To ask for your funniest/weirdest/most awkward job interview experiences have been?

[NightandViolets]

Asking as I’m dipping my toes into the jobs hunt after a long time in my current role and it got me thinking about some very random interviews I’ve had from both sides!

my weirdest moment as an interviewee was when I was blathering on and suddenly the main interviewer got up and left without a word. I carried on and she came back with a tissue then proceeded to take a caterpillar off my shoulder and throw it out the window! She said it had been distracting her! It broke the ice in quite a po faced interview but I didn’t get the job 😉

then from the other side I have had some humdingers but one that really stands out is the woman that brought a book of poetry she’d written to recite to us (the job had nothing to do with creative writing!). She didn’t get the job either!

please share yours and say if you got the job or not as I could do with a giggle 🤭

[SunshineAndFizz]

Oh and someone once asked me what my parents did for a living. Like that's relevant to MY ability to do the job.

[PortiasBiscuit]

The poor guy who brought his presentation on paper instead of acetate sheets (remember those?) stands out. His face, when he switched the overhead projector on and there was just a square of black!

[JoanThursday]

My weirdest interview never even got going. Went for a job as admin for a debt collection agency. Was taken to a separate floor with a huge open plan office that looked like it wasn't in use and was left there, sitting on a chair in the middle of the room with no one else there. Interviewer came in after about 10 mins, sat down and asked me what my current salary was. I told her, she said they weren't offering as much as that and we might as well not continue. And that was that!

[Standbyguest]

Once I interviewed someone for a senior PR role who showed up to the interview with her husband as she didn't want to get the train on her own. We didn't have a reception so he sat in our office while people were working while she did her interview. He was very awkward and shy and the whole thing was just weird.

I couldn't fathom why, even if he got the train down with her that he came to the office too, why not go sit in a cafe and wait?

[Aussiegirl123456]

When I finished my a levels and wanted a summer job, I went to an interview at a local publishing company for an intern position. I turned up and was told the “big boss” was away and I was given some magazines to read before being asked to call some people on a subscription database. I assumed it was part of the interview process. I kept being told “you’ll love the big boss when he’s back” and how this elusive big boss will like me.

After 3 hours, I asked when the big boss would be back, assuming they’d need to interview me after what I assumed was a trial shift. I was told “oh, he’ll be back in a couple of weeks. You’ve done so well, would you like to come back tomorrow, say 9-3?”. I kept going back and eventually left 8 years later having never had an interview.

Yes, I loved the big boss and he loved me back (in a fatherly way). That was my eye opening experience that adults in real big people jobs are actually just real, forgetful and unorganised people.

[TheAustralian]

Went for a job interview in a big city hospital. The interviewer was a male. I’ve walked in and sat down a bit nervous but excited. He’s looking at me like the cats who’s got the cream. all big smiles, wide eyed and overtly enthusiastic for me too take the job with an immediate start of that afternoon.
no reference check, police check or WWCC check.
i tell him I would love to take the job. I can start right away. I walk outside, all excited about how I had pulled off the impossible, I feel a breeze blow on my tummy. I look down and my shirt only has one button buttoned up, the rest are still undone. Leaving my boobs fully exposed. I’m a size E. So lots of boobie exposed.
I was so nervous before the interview I had forgotten to do my shirt up. I still blush and cringe whenever I see a man in a white shirt sleeves rolled up. It was almost 30 years ago now. Feels like yesterday
I never did take the job in the end.

[SaturdayGiraffe]

They asked me some questions and realised they had the wrong CV, not mine, and were expecting someone else. I insisted they interview me anyway (I wanted the experience).

[TitoMojito]

I had a job interview once with two people who turned out to be a married couple and they clearly didn’t think I was suited for the job so they started giving me life advice and it felt more like a counselling session than an interview 🫠

[Whichwhatnow]

An interview with a top London law firm for a trainee position consisted of the interviewers interrogating me about my dad's career (he's a carpenter which clearly didn't impress) and educational background (funnily enough high school dropout didn't appear to impress either). I was too surprised by quite how stereotypical they were being to really react

[TheFrozenCanal]

Longish interview, the interviewer had a cv in front of him and at the end the interviewer said, ok Rebecca, that's everything. My name isn't Rebecca and I didn't get the job.

