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Original poster

What is the strangest feedback you've had from an interview?

116 replies

Confusedmummytotwo · 17/05/2023 12:25

Hi All,

This one has got me interested today.

I had a job interview last week, set up via a recruitment agent, at a big posh relatively newly built building, with two managers who had been the longest serving members of staff in the whole nationwide company- at 4 years tenure, this put me off so I wasn't interested in the job.

However, I've just had the feedback from the recruitment agent which has made me laugh. Apparently they feel I wouldn't fit in with their team as I'm not 'rough enough' and they don't feel I would be able to deal with the banter, that their staff have.

So what is the strangest feedback you have ever been given?

OP posts:
LordEmsworth · 17/05/2023 12:28

That I am "too proactive", I and would get frustrated quickly at the slow pace at which they work.

The recruitment consultant was fizzing when he relayed this, I just saw it as a lucky escape...

postwarbulge · 17/05/2023 12:29

This is decades ago, but I was once told at an interview, "We weren't expecting a woman Mrs Bulge"

1stWorldProblems · 17/05/2023 12:30

That I should try to get some paid work on my CV even a few hours each week in a shop. I was applying for a school admin position after 10 years not working but I had run a Pre-School, 2 PTAs, annual Fireworks for display for over 2,000 people and been a school governor! But all that volunteering wasn't enough

AmeliaWarnerBros · 17/05/2023 12:33

As a "mature" applicant at a cinema just before COVID- "You're very proactive and confident- almost TOO proactive and confident."

Just say you'd rather a 17 year old to be able to pay them f-all!

Although they DID actually have a variety of different aged staff, so I don't know...

Statsanddata · 17/05/2023 12:41

That they just 'couldn't picture me in the role' despite only meeting me for 30 minutes.

I was fully qualified for the job and did the same at the time just for a different company.

BungalowBuyer · 17/05/2023 12:46

That I said "we" and gave credit to my team for achievements rather than saying "I" and taking all the credit for myself. Basically act more like a man !!

ToWonderWhyIBother · 17/05/2023 12:52

Many years ago not long after I had relocated to England from Scotland I interviewed for two jobs in the same day.

Interview one feedback was they didn't want to hire me as people might assume the company is in Scotland with my accent, my CV had my school in Scotland, college in Scotland and all jobs in Scotland, no idea why they thought I wouldn't have a Scottish Accent.
Interview two feedback, that they would be worried I would get homesick and just leave without working my notice, I was 27 years old, married with a child and had just bought a house with my English husband.

Luckily I have thick skin and didn't take it too personally, now been in England 30 year and have worked full time and still have my Scottish accent.

GellerYeller · 17/05/2023 13:06

They don’t deserve you OP.
As a recruiter- from actual interviewers a while back:

We didn’t like her teeth
He had his car radio on too loud in the car park
She didn’t say she wanted to stay 20 years in her next job and that’s important to us 😂
He didn’t seem like he wanted a career in cleaning(minimum wage 4 week temp job)

LordEmsworth · 17/05/2023 13:45

BungalowBuyer · 17/05/2023 12:46

That I said "we" and gave credit to my team for achievements rather than saying "I" and taking all the credit for myself. Basically act more like a man !!

Really? That is Interview 101 isn't it? They're looking to employ you, not your team, so they want to know what "I" did not what "we" did. So " My team achieved the target, this is what I did to ensure that happened". That's not taking credit for others' work...

Windbeneathmybingowings · 17/05/2023 13:47

This is why I never get feedback from interviews. You take me or you don’t, I’m not changing my approach based on the feedback of one individual who didn’t like me enough to give me the job anyway. I’ve passed plenty of interviews without knowing the reason I didn’t get some other jobs.

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 17/05/2023 13:53

I was told I was too young looking and they weren’t sure people would take me seriously. It was a telephone based job and I was nearly 30 at the time. The interviewer had commented on my height (5’2 so not exceptionally short) twice during the interview. They were a “tall team” apparently.

Maraudingmarauders · 17/05/2023 13:58

That I had shown too much interest in roles additional to what was being advertised and that I wouldn't be a good fit as I wouldn't know how to stay in my lane.

Lucky, lucky escape.

Jericha · 17/05/2023 14:03

I talked about my ex boyfriend too much.

The only single reference I made in the interview was when I was asked why I moved house. So I said I split from my fiancé so moved back to my parents house. Said with no tears or drama or further elaboration. I eventually got a job there (not interviewed by her!) and found out that she (the HR manager!) had a reputation for being unstable and bitchy. She got the heave ho a few years later. Scary she was in charge of nearly all company interviews.

twistyizzy · 17/05/2023 14:08

Recently applied for a job slightly out of my current sector but for which I have lots of the required knowledge and skills. Was unsure of applying so a meeting was set up with the interviewer, we chatted and she encouraged me to apply.
My concern was that my CV wouldn't be commercial enough for the role but she refuted that etc. I applied, interviewed but didn't get the job because I couldn't show enough commercial experience 🙄 What a waste of everyone's time!

