To ask for your interview cringe moments to make me feel better

[HelpPlsArhhgg]

Interview this morning for dream job presentation ready and on point, prepped to within an inch my life was calm cool and collected until my laptop wouldn’t let me enable camera or microphone settings for teams. Fine the panel were lovely arranged a zoom instead Still the camera wouldn’t work cue me faffing around eventually dialling in by different device by which point I’ve lost all composure.
It was hours ago I’m still mortified. They were all very nice but definitely not my best moments.
Worse interview ever 😫

Will hear back Tomo but I won’t be holding my breath such a shame was a good opportunity.

Imo you will overhung something regardless. I had one yesterday and keep going over certain things I said and cringing. They will expect some technology issues if it was via zoom/teams. Try not to worry! I'm sure they've forgotten about the start once you started presenting.

Overthink*

Not the actual interview, but I once copped off on a Saturday night, started new job on the following Monday, when being introduced to everyone ans shown around the office, I was introduced to the chap Id been snogging the face off a mere 36 hours earlier 😳

My friend lassoed his foot into a venetian blind that was covering the glass wall to the office - he sent the blind ricocheting before sprawling onto the desk of the interviewer!

I had an awful virtual interview last year.

A recruiter talked me into it, but it was a terrible fit for my skill set - I think the company had just been struggling to hire for the role so they were putting any old candidate in front of them

It was obvious I had no idea about the job (even after trying to prep and researching the company) and one of the interviewers seemed to take an instant dislike to me. He also kept telling me my camera wasn’t working (the other 2 interviewers could see me). The whole thing was just excruciating and I was so glad when it was over.

Bizarrely the recruiter called me afterwards to say that they’d provided really positive feedback but it was a no from me.

You might have impressed them more than you think!

Thank you all for reassuring me- sadly I think I just went to pot after that. So frustrating as I’ve spent hours upon hours getting the presentation perfect for that to happen. Sod’s law I suppose! Xx

I wouldn't write it off just yet OP. I had an interview a few years ago that I still cringe over, it was (to my mind) beyond terrible. I had to stop at one point and apologize as I couldn't think of a single answer to the question and just about managed to stutter "I'm sorry I don't know, I'm so nervous" 🙈 I was utterly shocked when I got the job! They saw beyond the mistake and I'm sure the company you interviewed with will be forgiving with tech issues considering the times we're in.

Best of luck tomorrow 🤞🏼

When I had my first proper “grown up job” interview I had to prepare a power point presentation for the interview panel. This was years ago when USB memory sticks were a new thing and replacing floppy discs. I was really nervous and the main interviewer was helping me get ready and load the presentation onto their machine. He asked what format it was in to which I replied “USB flash drive, I don’t like floppy DICKS”. We looked at each other and he just ignored it. I was puce and wanted the floor to swallow me.

I got the job....

I'm cringing thinking back on an interview I did almost 20 years ago. My cheeks are burning remembering it. Basically it was a curator post at a trendy art gallery. I'm not an art historian or anything, but I was working in the arts and I fancied doing it. I got an interview and the first thing the interviewers said was - so ..... you're the only candidate who has applied who doesn't have an art history degree. What makes you think you could run and art gallery? And it was at that moment I realized that curating wasn't really like being a glamorous shop keeper. The next 20 minutes were excruciating and I left knowing I'd been an idiot. My day was made worse when I walked home across a windy bridge and my skirt was blown up around my ears, near Scotland's busiest train station. If memory serves..... I was wearing very thin nylons and a string under that skirt, and I struggled to get the skirt down and recover my decency. The job rejection was a relief because even if I'd got the job, I'd never be able to visit that part of town again. 🙈

Sh had an interview online in August he came through and said ‘well that was fucking awful I totally screwed that up!’ I said ‘I bet it wasn’t that bad!’ And he said ‘I WAS THERE!’ He got the job and I’d going brilliantly. Don’t give up yet!

I wasn’t the interviewee but the interviewer. The one that is engrained into my memory was the gent that sharted. Awkward doesn’t even begin to cover it.

I had an interview once for a job that didn't exist! I filled in an application for a full time job close to me, but when I turned up to the interview the job was actually part time and in the next town over, and the role seemingly completely different. When I realised this during the interview I tried to explain that this wasn't the position I applied for and told them what I had applied for and meant to be interviewed for. They tried to make out I was either confused or being cheeky, that such a job was never advertised and never existed. My application form had the job role, location and hours on it (already embedded into the form) so I pointed that out, but they just couldn't seem to admit they'd made a mistake. I knew I was right but it was still mortifying for me, I just walked out.

Obviously I dodged a bullet with them because if they were so quick to cover their arses and lie and accuse me during an interview, what would they be capable of while I was employed there?

@torquewench are you Meredith Grey?

I hate interviews but I really stuffed up about 10 years ago. Shelter shop manager. A) I had been managing a small shop for years, B) I volunteered with a charity focussing on getting woman back into work C) I visited the shop and realised it was in a run of charity shops but the other had all had a trendy make over with flash windows. C(i) there was a whole work shop on things like window dressing at the charity. D) I had nothing but love for Shelter and the zeal of youth that was sure I could end homelessness 1 Knick knack at a time.

Got into the interview and could not stop talking about spreadsheets. How would you keep stock fresh? I’d make a spreadsheet, how would you motivate volunteers? I’d make a spreadsheet, how would you handle shoplifting? I’d make a spreadsheet. It was like I was possessed. I don’t even like spreadsheets. I think I’d seen one on the desk and couldn’t get past it!

