To ask if anyone’s ever gone to an interview where the panel were absolute nightmares?

[CandidOpalSnake]

I went to one recently where the atmosphere was so cold and performatively rude that I left thinking, even if I got the job, I wouldn’t take it. They were condescending, dismissive and acted like they were doing me a favour by being there - no warmth, no interest, just attitude. It’s honestly mad how some interviewers act like you’re the one on trial, when they’re supposed to be selling the role too.

AIBU to think some interviewers seriously need a reminder on basic respect?

Worst one I had was when I was around 18, I just finished fashion design at college. I was bright eyed and very polite. The interview was just for an admin role and the man and woman interviewing were so condescending and spent most of the time asking if I’d made the outfit I was wearing and do I just make all my own clothes, not much on the actual job. I just left as soon as I could and knew regardless I wasn’t working there if they offered. Just felt like a big waste of time.

OMG, I had an appalling half-day set of interviews, up against what turned out to be the internal candidate, who was treated with favouritism while I was insulted to my face & behind my back (subsequent interviewer read out what previous one had said about me).

When I got home I rang HR & told them I was no longer interested & asked them to shred any data they held on me. This didn't accord with their world-view & their response was along the lines of that Billy Connolly punchline: "You don't tell ME to f$%& off, I tell YOU to f$%& off!" Too late - I got in first.😂I heard a few years later that the whole benighted department had been closed down. 😂again.

Years back I had an interview for a civil service job.

The panel had their desks arranged in a horseshoe shape and I had to sit on a stool in the middle.

Unfortunately it was a winter afternoon when the sun was low in the sky and shining brightly through the window right into my face. I was squinting and my eyes were watering and I was too distracted with having to keep dabbing my eyes with a tissue without smudging my eye makeup to answer confidently.

Another one was a school admin job with a panel, but we were in the smallest office I've ever seen. We were all sitting in a tiny circle and our knees were almost touching.

I feel this happens when they are planning for an internal hire but they have to advertise the role!

Oh my word I went to one exactly as you describe a few weeks ago. It was the second worst interview of my life - I'm a senior professional in my 40's.

Around 15 years ago on an interview the woman kept getting distracted and looking out the window, I asked her was anything wrong and she said her ex husband was stalking her and kept driving past, she spent most of the interview telling me all about it and no I never got the job 😂

Yes. Once had an interview coming back off mat leave where I answered a technical question and the interviewer asked "Jesus how long have you BEEN on mat leave". I was really junior at the time.
Half way through I just said, "this has to be right for both parties and this isn't the right place for me and to continue would be a waste of everyone's time". I walked out (politely). The agent who put me forward then said their feedback was great and they wanted a second interview. Erm no.

I climbed the ladder somewhere else and work against this giant of the industry frequently. Once where she had been professionally negligent and missed something technically.

That was a great day.