To ask for your bad interview stories?

[luanncountess]

I just had an interview for a masters course in social work this morning and it went terribly. They had sent me documents to read and social work values and a bit about professional accountability. It was a group 'discussion' and I had really prepared but rather than a discussion, they asked questions directed at each person and the question was nothing to do with the documents they sent over. I think that's what threw me off. I am cringing at how bad it went, they had to prompt me to talk and when I did I don't think anything I said made much sense, I was rambling on, I can't really remember as my adrenaline was going so much. I remember saying that just because a child is in care doesn't mean they are 'doomed' 🤦‍♀️ I actually used the word doomed. What is wrong with me? I 100 percent will not have gotten a place on the course which I am a bit gutted about, feel like I've let myself down.

Trying to cheer myself up has anyone had some awful interview stories to share?

I sat in on an interview with my line manager as a representative of our specific team. The candidate was asked a question about why she was applying for a less qualified position than the one she was already employed in. For some reason the candidate answered that she “knew what it was like because she was an alcoholic too.”

To this day I have no idea what she was talking about, she didn’t appear drunk.

I once had to take a candidate to Occupational Health because they passed out in an interview.

Turned out he had been out the night before and had taken something not prescribed...

(he didn't get the job but I did get a reputation of being a fierce interviewer!)

@HeartofAss

I had a candidate who I had to ask the same question to 6 times (worded differently as I was trying to be encouraging). Each time I asked it she started talking about a different topic instead of answering the question. In the end I said, can I give you some feedback - did you realise I've asked you this question 6 times so far? (It wasn't a personal question, it was a basic question regarding the content of our work). She just laughed and said yes, I was avoiding answering it hahahaha. We rejected her and she sent us THREE emails complaining that we didn't respect diverse ways of thinking

I had a similar situation once- the candidate essentially ignored all questions I asked and instead wanted to tell me random stories about her gap year. At the end of the interview she offered ME feedback- apparently I could do with some advice on what questions to ask and she'd help me with it if I offered her the job. These were standard questions that the (very large) organisation had employed professional HR consultants to advise on. When she wasn't offered a job she e-mailed the UK Managing Director to complain (he was lovely and apologised for having to ask for my notes etc).

I had a really strange candidate a few years back. A member of the board was on the panel with me - but I was leading the interview as he didn't really know what the role entailed.

A man came in and whenever I asked him a question he smiled sweetly at me like he was humouring me but then directed his answer at my male colleague. He kept calling me 'my dear' and clearly thought the whole thing was beneath him. When I called him to tell him he hadn't got the job he laughed down the phone at me 😐.

The most horrible interview I've been to myself I was left waiting in a room for over an hour - no offer of a drink or anything or any updates - I should have walked out but I wasn't convinced I could get out and I had travelled a long way on a Saturday. When the lone male interviewer (in an otherwise empty building 😬) came to get me he didn't apologise and then during the interview he asked me what my situation was. I asked him to clarify and he said 'you know - caring responsibilities - husband? Kids?'. I was so disappointed and I was never even contacted to say I hadn't got it. I emailed to ask and they just ignored my email. If it was today I wouldn't have walked out after half an hour and I would definitely challenge the questions.

I once had to prepare and then give a presentation on the corporate values of the company. panel of 3. The interviewer spent the time examining and separating her split ends. It was very offputting as she never looked me in the eye even once. I am not sure she even introduced herself. The job went to an internal candidate. i was quite pissed off because I live on the Isle of Wight and it cost me £120 I could ill afford to get there with ferry and train tickets.

Once went to an interview for a management post. It wasn't in the place where the job would have been as that was still being built, but in some big office block which made me more nervous for some reason, possibly as I couldn't get any clues about the job / personnel / ethos. They kept me waiting ages and there were more than the usual number of interviewers which made it more daunting. I had prepared but my nerves just got the better of me from the start and I basically panicked so my mind went blank. For one question, I couldn't even attempt to waffle and just didn't answer. Felt so humiliated afterwards, though what would have been my potential boss phoned me later and they realised I wasn't the idiot I had seemed - even offered to coach me on interview techniques.

It was an awful experience that really knocked my confidence because I feared panicking again. Took me years to rebuild my self-belief when going for interviews and had a few after that which also didn't go as well as I knew they could have done (though never as badly as that one).

But I'm happy now with where my career has taken me.

• the main interviewer that was meant to be.

