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Original poster

Strangest question a recruiter has asked you?

301 replies

stickydancefloor · 11/05/2021 12:50

Had an online meeting this week with a recruitment agency.

It was all the usual questions until she asked me about the role I held previous to my current one...

"So you were there for 7 years?"
"Yes that's right"
"Who do you keep in touch with from there?"
"Well, no-one nowadays"
"Why's that?"
"I think that's natural when you move onto a new employer that you gradually lose touch with your old colleagues"
But why don't you keep in touch with them?"
"Like I said, we drifted after I left, I think that's quite normal really"
"So you don't speak to any of them?"
"No, it was 7 years ago I left there"
"But why don't you speak to them anymore?"
"Because I'd moved on and things change when you move on and aren't at the same employer"
"So you don't keep in touch with anyone there?"
"NO!!!"

Round and round in a circle!!!!! It was most bizarre!!!!

What the strangest questions you've had from a recruiter?!

OP posts:
hauntedvagina · 12/05/2021 05:19

@Throwntothewolves @CardboardBoxInTheRain

I would ask anyone who had been out of the workplace providing care to a dependent if they had taken the appropriate steps to ensure they could return to work. No point applying for temp jobs that can need you in at short notice if you haven't got anyone to look after your child at short notice.

I'd also want to check I wasn't being used as a box ticking exercise by someone who needed evidence of agency interviews to demonstrate that they were looking for work.

You'd need to ask the school why they wanted to know this, unless you were increasing your commute and may have had issues at the start and end of the day.

CardboardBoxInTheRain · 12/05/2021 06:08

[quote hauntedvagina]**@Throwntothewolves* @CardboardBoxInTheRain*

I would ask anyone who had been out of the workplace providing care to a dependent if they had taken the appropriate steps to ensure they could return to work. No point applying for temp jobs that can need you in at short notice if you haven't got anyone to look after your child at short notice.

I'd also want to check I wasn't being used as a box ticking exercise by someone who needed evidence of agency interviews to demonstrate that they were looking for work.

You'd need to ask the school why they wanted to know this, unless you were increasing your commute and may have had issues at the start and end of the day. [/quote]
But I was already employed elsewhere.

And even if they were checking I'd be able to find additional cover for weekend residential (which maybe fair enough), it doesn't explain why my husband, and children's father, wasn't an acceptable answer.

I'm curious to know what answer would have been acceptable.

hauntedvagina · 12/05/2021 06:10

@CardboardBoxInTheRain I have no idea, you'd need to ask the school that.

seashellsseashore · 12/05/2021 06:11

I was asked 'if you could be a biscuit which biscuit would you be' Hmm

KatherineJaneway · 12/05/2021 06:27

I'm curious to know what answer would have been acceptable

Your Mum who lives 5 minutes from you would have been acceptable I bet.

chocolateorangeinhaler · 12/05/2021 06:39

@nannyshar

I was asked "give me an example of a working relationship you thought would not be good but turned out to be good" - like anyone would walk into a job with the mindset that they would not get on with certain people.
Variations on that are commonly asked now. It's naive to think there are never any poor relationships or arguments at work. They want to know how you chose to respond in the face of negativity and why. It's probably one of the most important questions to ask. You can teach anyone anything but if they have a poor personality and attitude I wouldn't take them on even if they were the most qualified for the job.
CreativeUsernameEscapesMe · 12/05/2021 06:45

The most weird question I was asked was at then end of an interview with a recruitment agency. We established very quickly that I wouldn't be eligible for the role as I had previously applied directly and been rejected. That was ok (thought as much when I applied again through them but wanted to get on their books).

What was odd was when we were finishing up our discussion, the recruiter asked what I was having for dinner. I had no idea as it was a Friday afternoon and I was likely to just grab a cheeky Maccas or something equally unhealthy. Wanting to still give a good impression, I said something about cooking some salmon and blah blah blah.

That was, unfortunately, not good enough. She then proceeded to grill me on what exactly I was having, how exactly I was preparing it and what I was having with it. Every deflecting answer I gave her, she just came back with more aggressive questions about my dinner.

Was very strange and I never heard from the agency or her again.

listentotherainonthewindowpane · 12/05/2021 06:50

"What does your father think about you applying for this job?"
I was in my early 20's, job in a local department store.

cricketmum84 · 12/05/2021 06:52

Not a recruiter but a hiring manager in the interview.

"What's your opinion on racism?"

Me: 😧😧😧

Mumdiva99 · 12/05/2021 06:57

What would your epitaph be.

I hate those sort of questions as I think there is a 'right' answer and I don't know what it is......which says a lot about me really. Lol. Although I am far more comfortable with the inappropriate personal questions as I know the answers to those....I also like chit chat and trying to find common ground with potential colleagues. (So if I know you are a parent with 2 kids similar age to mine we are likely to have some things/life experiences in common.)