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 17/05/2023 14:15

Applied for an internal director promotion that I matched the criteria for based on experience in a previous organisation. The interview panel included the COO, a man of such dull greyness that I was always quite surprised he had a shadow.

I didn't get the job and the feedback was that they really needed someone who was strong on process. They hadn't however asked me anything about process whatsoever, nor was it a core part of the JD. It took them two more recruitment rounds to find a man so immensely dull and grey that he was an acceptable appointment.

The summary feedback was that I was a real [insert job title here] - that being the name of the role. Apparently that wasn't what they actually wanted!

Lucky, lucky escape.

Ariela · 17/05/2023 14:24

I was once refused a job on the grounds I hadn't the right experience, in a male predominate industry. Given I'd worked in similar roles for almost 5 years, I asked what experience specifically they were looking for - only to be told experience in x, y, z - ie exactly what was on my CV and what they'd asked about in interview.

Decided I didn't actually want to work for that company anyway so asked would it have made any difference if I was a bloke to be told, yes it might have helped.
(this was 1980s)

sillyonehetpes · 17/05/2023 14:25

1stWorldProblems · 17/05/2023 12:30

That I should try to get some paid work on my CV even a few hours each week in a shop. I was applying for a school admin position after 10 years not working but I had run a Pre-School, 2 PTAs, annual Fireworks for display for over 2,000 people and been a school governor! But all that volunteering wasn't enough

Sometimes you won't pass the checks because of this.

1stWorldProblems · 17/05/2023 14:39

@sillyonehetpes - I had a full DBS and did not prove an issue when I did get a different job in education with just volunteering on my cv

ToHellBackAndBeyond · 17/05/2023 14:43

I was told I was too clean and well presented for the job. It was for making eyeglass lenses in a small factory.
Next job I went in jeans and t shirt and got it.

SecretsIWouldNeverTell · 17/05/2023 14:48

I am a late 50s chubby woman now who looks 60, but at 35 I was a hottie. I was interviewed for a job as reception/admin for a couple working from home. (Running a building/home maintenance firm.) I was slim-ish/curvy and attractive. With an hourglass figure/Marilyn Monroe-esque. Platinum blonde, and blue-eyed.

The woman in the couple (Kate,) interviewed me, with her mother (Carol.) Carol seemed OK, but Kate was hostile and kept shooting me side-eye looks. The husband Steve popped in and out a couple of times and said hello. Chatted to me for 10 minutes after the interview, and said I seemed 'ideal...'

I was fully qualified, and experienced, and pleasant and smiley, and had everything they needed/wanted/required. At the end of the 30 minute interview, the mother said 'we'll let you know......'

Got a message on my answerphone from Kate the wife - the next day, saying 'sorry to tell you but you have not been successful.' I rang back and asked politely if she could tell me why. Told me bluntly I dressed too provocatively and blatantly flirted with her husband, and she didn't need that in her own home.

Curse my beautiful sexy self! 😆The woman was threatened by me! Steve must have had an affair with a woman who looks like me!

Mutabiliss · 17/05/2023 14:53

I was once given feedback that I didn't have experience in the company-owned software that only that very small company used. Well no... because I haven't worked for you before.

Obviously they gave the job to someone who was either already worked there or had before, but it was such useless feedback it made me laugh. Not much I can do to remedy that except... get a job with your company!

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 17/05/2023 15:08

The children could understand my accent. I have a vaguely Northern accent. Was teaching in a school in wales perfectly fine. Interviewed for a job at a school 3 miles away and suddenly they could t understand me Confused

Invisimamma · 17/05/2023 15:11

BungalowBuyer · 17/05/2023 12:46

That I said "we" and gave credit to my team for achievements rather than saying "I" and taking all the credit for myself. Basically act more like a man !!

This is valid feedback. The panel need to know what you did and what part you played in the team, you can say 'i worked with x to achieve y' without taking all the credit, but it must be clear what your role was in the team achieving success.

Whenwillglorioussummercome · 17/05/2023 15:14

Invisimamma · 17/05/2023 15:11

This is valid feedback. The panel need to know what you did and what part you played in the team, you can say 'i worked with x to achieve y' without taking all the credit, but it must be clear what your role was in the team achieving success.

Show quote history

I agree, but that said, when I interview, I usually push that with an interviewee if they are telling me about ‘we’. It’s a shame that didn’t happen here. If they carry on, or it becomes obvious that they ARE trying to claim credit for something they don’t really know about, then fair enough, but I think it’s decent to prompt someone out of it the first time it happens.

BungalowBuyer · 17/05/2023 15:15

@Invisimamma Maybe you had to be at the feedback session, the tone and wording used.