One I did get was for a position and the boss said my skills would soon be obsolete, the skills he was recruiting for. I laughed in his face.

[LeilaGetTheHose]

There's two I can think of, both when I was finding my first job after school.

Interview 1 (for a sales role)

Interviewer: "Finish this sentence, money is...."
Me: "important in some aspects"

Didn't get the job, pretty sure they weren't happy with that answer for a SALES job!

Interview 2
Interviewer: "I see you have learning Spanish as your hobby." Speaks Spanish to me
Me: Stares blankly...

I had added Spanish to my CV years prior when at school I had had a few weeks of lessons. Completely forgot it was still on there. Looked like a moron. Didn't get the job.

[Lemonyfuckit]

I got asked by the final interviewer (the CEO) if I was stuck on a desert island, which of the previous rounds of interviewers would be most useful to be stuck with, and who would be the least useful (previous rounds being an HR person, the head of HR, and the general counsel....). If he was asking all candidates I guess he was also doing a nice little play assessing his current staff too....
I had been warned by the recruiter that the interview style was unusual so at least I wasn't completely thrown by this and I got the job.

[Lovegossip]

An interview I had which was successful and I worked there for 11 years

I àrrived on time but the interviewer had forgotten to book a meeting room so none were free, ended up with the interview in the canteen while people were having lunch

Another one was on a massive industrial estate, lots of companies and had to check in with security who then called you let them know I was there and told me to follow the guided markings to the relevant building, got there, got in the lift as someone else also got in and didn't take much notice of them, que the interview she was the interviewer and asked if I recognised her, obviously not as I wasnt paying attention 🤷‍♀️

My very 1st job in 1996 that I got permanently I was late for, had to travel from SE London to NW London nr Wembley, left plenty of time to get there but due to a breakdown of the bakerloo line arrived at the station 20 mins after the interview was supposed to start, I didn't have a mobile phone but luckily there was a phone box so I called and explained and they said to continue to their office and somehow I got the job

I've had a few where the vibe wasn't right, I'm good at seeing unsaid looks lol

[MusicWithRocksIn]

I was about 18 and applied for a v junior admin job (photocopying, envelope stuffing) at the London HQ of a foreign bank. The interview panel consisted of FIVE directors - all middle aged men who were almost robotically formal. It was so intimidating. I was terrified and barely said a word. Didn't get the job.

Another interview around the same time, I'd borrowed some shoes from my mum. They were slightly too small. I got lost after getting off the tube (pre-smart phones) and eventually found the office 20 minutes late, by which time I was hobbling on bleeding feet. My first words were "sorry I'm late, do you mind if I take ny shoes off and do you have any plasters?" Fortunately she was a nice and sympathetic lady, but it was pretty clear I wasn't going to get the job.

[clairelouwho]

I’m not the greatest at interviews at all so I have a few botched ones where I totally lost my nerve and I have cried in an interview before so if you haven’t reached that low you’re doing well.

this particular one happened at my current place of work. I had applied for a promotion and received an invite to interview. The process for the application and recruitment process is the same for in house candidates and external candidates.

it was during covid times so all interviews were held remotely over a virtual platform. I got myself all ready, prepared and rehearsed my answers. I was just waiting for the time and I get a notification saying one of the interviewers has joined the meeting and suggesting that I join it.

in a panic over being in time I click join and the meeting commences. I immediately get a vibe that I’ve done something wrong or to offend someone. I start answering the questions and one of the interviewers keeps interrupting me before I’ve finished my answer. Asking me questions to things I was already getting ready to answer.

it threw me off completely and I lost track. The second question rolls around and she phrases it in a way that I wasn’t expecting and this knocked me off course. I completely fell apart and needed to take a break. I do that and put myself on mute but don’t leave the computer and can hear everything.

one of the interviewers says to the other one that I just joined the interview without an invite and made a thing that I’d done something terribly wrong. As I returned I felt even more on edge and knew I’d failed.

I did mention at the end of the interview that I hadn’t meant to barge into the interview but that the notification to join had come up so I joined for fear of being late.

needless to say I didn’t get the job and honestly after that interview I’m glad. My feedback was that I didn’t focus enough in the results of the situation which I would have if I’d been allowed to finish my answer before being interrupted.