MumofSpud · 12/05/2021 07:00

@BonnyandPoppy

I was asked if I was offered the job would I take it. Thought that was a bit weird. I got the job. Maybe I should ask my boss why she asked me that!
I have always been asked that in school based interviews and always thought it was a weird question !
SakuraEdenSwan1 · 12/05/2021 07:03

I was asked how I was going to look after my kids whilst I'm at work!

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 12/05/2021 07:14

about ten years ago, statement rather than a question "i just want someone that's going to go and get pregnant - you're obviously too old for that"

Another role, was told in advance to take a packet of my favourite biscuits to the interview.
First question - explain why they were my favourite biscuits.
While the interview panel stuffed their faces.

BlueLobelia · 12/05/2021 07:20

I read all these and think it's no wonder so many workplaces are toxic and (mis) managed by numpties!

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 12/05/2021 07:24

I was asked if I was offered the job would I take it

I worked for an FE College for a few years a while back, they had a very tight interview policy (no more than six criteria in the person description, and a direct question on each one, which did lead to being disciplined, I thought of it the other week when writing a supporting statement to a person spec that wend on for more than a page, with about 30 criteria), plus two standard questions that you HAD to ask, one of which was the "if we offered you the role, would you take it". Can't remember the other one.

I do still ask it on occasions, saves shortlisting someone that isn't interested, assuming they're honest with the answer.

HelgaDownUnder · 12/05/2021 07:39

@seashellsseashore

I was asked 'if you could be a biscuit which biscuit would you be' Hmm
Biscuit? I like to think of myself as more of a crumpet.
GodolphinHorne · 12/05/2021 07:44

Old-style charity, all male (older, white) interview panel. I thought it had gone really well. I was very well qualified for the job, and for once hadn’t been so nervous that I’d undersold myself.

At the last minute, one of them said he was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to work well with women, as the actual workers were mostly female. No evidence for this. I was so astonished I could barely answer. I didn’t get the job.

YetGo · 12/05/2021 08:30

Early 2000s my last private sector interview got asked if could do overnight travel at short notice. It was entry level accountant. On reflection it was a digging to see if had dependents question. Probably shouldn't have said I would be pretty concerned about the set up if I turned up at work and was required to stay away that evening with no notice!
Didn't get the job.

petalblossom · 12/05/2021 09:15

Not so much an odd question but more like an odd reaction to an answer. I was interviewing for a job in an office cafeteria. It was going well until the interviewer asked how I would get to work. I told her by bus at first but I was in the process of buying a car so would be driving to work when I had one. It was very strange, her tone suddenly changed completely and she became very insistent that they didn't expect 'employees to change their lives completely' for the job. I explained I was buying a car anyway, and was nothing to do with the job, but she didn't believe me. Suddenly, the interview was over and she was showing me out. I didn't hear anything back. I have no idea why the fact I was buying a car bothered her enough to terminate the interview!

irinagraham · 12/05/2021 09:39

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SweatyAmy · 12/05/2021 09:58

I had an interview for a recruitment agency and the interviewer told me he was worried my presence would he 'distracting for the men'. This was in 2011.

Around the same time I had had 5, yes 5, interviews with one company for a role and was eventually rejected for 'wearing too much makeup'. I barely wore any - some light foundation, light eyeshadow and mascara.

I was rejected for another job for removing my jacket in the interview without asking for the interviewer's permission - it was 30 degrees that day and they had told me the wrong location for the interview by mistake and I'd had to run from one of their offices to another, in aforementioned 30 degree heat. Fortunately the offices were close by but I was sweltering after the mad dash. The recruitment agency who sent me were furious with me for not asking permission. I didn't know that was even a thing!

ProfessionalWeirdo · 12/05/2021 14:06

The sound of more than one previous post-holder leaving quickly put me off the job

Interviewers are all too keen to find out why you left your previous job, but I've often wondered how they would react to being asked why the previous person had left.

Notjustanymum · 12/05/2021 14:52

Recruiter: How much does your husband earn?
Me: May I ask why you need to know?
Recruiter: Just in case he might mind if you earn more than him.
Me: 🤔
Me: Blessed😎😈

BlueLobelia · 12/05/2021 14:57

@ProfessionalWeirdo

The sound of more than one previous post-holder leaving quickly put me off the job

Interviewers are all too keen to find out why you left your previous job, but I've often wondered how they would react to being asked why the previous person had left.

I wish I had thought to ask this before accepting my current job!
Notjustanymum · 12/05/2021 14:59

Recruiter: How much does your husband earn?
Me: May I ask why you need to know?
Recruiter: Just in case he might mind if you earn more than him.
Me: 🤔
Me: Blessed😎😈