, but I don't think you are."

I did fine in the other assessments but apparently not suitable for promotion. A psych friend told me 'sociopath' isn't even a real diagnosis, but I did laugh a lot when Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch came out and called him a high-functioning sociopath too!

Shame it wasn't agreed I'm autistic until about 10 years later.

I once had one where I had to pretend to do a TV interview, I was the "interviewee" and the interviewers were, um, the interviewers.

Given a one line brief, something like "you are the chief fire officer doing an interview about the local fire station closing down". Nothing else! Bit weird as it wasn't a job where I'd ever be interviewed on TV, nor was the the "job" the one I was going for.

Anyway it was pretty hard and they gave feedback at the end, and said "When we asked such-and-such a question you actually gave information that was entirely made up and another piece that wasn't made up but was deemed confidential yesterday by the fire service committee" well how the fuck would I know that when I hadn't been given a brief?! Is being psychic a requirement of the job? Also I HAD to make some of it up - because it's a made up scenario!!!

The best bit is I was offered the job 😂

I Also forgot (probably my brain trying to suppress the mortification) I had an aptitude test type task once that I swear the (possibly racist) interviewers made up themselves.

The scenario:
There's a tribe with a woman who is about to marry someone from the tribe across the river. It was an arranged marriage that she didn't especially want to enter into. But the tribe elders wanted to bring the two tribes together. The night before her wedding she was supposed to be travelling to the new tribe on a boat; but the boatsman hadn't fixed it so she stayed at home. She then cheated on her fiancé with a man she loved from her own tribe. Her sister caught her in the act and reported her to the tribe elders. The wedding was cancelled, she was disgraced and tribal relations were forever ruined.

So the ultimate question: who's fault was it that it all fell apart?

• The woman
• Her fiancé
• Her lover
• The boatsman
• her sister
• The tribe elders

"You have 20 minutes!"

Now I thought I was being clever, and showing good team work skills and initiative, by saying, no one person is to blame. The culture and societal pressures are to blame - and rather than scorning and reprimanding the solution would to be to look at ways of preventing this situation happening again, listening to everyone's ideas and stepping away from blame culture, whilst retaining competence and effectiveness. Etc etc.

I thought it would be a case of "there's no right answer we just want your take on it so we can make a judgement about your character".

I was wrong - there is a right answer, apparently. And it wasn't mine.

Reader, you may or may not be surprised to find that....the women were to blame. The woman for being a massive slag and her sister for being a snitch. Of course they were 🙄 I was so pissed off that I actually said "That tells me about the kind of place this would be to work". They offered me the job!!! And I took great pleasure in turning it down

Reading some of these has reminded me about lying recruitment agencies. A few years ago when applying for jobs in my profession I requested that it was permanent definitely not temporary to permanent roles . Anyway applied for 1 job that would be perfect for me walking distance to where I live no commute. The recruiter sounded really keen said I sound perfect and will forward my CV on . A few weeks later I got a interview . I did my research asked relevant questions answered ok and said I was looking for a long term employment etc . The interview went ok but I had a feeling something wasn't right but I ignored as I really wanted the job . Anyway recruitment agency rang after he spoke to interviewers and said it's temporary with possibility to permanent , he said it really quickly and then moved into something else . I said hang on you never told me that I told you permanent and I definitely wouldn't of applied if knew that . Agency were adamant he told me , I was adamant he didn't . So if they offer you the job will you take it he said.
No I said because it's not permanent.
I was fuming I think he thought I'd take it with it being really local and keen to leave my job but not for a temporary job . I bet the interviewers thought I was a right loon talking about looking for a job long term when it a temporary job covering bloody maternity leave which wasn't mentioned in interview.
It was then advertised again as temporary to permanent.

I was annoyed with agency but annoyed that during the interview they didn't say it's covering 6-9 month maternity leave .

@idontlike789- this is similar to a role we had. Candidates CV looked suitable, but on arrival, it was clear that the recruitment agency had told the candidate about job A (already filled and 6mths prior in another department!), whereas we were interviewing for job B. Unfortunately the candidate didnt want a role in job B, despite being suitable and doing well in interview. I've always been dubious about agencies just sending people and hoping for the best