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 had an interview at the serpentine gallery, it was for a property management position, nothing to do with the art side of things. The interviewer had told me if the number of applications they’d had from people who were from the arts but had no experience of the role they were offering. All was going well and the interviewer was showing me around, generally getting a good feel, when I referred to artists as ‘arty farty’. The atmosphere became obviously frosty and I knew immediately that I would not be offered the position 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Candidates were set a test before the interview in a separate room.
At one man’s interview, we thought we smelled alcohol and it wasn’t until we went back into the test room we saw that he’d wet himself.
He’d been pissed.
Luckily it was spotted before the next candidate was invited to take a seat . . .

ive learned i need to do detailed research as best as possible, and depending on the organisation, they may already know everything about you, before you even enter the building.

I was on the interviewing panel for a middle leadership position at my school. At the time I was an Assistant Head and the Head and Chair of Governors were also on the panel.

When asked why he wanted to progress to a leadership role, one candidate answered that all senior leaders are terrible and that he wanted the position in order to show SLT how their jobs should be done. It didn’t go down well! Then when asked his weakness, he said it was behaviour management and that he struggled to control some of his previous classes.

I’ve got a few, from both sides 🙈

Once did a full interview with my blouse button wide open (large bust). Was mortified when I realised.

As an interviewer I’ve had people tell me they only came for the interview because the job centre sent them and one girl declared when asked why she left her most recent position ‘because I shagged the boss and his mrs had a bitch fit and came in and caused a drama!’

I think my favourite one was once when holding a group interview a guy had been in the interview for about an hour before admitting that he’d actually come for an induction (major mixup with the receptionist)
Things happen on both sides, don’t beat yourself up about it

@FirstTimeSecondTime

I had an interview at the serpentine gallery, it was for a property management position, nothing to do with the art side of things. The interviewer had told me if the number of applications they’d had from people who were from the arts but had no experience of the role they were offering. All was going well and the interviewer was showing me around, generally getting a good feel, when I referred to artists as ‘arty farty’. The atmosphere became obviously frosty and I knew immediately that I would not be offered the position 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

what inspired you to say such a thing ?

I interviewed a man who was on drugs. Ended with him being taken away in an ambulance...could always be worse OP!

Awww sorry you feel like this. Don't worry too much though, I'm sure it went better than your thinking it did. I recently had an equally disaterourous interview that turned out went well.

As an interviewee: thought the job was typical 9 to 5:30, half way through the interview they said it would require 1 week in 4 to be worked Australian hours. Would have withdrawn from the process prior to interview had I known but I was too polite to end the interview.

As an interviewer: candidate said on her CV that she had done something specific in her current role. My colleague, pretending not to have read her CV, asked her if she had any experience in that same subject area. She said no. My top tip for everyone out there, it's much better to be honest on your CV and big up your willingness to learn rather than blatantly lie. The sad thing is that if the candidate had been honest I would have been happy to take her on without her having the experience she lied about.

Oh bless you I'm sure it went better than you expected and as a child who's been in care myself I think your answer about a child being in care doesn't mean they are doomed was absolutely perfect .

When was 17 I was asked about what I could bring to the role (waitress job) I genuinely said "uh I don't know". It was a scary manager my sister had told me all about and I was absolutely terrified. I still got the job though! More recently a job description said "must be independently mobile" and I just thought it meant you had gpod mobility and could walk around by yourself . When they asked me if I could drive at the interview and I said no everyone was really awkward, turns out it was a community post in a rural area that you needed a car for and that's what independently mobile meant! They asked if I still wanted to carry on with the interview and I stupidly said yes but for the rest of it I was so embarrassed I couldn't really answer any questions like a normal person.

I’m a teacher. When I’d been teaching for about 2-3 years I applied for a teaching job at a top London day school. Interview with the head of department didn’t go well - he seemed to misunderstand everything I was trying to say.
On to observed lesson. Year 11 class were incredibly badly behaved from the start. Openly rude, laughing at me etc. HoD just sat at back of the room not doing anything. I tried to show some images on the projector screen but I couldn’t get the screen to stay down - it kept on flying back up to the ceiling, which obviously just got the class even more riled up. At the end of the lesson I saw the HoD put his head in his hands and the class gave me an openly sarcastic round of applause. After the lesson the HoD showed me the catch where I needed to attach the projector screen. He’d let me get through an entire 40 minute lesson without showing me. As we walked out the class’s normal teacher came in. He said ‘did you have them for your observation? Poor you - they’re awful!’
I didn’t get the job obviously. I won’t say which school it was. Actually I will. King’s College School Wimbledon.
I have since been a HoD and I would NEVER allow that to happen to an interview candidate, even if I disliked them.

That's terrible @Scout98765 but the only consolation is that anybody who's that much of an arse in an interview is not somebody you'll be happy working for.