I also interviewed for what was quite a demanding role. We asked each candidate what had attracted them to the role and one said he was not that interested but he was 'looking for a nice little job' to keep him occupied in retirement.

As an interviewer I have done a lot of interviews. Worst was probably an awful woman, who though she was applying for an entry level job, talked about how she would reorganise the entire profession and name-dropped about her higher level contacts in relation to this. She was older than the other candidates - 50s - and insisted on explaining why she wasn't too old for the post - to a panel consisting entirely of people of a similar age, something she seemed totally oblivious to.

Of course, she hadn't been asked questions about either of these points, and didn't answer those she was asked. I just wanted her to shut up, leave and stop wasting our time.

I had a temporary promotion for eight months to do a new job in the organisation I worked for. At the end of the eight months I was able to apply for the job permanently when it was advertised. I did lots of prep and a test interview with a more senior colleague which went really well.

When the interview came I completely crashed it. I’d barely slept owing to worry about it, I’d tried to compensate by drinking too much coffee and the questions didn’t go my way.

In the morning my boss said “you couldn’t possibly have thought you got the job.”

It was an absolutely awful experience and I still remember it with horror.

I once had a job interview that I hadn’t quite realised was a job interview (I was going through a really, really stressful time in my defence). I was a student and it was a university scheme for on-campus roles. I thought they just wanted a quick informal chat before I started so turned up in ripped skinny jeans. I don’t know what I was thinking even if it was just a chat. I got there and there was a waiting room full of people in suits! it was a full on panel interview with task and everything. I wanted to cry/the ground to swallow me up, it was awful and then I had to sit through the feedback about why it’s important not to dress too casually for interviews. I honestly still think about it at least once a week. Now I always overdress if I’m unsure!

One of my friends attended an interview recently (for a different position within the company she currently works for) and was asked to give a scenario where she had diffused a stressful scenario. She panicked, made up a story that one of her colleagues was committing expenses fraud and that she had dealt with it etc. The interviewers were obviously shocked, and she received a call from HR later to ask for more information as they were concerned and planning to investigate it. She had to admit she made the story up, and luckily didn’t get into trouble.

I had two interviews lined up in two different parts of London. The first one was impossible to find and I walked round and round trying to find the entrance, eventually calling a central number and being passed from pillar to post until the interviewer guided me to the door, 20 minutes late.

By now I was stressed and sweaty and could feel a migraine building. I felt very nauseous and dizzy and could barely focus on what I was being asked, but the interviewer was nice enough so I wittered on weakly, sipped water and managed not to vomit.

By the time I got out I was already late for the next interview and had to get from Tower Hill to Oxford Street, with a crashing migraine. I called ahead and explained, they assured me not to worry and that they'd wait (it was nearly 5pm). I hauled myself across town, dry heaving on the tube, and zombie-walked in the now pouring rain to the building (found this one OK). They left me alone in reception for 25 mins before somebody appeared and said the person I was meeting had gone home.

I then had a 90 minute train journey home. Didn't get the first job, and when the 2nd one offered to reschedule I suggested they, er, do one.

I have loads

When interviewing for a professional role that involved regular travel throughout the Uk and Ireland, occasionally at short notice and with several overnight stays. This travel was one of the main things that attracted people to the job.

We reiterated this at the interview and one candidate replied “ That’s fine I can be totally flexible and travel anywhere as long as it’s in south London and back for dinner because Ta dah” . Then she waved her hand it the air to show off her engagement ring.

We had several male interviewees who addressed all their answers to the man on the panel, regardless of who asked it.

One man rolled his eyes at one question.

The candidate was applying for a software engineering position, and the panel consisted of our recruiting person, myself (the hiring manager), and a technical interviewer from engineering.

The candidate, according to his CV, was a master of a multitude of programming languages and tools, as well as a seasoned project manager despite only just being about to graduate.

I go first, taking the general and behavioural part as well as some project management questions. Candidate doesn't fare too well on any of the latter - but then, he's a only graduate and we're looking for an engineer. Would have been great if he had some PM skills but it's hardly a must-have.

Tech guy takes over and starts with what should have been a softball question according to the CV. Candidate can't answer it. But, again, we're hiring for a graduate level hire, so maybe take it down a notch. Or two. Or seven.

Candidate can't answer a single one of the most basic questions poor tech guy can come up with. Eventually, I jump in, gently challenging him about the fact that he doesn't actually appear to have quite the level of mastery he claims.

