Worst interview ever...I need to leave the country, don't I?

[minou123]

Just had an interview it was, without fail, the worst, most embarrassing thing I've ever done.

One minute I was rambling, next minute I couldn't speak.
I was over enthused about the greatness of 'action plans'. To my shame, i even said I have action plans to clean my house 🙄

I cant remember the rest, I think my brain is trying to protect me from the shame I have brought upon myself.

I need to leave the country, don't I? The thought of ever bumping into the interview panel is filling me with fear.
Albu?

I had one of these last week.

I ended up not having much time to prepare, had been back and forwards to the vets with the dog for the 3 days before including a days hospitalisation stay for the dog. All I could think about was the dog and my mind just went completely blank as soon as I sat down for the interview 😳

I was asked the tell me about yourself question and said erm…. I’ve got a dog. Asked how I was resilient and said I enjoyed going for walks to have time to think! It Didn’t even answer the question they asked and they just looked at me like wtf 😂

At the end when they said have you got any questions for us I just said no thank you. Realised there was no point at that stage and just wanted it to be over 😂

You probably won't get the job, we've all been there with that feeling of doom. Best to just hold your head up and forget it.

At least you're not like the guy I interviewed who answered a question about workload by saying he'd do brilliantly as he is also self-employed at the moment and spends all day pretending to do his real job and doing that second job instead. He already worked here at the time. Thankfully he left shortly after that!

I wouldn't worry too much about it. In 2020 I was interviewed via Teams...it was all going very well until I sneezed (one of those unexpected loud sneezes)", jilted my head forward and knocked the webcam off the monitor. The interview panel had a lovely view of my nostrils. At that moment I thought " well it can't get any worse, so in for a penny.." I then offered to make them a cake if they overlooked the "incident" and gave me the job. I started 3 weeks later and I did bring cake. 😂

Brilliant 😁

That is a better answer compared to what I said today.

My brain just wouldn't function. As I was speaking I completely forgot what I was saying.

At least you weren't filmed and put on the telly like the poor Apprentice candidates OP 😳

DH went for an interview for role A and after answering several questions he suddenly piped up 'It sounds like what you really need is role B'

They looked at him blankly for a second and said, 'Yes, this vacancy is for role B'

When he doubled checked the advert later, they were indeed looking for someone to do role B 🙄

Maybe you’ll surprise yourself and update is that you got the job. Positive thinking 🙌🏻

I have one of these coming up on Weds OP. Tried to prepare for the interview at weekend and realised that I have precisely no relevant experience and absolutely nothing to talk about for any of their essential criteria. Its going to be truly humiliating, ' Nope sorry, got nothing to say to that question either.'

I can only think that my application got mixed up with someone else's and that they are interviewing me in error.

Its only the fact that I don't like to think of myself as a coward who runs away from things that is stopping me from cancelling the interview.

I think now’s the time to join a convent (or monastery) in a remote Himalayan region, so no other unfortunate souls are ever subject to such horrors. And if you interview badly, it’s ok! God forgives all 😄

Failing that, just get a bit pissed and try to wipe if from your memory 😉

I had a horrific one back in 1994 that I've just had a flashback to...

Must admit that I've never worked permanently since the last "milkround" interview that I did, which lasted 2 days, involved a dinner, role plays and an interview in a language I didn't speak...

Mind you, I wasn't a rugby/golf/rowing/posh boy, so finding a career training place was never going to go well.

Still go for it, you might surprise yourself.

Although, saying that I suspect I don't have the experience for this job.
There is a specific type of paperwork that needs to be completed, when asked about my experience I said
"I'm not an expert, I am aware of it. I'll need training on it and if I don't know what I'm doing I'll ask someone for help

😬don't know why I said that, what a stupid answer.

I once called my interviewer the totally wrong name (I knew it was wrong the second it came out of my mouth). I was still offered the job.

This thread is giving me a good laugh and reminding me of my many similar slip ups.

OP, let's elope to the Caribbean together and set up a club for embarrassing interviewees. We could set up at a palm-fringed beach and have a fantastic bar stocked with absolutely everything. Whaddya say?

Why are people being so nasty?

I once had what I thought was the worst ever interview, even down to losing my track and forgetting what I was talking about (arrgh) - I was dying of embarrasment. But the feedback was great and I got through to the next stage, so mostly in my mind. When I did c*ck up I was honest about it - which I think they appreciated. So don't beat yourself up. Worst case is you never need to see these people again unless you get the job and in that case it clearly won't have mattered a jot :-)

I was asked once how I monitor my quality assurance and I didn't have a fecking clue what they were on about. So I said I don't know what you're asking me, and they looked at me like I was completely thick.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it, I’m sure they appreciated your enthusiasm and if it was mega cringe I’m sure they’ve seen worse.

I once interviewed someone for a job at a games company, when I asked what her favourite game was she said ‘Oh no, I hate games.’ 😂
(as much as I like that anecdote though, I wouldn’t recognise her in the street so you’re probably safe!)

@DontBlameMe79 / why so nasty when the OP is clearly upset? Not cool

When I was much younger I was asked at an interviewer how I would approach a disabled child. I said "From the side". I got the job but still cringe over twenty years later when I think of it. I interview terribly and am now self employed!

I told an Inspector of Taxes that I didn't like the sound of the job. He said he liked my honesty and gave me the job. Which turned out amazingly well.

🧠 💨

I needed this thread. I’ve just had an interview Friday for a job I really wanted, which I came away thinking I’d done really well at the interview.. and got the rejection email at 9:02 this Monday morning :( I like the sage advice @SpiderinaWingMirror that is indeed where I shall chuck this experience!

Nothing wrong with that. /\

Sat on a panel once, one candidate was miles above the others in experience, which was seriously impressive.
We all agreed on the person chosen, but the ''Boss'' said ''They'll be gone in a year~ they just want us on their CV.

Twas true.

Gawd....I had a horrific one back in the 1990s. It was for a head office position at B&Q. I was perfectly qualified for the job, had done my research, but for some reason the interviewer totally intimidated me from the get-go. He didn't crack a smile, fired questions tersely at me, grunted at my responses.....

I started to get more and more stressed, then the dreaded brain freeze struck. I would have struggled at that point to say what day of the week it was. I stammered, stuttered, and eventually got a bit tearful, and the interview was rapidly drawn to a close. I could see the guy thinking "what sort of blithering idiot have the recruitment agency sent me?!" I couldn't get out of there quickly enough.

Suffice it to say I didn't get that job, but then landed a perfect one elsewhere soon after, following an interview where the interviewer actually smiled and made a point of putting me at my ease. I'm not someone who is usually intimidated, but something about that guy.....ugh. I couldn't have worked for him.

I do remember a candidate phoning for an informal chat about my job that I was leaving - she worked in a different public sector organisation and was concerned about her lack of experience in our sector. I remember reassuring her that public sector bureaucracy is pretty much the same anywhere and the experience of drowning in red tape in our sector was likely to be just like that in hers. She still applied and got the job!

I'm in.

Although I suspect I'll be drinking much of the stock just numb my current embarrassment 😳