Disastrous Interviews but still got the job

[karmakemmie]

Hello,
I posted a couple of days ago about still not hearing about a job interview I went to. They said I'd find out that evening but I have to wait until tomorrow now.
I'm a teacher and the lesson was a disaster! I was given the wrong brief and pitched it too low! The senior management acknowledged I'd been given the wrong information but really I should have been able to adapt. And now, two days later I've though of all the different things I could have done . Anyway, the interviews went well and the group discussion was dominated by one person but I held my own. I don't think I've got the job - there are two roles but 10 candidates But what if...?
Has anyone done an interview, any job not just teaching that didn't go well (by their standards) but still got the job? I'm desperate here Thanks

NowRightHere
That sounds like a nightmare. Well done for getting through. I don't think I'd have managed to.

Was sent to the wrong place by the recruiter so was late.
Interviewer refused to interview me as the Recruiter lied and said the mistake was mine. I waited outside and “ambushed” the interviewer and showed him the email from the recruiter.
He moved a meeting and interviewed me then offered me the job on the spot. He ended up being my boss and we always got on brilliantly.

Applied for a promotion in another department, partly as practise, not sure if I really wanted the job. Decided a few days before I didn't really want it so didn't do any real preparation. Turned up, made up some terrible waffly answers. Got offered the job and told they thought it was an excellent interview. Turned it down.

Yes I went to return to my old job after 6 years of being a sahm.
Knew all the staff still good mates. They'd warned me the new manager was an absolute arrogant arse hole who always had a story to tell, anything you say he's done better. Had a view and opinion on everything!

He asked what reasons would I ever take time off.? I said well prob is dc was ill that's about it, he said argh kids. Can't stand them can't deal with the whole kid malarkey, as long as its not a regular occurance.
I said well I can't stand you right now. All your staff were right about you. He's spent the whole interview with his legs up on the desk tapping his pen on his knee

He offered me the job there and then. Apparently because I was fiesty and he needs people that speak their mind.

We never got on. He hated me because he couldn't walk over me.. This was a large retail company very well known

He left after 2 years because he was expecting twins and moving back to their hometown... Apparently his wife trapped him! Lol

Most of my job interviews have been disastrous, which is ironic seeing as I am a former recruiter and recruitment is very much a part of my job.
My most recent one is partially doing the interview in a different language. The language the interview was meant to take place in is my mother tongue. I also completely forgot how to calculate labour budget and fainted half way through the interview. I still got offered the job.

I had an interview in the afternoon and the viva for my ph.d. in the morning. Fter the viva went to the pub with my supervisor and his mate who was the external examiner but could not really have too much.

Got a taxi to the interview and one of the interviewers was obnoxious. With a couple of drinks inside me and just having become DR XX I really did not give a damn, so I argued back very robustly. The crowning touch had come when he asked "How close are you to presenting your ph.d.?" and I told him I had my viva that morning.

After the interview I returned to the pub, got smashed and ended up in an Indian restaurant in Manchester's famous curry mile. When I got home there was a message on the phone offering me the job!

When I subsequently spoke to the lady with whom I would be working (the other interviewer) she told me that her co interviewer was "tough" on all the candidates and he was really impressed by the way I fought my corner and the fact that Id come straight from my viva!

I’m autistic and sometimes miss the mark with verbal communication, especially when I was younger and still learning when to bite my tongue. I accidentally implied that a hiring manager was old and a few years later told the senior academic interviewing me that working with academics is like herding cats (it is, but I probably shouldn’t have voiced that )

I got both jobs. Karma has caught up with me, though; I’m now a scatterbrained PhD student juggling 4000 deadlines and trying not to piss off the course admins

I didn't get the job. I wasn't too surprised. The feedback was positive but my confidence has taken a bit of a knock. I'll dust myself off though and try again. Thanks for keeping me buoyed everyone

Sorry to hear that - you sound fabulous so hopefully an even better opportunity will come along soon 😊

Sorry to hear that - you sound fabulous so hopefully an even better opportunity will come along soon 😊

I was asked what words I would use to describe myself and answered “adjectives”. It took me absolutely ages to realise why it was the wrong answer (I’m autistic) but it made the interviewers laugh and I got the job.

@JenniferWeCantGoWrong

Sorry to hear that - you sound fabulous so hopefully an even better opportunity will come along soon 😊

Awwww, that's so kind of you. Thanks

@JenniferWeCantGoWrong

Sorry to hear that - you sound fabulous so hopefully an even better opportunity will come along soon 😊

Awwww, that's so kind of you. Thanks

@YetAnotherHastyNameChange

I was asked what words I would use to describe myself and answered “adjectives”. It took me absolutely ages to realise why it was the wrong answer (I’m autistic) but it made the interviewers laugh and I got the job.

Excellent response though

I parked up about 5 mins drive from the site to do the final prep on my cv while listening to the radio. Tried to start the car-flat as a pancake! Too far to walk, and only had heels.. so called to apologise and say Id be late. Receptionist came to pick me up, very embarrassing but they were so good about it. At the end helped me call AA (before mobile phones) and dropped me back to the car. Got the job and they were the loveliest people. So embarrassing though.