[ColdHandsHotHead]

Turned up half an hour late for an interview for a job I really wanted (in London and there was a tube breakdown so not really my fault), talked at length, wouldn't shut up, the interviewer said he needed to draw the interview to a close as the next person was waiting, I said ok and kept on and on. The whole episode is in retrospect so excruciating that although it's 25 years ago I still go cold with horror.

[KimberleyClark]

@VioletCharlotte

The funniest one I've had an interviewer was when the candidate (male, 20's) decided it was appropriate to wink at me and my colleague (both 40's, female, quite senior) at the end of the interview! Needless to say, we didn't offer him the job.

What a winker.

[Noseylittlemoo]

My worst experience was for a visual merchandising role - I had a fair amount of experience but in a ladies wear shop where there were a lot of graphics to manage and women and children's mannequins to dress. This interview they wanted 2 male mannequins presented in a particular style. I'm less than 5' tall and at the time was about 6 stone and I really struggled with the size of the mannequins. You usually have to dismantle them somewhat to get the clothes on . But then I just couldn't re-attach the arm on one and I had to present it with only one arm. needless to say i didnt get the job!

[ColdHandsHotHead]

My head of department interviewed a guy for a job. He turned up drunk, did the interview, and kissed her on the cheek as he said goodbye.

She wasn't impressed.

[Allthegoodnamesarechosen]

@Standbyguest

Once I interviewed someone for a senior PR role who showed up to the interview with her husband as she didn't want to get the train on her own. We didn't have a reception so he sat in our office while people were working while she did her interview. He was very awkward and shy and the whole thing was just weird.

I couldn't fathom why, even if he got the train down with her that he came to the office too, why not go sit in a cafe and wait?

I don’t think that was the reason he came to the interview, he sounds desperately needy.

[MrsMikeDrop]

Not mine, but a friends. She fell down a flight of stairs! All splayed out at the bottom 😳

[CityCommuter]

I was 18 and applied for a trainee position at the London branch of an International bank, it was advertised in one of those free magazines which were given out at tube stations, 9 to 5 I think... anyhow I turned up for the interview which had 2 people on the panel, the CEO and supervisor of department... I was asked why I would like to work for a bank (I had no idea it was a bank and had done no research as Internet was very limited in late 90's)... I replied with "oh I didn't know it was a bank!"... their company name even had Bank in their title which should haven been a slight clue for me

Anyhow interviewers smirked at each other and they still offered me the job! They later said they appreciated my naivety and I ended up staying there for quite a few years and wised up in the process!

[elmooie]

@DRS1970

I was asked at interview "if you were a wood, what wood would you be". I said walnut, which may have been wrong as I never got the job.

Love this 😅 Maybe they thought you were over qualified with classy walnut and basic pine was was they were really after 🤷‍♀️ This is why these types of questions are so ridiculous!! I had a recruiter hound me for a job, youngish sounding guy, got really stuck into me about why I would only consider part time hours (had a baby at the time) as the job he had was only full time. He pushed and pushed until I ended the call saying “I don’t have the justify myself to you!”

[VirginiaQ]

Not me but a friend of mine. Interview for a promotion in a uniformed organisation which his wife also worked for.

Took a beautifully ironed shirt out of the wardrobe and hung it on the hook in his car intending to change into it when he got to the venue as he didn't want to risk any creases. On arrival he found out he'd brought his wife's shirt and not his own! Had to go through the interview in a much too tight shirt although it was certainly an ice breaker and he got the promotion!

[potniatheron]

About 20 years ago, I went for a job interview in events organising. I thought it went pretty well. Towards the end I was asked "Are you a girly girl?" The question kinda flustered me, I'm not a girly girl, but the meaning of girly girl is, I guess, subjective, some might even find it offensive, I didn't know, so I stammered out something non-commital. "Oh I only ask because there are a lot of girly girls here and you might find them difficult to fit in with."

Anyway I was offered the job and turned it down on the basis of that comment! Got something slightly higher paying a week later. Still don't really understand what they meant or what, if anything, they were trying to tell me!