Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Just had the worst interview ever!

92 replies

Worstinterviewever · 23/03/2023 10:25

(Lighthearted!!)

Pleeease help me feel better. I was just interviewed by a local authority. I had all the "essential" and "desirable" skills and qualifications.

I prepped for hours and hours and my answers were just "um" & "oh"...The questions were not really what I expected (not in the job description or job role spec!)

God I'm so embarrassed. How many days until they forget they interviewed an idiot? 😂😂😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Worstinterviewever · 23/03/2023 12:41

@mightymam thank you so much for sharing this. I feel so much better! Fingers crossed then!!

@Bearpawk Yep 37 hours and yep low low pay!

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 23/03/2023 12:44

I’ve had a few shockers

One was shortly after my grandpa had died and they asked me a question about who I’d want to make proud and who I looked up to, I managed a sort of half answer before doing horrible hiccupy tears

One when I couldn’t remember an actual thing and they asked me for a technical definition and I just went bright red and errrred

On the other hand, I once interviewed a lovely woman who vomited half way through 😁

rainbowstardrops · 23/03/2023 12:46

Good luck!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Jobs
PureGrit · 23/03/2023 12:58

I had an interview a couple of months ago where I was so nervous I was practically hyperventilating and gasping for breath while talking at a ridiculous speed, saying whatever came up in my head. I felt so close to passing out that I was seriously considering just walking out of the interview at one point.

To my surprise, the interview panel seemed to be completely oblivious to all of this. When I apologised for the state I was in at the end of the interview they were surprised and told me they thought I was just incredibly enthusiastic. They even told me it was a really fun interview for them (whatever that means?!) and ended up offering me the job 😯

I think it just goes to show that how you come across to other people sometimes has very little to do with how you think you come across. I’m sure you did a lot better than you thought! And even if you didn’t, interviewers know people get nervous. They won’t be judging you.

harkerlee · 23/03/2023 13:01

LA interviews are the worst. They are so formulaic and box-ticky, rarely actually structured in a way to allow the person's skills, experience and personality to shine through. If you don't get it, please don't take it as a reflection on you!

MmeDefrag · 23/03/2023 13:13

A friend of mine performed so badly in an interview he became a legend in the firm in question. He was headhunted, was keen and flattered - yet for some reason when he walked in, he froze and couldn’t say a word. He’d open his mouth and nothing came out. Not even an um or an ah.

He didn’t tell me - I overheard people chortling about it later.

Don’t worry OP - the feedback sounds good!

RobertJohnsonsShoes · 23/03/2023 13:13

I had an interview for local authority a few weeks back. I sobbed the whole way home. It was absolutely horrendous. I didn't know any of the questions. I got stuck on something simple. Got the job though! Keep hope. You never know.

Original poster
Worstinterviewever · 23/03/2023 13:15

RobertJohnsonsShoes · 23/03/2023 13:13

I had an interview for local authority a few weeks back. I sobbed the whole way home. It was absolutely horrendous. I didn't know any of the questions. I got stuck on something simple. Got the job though! Keep hope. You never know.

Ooooh congrats. Did you accept the role?

OP posts:
Coxspurplepippin · 23/03/2023 13:15

My last interview was dreadful, including my phone ringing in the middle of it Blush. I got the job. God knows what the other candidates were like......

OddBoots · 23/03/2023 13:16

If you were told to expect 2 interviewers and there were 4 then you won't be the only candidate surprised by that, others would also be in the same boat.

Dacadactyl · 23/03/2023 13:19

I had a terrible interview once where I had to do a test on Excel. I'd read a bit of Excel for Dummies the week before and knew the basics. Well the test was like I was going for the role of Chief Financial Officer of Barclays or something. I totally fucked it up and literally couldn't do it.

Did the test bit before the interview. I actually walked into the interview and said "I might as well save your time because that test was embarrassingly bad and I couldn't do it". They insisted on interviewing me but I wanted to crawl away the whole time 😂Unsurprisingly didn't get the job!

I'm sure you'll have done fine and could well have easily salvaged it at the end.

bumblebeees · 23/03/2023 13:24

Can't wait for ur update tomo op, good luck

Sunshineandflipflops · 23/03/2023 13:48

I had an interview for a job in a local authority and left feeling it went terribly. I even rang my best friend on the way home and asked her to meet me for a drink to help me calm down and debrief.

I got a call that evening offering me the job and i stayed there for 17 years!

I have now moved to another position in the same LA and also felt that interview wasn't great but maybe I come across better than I feel I do and I hope you do too - good luck!

LadybirdsAreFab · 23/03/2023 13:52

I had an interview once, thought I was doing well only to realise the man interviewing me had fallen asleep! I learnt afterwards he was an alcoholic and this was quite common.

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 23/03/2023 13:56

Bloody hell, what technical role only pays £21k??

It sounds very over the top for a low-paid role, OP. I hope you get something much better soon.

Coxspurplepippin · 23/03/2023 14:10

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 23/03/2023 13:56

Bloody hell, what technical role only pays £21k??

It sounds very over the top for a low-paid role, OP. I hope you get something much better soon.

Interviews and applications for low paid roles are ridiculous across the board these days, whether it be supermarket, clerical or whatever.

TheFireflies · 23/03/2023 14:21

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 23/03/2023 13:56

Bloody hell, what technical role only pays £21k??

It sounds very over the top for a low-paid role, OP. I hope you get something much better soon.

That’s the local authority for you. My husband’s job is similar although pays a little more (£24k)

DeadBod · 23/03/2023 14:24

Good luck OP.
I've got an interview coming up and I'm dreading it. I had an interview a few months ago and it was awful, I went completely blank. I'd done plenty of prep and had answers and examples all ready but they wouldn't come out.
It annoys me that you have to say the right things to tick their boxes and it's a case of knowing how to pass the interview rather than having the capability to perform the job role. It makes me sound bitter that I didn't get the job Blush

Original poster
Worstinterviewever · 23/03/2023 14:26

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 23/03/2023 13:56

Bloody hell, what technical role only pays £21k??

It sounds very over the top for a low-paid role, OP. I hope you get something much better soon.

I totally agree. Private sector is no better in this area but public sector offer flexibility and more holiday 😔

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 23/03/2023 15:05

I did a video interview for a nursing agency. One where you have to record yourself. Its awful! I completely fluffed it. They said I'd done really well. I almost asked if they'd actually watched it!

mybeautifuloak · 23/03/2023 15:08

I'm just angered that a full time technical role pays £21k. How is this even possible.

Sunshineandrainbow · 23/03/2023 15:09

Coxspurplepippin · 23/03/2023 13:15

My last interview was dreadful, including my phone ringing in the middle of it Blush. I got the job. God knows what the other candidates were like......

This made me laugh!

User13579367337 · 23/03/2023 15:12

Pm for tomorrows email. FYI if I’d have walked into an interview and there were 4 men sat there, I’d have walked straight back out, so you’re braver than me

Bunce1 · 23/03/2023 15:25

Last job interview I had I was so nervous I was sort of swinging on my chair a tiny bit…except I did swing quite far had to grab the table and right myself then got into fits of nervous bear miss laughter.

it was very very awkward.

still got the job!

Newestname002 · 23/03/2023 15:30

I used to take a conscious breath before answering questions in interview to give my brain time to catch up.

Hope you get the job OP. 🌹