@Hawkins001, I have no idea! I really wanted the job, and as the words were coming out of my mouth my internal monologue was going “shut up! Stop taking”!

I was an extremely competent, also very attractive young woman. Well qualified for the role.
He interviewed me twice and told me that’s he was not going to hire me because I was “dangerous”.

Context: early 1990s. He was 20 years older than me, 6 inches shorter but clearly suffering from a massive ego,

I was recently married. Now, I would kick up one hell of a stink. Then, it was par for the course and I notched it up to experience.

A year or so later, I was interviewed six times for a role. Eventually told that, whilst eminently qualified, because my husband was a director of a competing company, “pillow talk” was a concern.

I really, really hope things have moved on.

Mine was horrendous. Now qualified and well regarded. Probably wasn't as bad as you thought.

I’m still full-body cringing about an interview I did wherein I cried, went blank when they asked me a very simple question about the company and (for reasons that still evade me today) said: “I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I’ve ‘done my own research’…” complete with finger quotes. There was more, but that was enough to ensure I remain haunted to this day.

This was about 22 years ago now but I still get all hot when I think about it.

I wasn't feeling well the morning of the interview, but I thought it was just nerves. Went to the interview, was sat in the room with the interviewer, and started feeling worse and worse, terrible stomach pains and going hot and cold. Halfway through answering a question I suddenly realised I needed to go to the toilet NOW, jumped up from my seat and ran to the tiny toilet which was right next to it. Had one of the worst bouts of the runs in my life.

The interviewer had to call my mum to pick me up. The whole place stank.

Needless to say I did NOT get the job. Horrendous. I still feel ill when I think of it!!!

Was on holiday in UK saw a job advertised and decided to go for it,had interview next day and ,with no smart clothes with me,I borrowed my sister's top.
Interviewed by young manager who was very smiley.
Got the job.
Went back to holiday flat and my ds asked why I'd got her button up the back top on back to front...I'd done the whole interview with the buttons having given into the strain over my chest and had popped open!🙈
New boss and I laughed about it way down the line but when I first started and was introduced to other staff I kept hearing " oh you're the one who" yep that's me.😳

I’ve like to mention this at any opportunity so sorry if any have read this before ….

(Senior role that I was more than qualified and capable of doing)
Interviewer (1 of 5 in a family firm) - so what does your husband do ?
Me - oh, I’m not married.
Interviewer- oh. I thought you said you had a child.
Me - yes, I do.

Cue silent tumbleweeds……..
Ughh.

I had an interview during COVID that was done via teams. I was at work that day and didn't want anyone to know so I had to sit in my car to do the interview.

It was really distracting and I couldn't concentrate so I think I was rambling a bit.

The first question they asked me was a two parter. One of the interviewers really rudely cut me off and asked what question I was actually answering because she didn't have a clue what I was talking about.

Put me right off and I didn't even try after that. She interrupted me a couple more times and was quite intimidating . I think had I been in the room with her I'd have been a wreck.

• Candidate kept looking down at a piece of paper on the table. I asked why his was interested in the specific role- he looked at his piece of and said 'I didn't print out the answer to that question!!!' I re phrased the question and it seriously stumped him and he couldn't answer anything further!

• One role required strict security clearance which candidates were aware of beforehand. The admin advised me that when photocopying the candidates passport, a bag of weed had fallen out!

• An internal candidate was being interviewed. When asked how she prioritises her work through the day, she said she sticks her headphones in, listens to music all day, so she can block out work and focus on something else!

Not me, but I remember a friend going for an interview. When asked what he thought his strengths were he said he thought he was quite good looking - he was mortified when it was met with stoney stares, but then made it worse when then when asked about his weaknesses he said “saying I’m good looking in job interviews”!

I was going for a promotion at work. I was young, shy and quiet, confident and good at my job, and I worked hard..

I didn't know any of the panel of interviewers so my manager told me to go in and just be myself.

The interview seemed to go well until I said 'I want to spank you all for your time" whilst trying to push my wheeled chair back from the flimsy table... Only to realise the chair didn't have wheels ani I pushed the table over into the interviewers. Sadly, the table had a big jug of water and lots of biscuits. I then laughed until I snorted like a pig laughing, and ran out.

I got the promotion! Fuck knows how!!

I should probably have NC for that post 😕

I went to an interview for a position that I was slightly under qualified for but it was an in area of interest. It went really well and they told me I was a really close 2nd but they have it to someone with more experience. They said how impressive I was and it was a really hard decision.

They had another position in a different department that was a step lower and I went for that one. It went horribly as even though it was lower ranked, it was in an area I was unfamiliar with. When they called to tell me I had not got the job they just kept saying how my first interview was so much better and I got the impression they felt like they'd had a lucky escape not appointing me before. It was so embarrassing!