Candidate responds: "I've heard of all of them - and, anyway, I think I'm ready to take on a management level role, so it's not as though I'd have to be writing the code myself."

Asking about a challenge you’ve faced isn’t a stupid question at all. It would be related to the role you’re interviewing for, not your personal life. E.g. how you dealt with a difficult customer/client, how you managed a project that came up against some unforeseen problems etc.

I had an interview once which went pretty well and I thought I'd done OK despite being a bit inexperienced in a couple of areas.
When the interviewer rang to say I hadn't got the job I was a bit disappointed ...asked for feedback and he said they'd gone for someone with a bit more experience but had really liked me. In fact, he had REALLY liked me and wondered if I would like to go out for dinner some time. He was at least twenty years older than me and it was SO inappropriate but at least I felt I'd dodged a bullet!

I went for a an interview for an art designers job at a very up market magazine. Everything was going well until they asked me what my parents did for a living! I was 28 and owned my own flat in London, hardly a child. Even though I knew it would blow the interview I told the truth with pride - mum's a secretary and dad works in a factory. I could have easily lied but I was so angry. I didn't get the job

Once we were interviewing in London for senior staff for our new office in Liverpool. This was very clear on the advert and in pre screening we checked that the applicants knew this. Many people were keen to move from their existing job in London, perhaps because they were from there or had family etc .

On the panel was the head of the head of the Liverpool office, her name and photo were on our website. I introduced her as “ Dr Jane Smith who is < Head of Team > in Liverpool.

One applicant addressed all his technical answers to the male HR manager and ignored Jane, even when she asked him detailed follow up questions .

At the end, the candidate says “ So will you pay me a relocation allowance to move to Liverpool ? “

When we said no, he said angrily “ well that’s not fair! What about the bloke who will be moving up from London to be in charge of the Liverpool office - I bet you paid him a relocation allowance ! “

• cities and names changed

@Partyatnumber10

A couple of years ago I was on an interview panel and one candidate was incredibly nervous. She couldn't get the answer to the first question out at all and started to cry. We sent her out to walk around the block, get her notes and try again. She came back, cried twice more, had to have every question explained in several different ways and given example answers before she could have a try at answering them. In the end, my boss who is incredibly kind asked me to give her a tour of the building and work some of the questions into general conversation. She didn't get the job but my boss found her a colleague course with an apprenticeship type placement with us, she got taken on the year after and is a brilliant employee.

That is so kind of both you and your boss! I imagine that being given the chance will make her an incredibly loyal employee and hopefully will have really boosted her confidence

Prepared for ages and then something entirely different came up, came up with something random as a response , winging it. Using words like doomed. Sounds like you will make a perfect social worker to me. Just add in a worn leather laptop bag, a scruffy pair of jeans and a cold cup of coffee in a cup that's not hern washed in 10 years and your good to go.

Interviewed for a senior job in a local authority.
Ultimate head of the organisation is A, the deputy is B, next tier is C - my potential line manager.
B & C conducted the interview. I know it went well.
I was asked back for a second interview; alarm bells were ringing, 2nd interviews were virtually unheard of.
A & B conducted the 2nd interview. A few desultory questions, smiles all round, & as I was leaving I heard A say "She'll do".

I didn't realise I'd been foisted on Cunt, who was the nastiest, most misogynistic bastard I've ever worked with.

... he asked if he could use his own laptop for the role and I said we preferred people to use the laptop we provided
He then hung up on me and sent me a text telling me I was an “ignorant peasant” followed by lots of angry face emojis

I see your laptop guy and raise you the one who insisted - admittedly during training rather than an interview - that it was "culturally inappropriate" to expect him to be trained by a woman and that she should be replaced forthwith

Remembered another one, this one being me:

I was young, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and I desperately needed a job that would fit around university. Friend recommended I try the hospitality sector, claiming it was near impossible not to get the job.

I spoke three foreign languages and managed not to get the job anyway. How did I do it?

"The one thing I really can't do is sales!"

Little did I realise at the time that hotel front office jobs are basically sales jobs.

(I did go on to land a receptionist position later, and this is, in fact, where I learned my sales skills that have continued to serve me well way past my student days.)

A friend was on an interview panel for a professional post, with two other people, one an attractive young HR woman. One candidate was a cocksure young man.

The HR woman has a knock on her front door shortly after she gets home and it's him. He'd waited in the carpark and followed her home "as there was an obvious spark between them"