Job Interview - still cringing

[MrsMyreton]

Hello wonderful Mumsnetters,

I have just had an awful job interview where I completely blanked and fluffed up questions that of course I can answer easily. I am cringing. Big embarrassment in front of three top people in the company including the chief himself.

Please-oh-please give me your tales of cringe-worthy interviews so I can try to gather back my last shred of self respect

I've done similar, 3rd interview with the company big shots (Global supply chain director and a Production director). First two interviews I felt so confident and relaxed and had brilliant feedback.

3rd interview just fell apart, still no idea why, the interview questions were not that much different from previous ones, I had answers prepared but just blanked. It was mortifying and the more it happened the worst it got and just wanted it over. Kicked myself all the way home.

Oh dear, Oh well op, it probably just wasn't meant for you this one. Chalk it up to practice :) you'll find something better soon.

Hmm...wanted to do a little part time job in a petshop near my place as something to get me out and about last summer. It went alright apart from having the sense that the girl that left as i arrived was the running fave and it was a bit awkward as it was just him showing me about the petshop (builders still in) and his wife and kid were watching me with... sour expressions.

I just felt they wanted the young lass they'd just seen (he brought her up twice so...) and had already decided but for some reason at the last minute when in handshake, I put my other hand over the top of his without thinking. And then was kicking myself after I did it as it felt too much like 'I know you are giving me this job' and I also reached out to shake hands with the wife...she ignored me. Awkward. Cringey.

But yeah I just thought, what is life coming too when I cant even get a wee part time shop job!? Soul crushing. I console myself with the thought that the other lass was younger so they would have had to pay her less. And I don't think I would have wanted to work with him and his sourpuss wife anyway.

I turned up to an interview still drunk from the night before. The first question was tell me about your current role and I literally just couldn’t think of how to articulate what I do. I must have absolutely stank despite having a shower beforehand and dousing myself in perfume.

I used to be absolutely dreadful at interviews but over time I have managed to get through them- still nervous but I tend to do alright now. I had a dreadful interview when I was 20 - was interviewing for a well known high street bank. Part of the interview involved doing some mental arithmetic - they gave me a pen, paper, a calculator, then gave me a numbers problem to complete. I had 5 minutes to do it in, and I could not have been more useless at it! I should have known, I'm possibly dyslexic when it comes to numbers (words I have no problem with but numbers.... hopeless, it all gets scrambled in my head). Anyway, after 5 minutes of hell, scribbling random numbers on the paper and getting basic maths totally wrong, they stopped me and then asked why on earth hadn't I used the calculator. Apparently I'd not heard them say to use the calculator if you get stuck. I was mortified, and as you can imagine did not get the job. Probably best not to apply for a job at a bank if you can't do basic maths or think to use the calculator right in front of you!

I had an interview years ago. Went well and the interviewer came down in the lift with me to see me out. As the doors opened, I turned round to shake his hand as I stepped out of the lift, so didn't notice the rolled up carpet in my way (it was late, cleaners were cleaning) and I fell flat on my face.
I picked myself up, ran to the main door and all the way to the bus stop.

I didn't get the job
Some things just aren't meant to be I guess! Better luck next time OP

I still cringe at an interview I had about 15 years ago for an entry level admin position. Normally I'm really good at interviews, can always think of something to say etc. This time....nope my mind was totally blank. Even the most simple questions I literally couldn't answer. I must've looked like a total thicko!!

I had an extreme coughing fit during a job interview once. I was choking with tears running down my face in a quiet board room with 3 big shots from the company.

I went for an interview at Cancer Research. Unfortunately a couple of days before the interview my dad died quite unexpectedly of cancer. I still went but basically sobbed my way through the interview. Didn’t get the job!

Sorry to sound cynical but I’ve noticed quite a few threads that all have the similar “please tell me your stories of.....to make me feel better”. Are you journalists looking for embarrassing anecdotes in specific situations?

Nearly a decade ago I interviewed for a big solicitors firm. Although I knew the name of the person who was interviewing me and had looked him up, I'm face blind, so wouldn't recognise him.

Sitting in reception waiting and a smartly dressed middle aged man swept in, did all the hello and nice-to-meet-you, and if-you-just-come-this-way, so I followed him off to a meeting room.

About ten minutes in to the interview he began to ask about skills that a solicitor doesn't usually have - marketing and accountancy. After a couple of valiant efforts at guessing what sort of marketing strategy a solicitors' firm would need, I realised I was in the wrong interview, had to stop him and ask if I was in the right place, because I'd applied for a position as a solicitor.

He trotted me back to reception where the actual interviewer was waiting for me, granite-faced.

I stumbled through the interview in a miasma of embarrassment. I didn't get the job.

@Lifeofalchemy definitely not a journalist, because much to my surprise I had a phone call at half five to say... I got the job!! Cannot believe it.

Reading all of your stories have given me a real chuckle because I absolutely get the 'cringe' factor. Thank you all for making this very long afternoon much better!

Well done!

Why are some people so cynical? Must everything be journalists? 🙄. Hope you’re feeling a bit better, OP, it’s grim, isn’t it? As mentioned on another thread, I had one so bad the interviewer put her pen down and started slowly rubbing her temple with a pained expression. Another one, I digressed and somehow ended up talking about Radiohead (mental health job, appreciate the melancholy connection but no...) and another where, despite accidentally answering the questions with relevant answers and sounding a bit professional, I suddenly took it upon myself (as they set up for a role play exercise) to give a detailed account of my unfortunate detour down a one-way street en route to the interview, complete with wildly gesticulating bystanders. Let me know your next interview, I’ll try and get in ahead of yours and trust me, you will look amazing.