@Smokeahontas

I wasn’t the interviewee but the interviewer. The one that is engrained into my memory was the gent that sharted. Awkward doesn’t even begin to cover it.

We need to know more about this!! 🤣

I went to sleep in an interview! Early days of computing. I made the mistake of asking the interviewer (who would have been my boss) what he did in his job. He looked delighted and started to tell me. I've never been so bored in my life. The office was warm, his voice was a drone and I just went to sleep. You know that thing you do on a train when you jerk awake? I kept doing that and he was still talking. It was a lovely nap. Funnily enough I never heard from them to say whether I had or hadn't got it.

I was an interviewer in my previous job. One woman came to a professional job interview in a backless dress. Another brought a cake and left it to “bribe” us. Another told us she was militant about animal rights and wanted to ensure she would have zero contact with the company owner who was into fox hunting, otherwise she couldn’t promise not to open her mouth. None of them got the job.

You'll feel better after mine @HelpPlsArhhgg

I fell up the the stairs going into the building, smashed my face and hands into the tile in the reception area. No blood but it hurt like a bitch. I cried. Got given some water and the receptionist told the panel I might be a bit late as I'd just fallen over. My wrist hurt a lot to move it but it had been a long commute to get there so I wasn't leaving

Composed myself and went in to the interview room. Half way through the second to last question I start having the biggest nose bleed of my life, clots, both nostrils etc, I was passed a massive wad of tissues and over one of interviewers didn't like blood and got up to leave as I'm sitting there covered in blood, and I was soaked to be fair, she fainted, and then we both got taken to hospital in ambulances!

I'd broken my nose and it needed setting, I'd also broken my wrist so how I managed to get through even 1 minute of the interview I have no idea.

DH had to get 3 trains to get the car because he had to come to the hospital to get the key from me and then get the car from their car park and I had to bin the dress I was wearing.

I got offered the job..

@Farrowandballachee

You'll feel better after mine *@HelpPlsArhhgg*

I fell up the the stairs going into the building, smashed my face and hands into the tile in the reception area. No blood but it hurt like a bitch. I cried. Got given some water and the receptionist told the panel I might be a bit late as I'd just fallen over. My wrist hurt a lot to move it but it had been a long commute to get there so I wasn't leaving

Composed myself and went in to the interview room. Half way through the second to last question I start having the biggest nose bleed of my life, clots, both nostrils etc, I was passed a massive wad of tissues and over one of interviewers didn't like blood and got up to leave as I'm sitting there covered in blood, and I was soaked to be fair, she fainted, and then we both got taken to hospital in ambulances!

I'd broken my nose and it needed setting, I'd also broken my wrist so how I managed to get through even 1 minute of the interview I have no idea.

DH had to get 3 trains to get the car because he had to come to the hospital to get the key from me and then get the car from their car park and I had to bin the dress I was wearing.

I got offered the job..

I know I shouldn't but 😂😂😂😂 glad you got the job!

I was interviewing for a very well paid admin job, in a field that really interested me. But previous to this, I had been in my job for over a decade so was very much out of the interview game.

So the panel told me a bit about the company and what the role would entail, then asked me to tell them about myself and my mind went blank. Could not think of any job related achievements and just said 'I like camping'.

And one of the panel said 'we mean about your previous job roles'

I was absolutely mortified and that set my nerves on edge for the rest of the interview.

Luckily my application was very good and there was a couple of tests I aced. So they saw through my nerves and I got the job.

5 years later I'm still here.

Not the dream job I imagined due to the toxic, male dominated culture, but the perks are good and day to day, its fine.

@cerealgamechanger I was mortified at the time! However when DH saw me in A&E covered in dried blood arm in a cast ready for surgery all he could say was ' I hope you didnt try and answer their questions when that started' it was epic to be honest, never seen blood like it! I made him come back when he had the car to bring me clean knickers and a bra as they were soaked too, along with overnight stuff. All because I worse some ridiculous shoes!! I binned those at the hospital!

I was at that job for about 7 years and the carpet in that room always looked a bit dodgy

Bloody ridiculous (pun intended)

Do you know this thread has cheered me up. I have just failed an interview....my dream job, put loads of effort into the application, got an interview on Monday. It was in person (not zoom), lots of COVID restrictions but some outdoors so you could take your mask off.

I didn't do anything dreadful, I'd prepared and prepared and gave good answers, the interviewers were all very friendly. But they rang today to say there had been 2 better candidates, I was gutted as I was so hoping I might have had a chance. But this has cheered me up, other people have far worse experiences and anyhow, it's just a job, there are others out there.....

Anyone that is in, shall we say more advanced stages of their career path, has been where you are today. Now it is IT issues but before it was not being able to find the venue and arriving flustered and late, meeting the panel and realising it is your xboss interviewing you who you slagged off when you left the job, or being asked the first question and realising you have absolutely no idea what the job is really about (me).

The bottom line is that it is what it is and you can't change what happened.

You can learn from it. Next time you think you might be flustered all you have to think is that this isn't as bad as that time in April 2021.
Don't beat yourself up about it. Whatever the outcome negativity will not improve it.

Not quite as dramatic as @Farrowandballachee , but I fell down the stairs as the CEO was showing me out of the office at the end of the interview for my first proper job after university. I don’t really know what happened - I think the stress of the interview made me briefly forget what to do with my feet as you go downstairs... It was so humiliating!! But it didn’t put them off - I still got offered the job, thank goodness!

I capped it off about a month into the role, just when I’d started to live down my memorable interview antics, when the same boss and I had gone to a different city for a client meeting, and as we left the client’s premises I slipped on a cobblestone and down I went again