People sharing their worst interview experiences will put you off applying for a job

“The interviewer called my boyfriend to check I wasn’t lying about my answers”

4 years ago

Someone started a thread on Twitter asking people to share their most embarrassing and cringe-worthy interview experiences. The thread is very long, naturally, because interviews are a breeding ground for awkward moments and just about everyone has a story they’re desperate to get off their chest.

What’s the worst experience you’ve ever had in the recruitment process or whilst applying for a job?

— Lewis Ellis (@ImLewisEllis) June 5, 2020

The replies vary from classic fuck ups, like ripping the crotch of your trousers or walking into a glass door and breaking your nose, to completely inappropriate interview questions about whether they own a Rolex or not. It’s a wonderful idea and a cathartic scroll because no matter how shit your past interviews have been, at least the interviewer didn’t call your partner to double-check you weren’t lying about your “describe yourself in three words” answer. Here’s a rundown of the best of the bunch:

At least he was already at the hospital when it happened

Went for an interview as a junior doctor to get a promotion which would see me a consultant in 3years. Walked straight into the plate glass doors at the hospital, broke my nose, and was interviewed looking like Carrie.
Got the job, but some people still remind me, after 30 yrs.

— Dominic Casey (@thekingdommy) June 9, 2020

This one gets weird real quick

I ripped my over-tight interview trousers from crotch to belt as I sat down at the start of the session. Boss insisted I remove them while his sec sowed them up. Did the interview in shirt and pants but got the job

— Tim Holmes 🌏🇪🇺 (@HolmesTW) June 9, 2020

No Rolex, no job

Devil Wears Prada-esque scenario at a very prominent publishing house. Turns out it was a group interview ft psychometrics test followed by a 2 min individual "interview" w/publisher who asked why I wasn't wearing a Rolex.

— Yessi Bello-Perez (@yessibelloperez) June 9, 2020

Clumsy people still need jobs !!!

Getting a 2nd interview for a recruitment company and knocking a jug of water over the people interviewing me.
I didn't get the job

— Martin Jacobs (@Tinny5000) June 6, 2020

From the POV of the interviewer, this one sucks

I used to interview people for a well known sit down restaurant chain and a guy once turned up in a tracksuit sat there with his hands in his pants and told me his greatest achievement in life was appearing on the Jeremy Kyle show.

— Michelle (@mksmjp) June 5, 2020

A biiiiiig NO

I got asked if I had a boyfriend, when I said yes he then asked when I planned on having children…😬

— Hev ⭐🌙 (@MissHeatherWild) June 5, 2020

This is like some interview inception shit

I had a recruiter call me 5 minutes after I placed a role with her to pitch the role to me. She said I had ‘very relevant experience’.

— Steve Pinches (@sjpinches) June 9, 2020

This just seems cruel

Went through 5 stages of loooong interviews with various managers and was told I’d done well in each interview. The 6th round was a bizarre personality test where you had to select random words and they rejected me because the test somehow revealed I had a “fear of rejection” pic.twitter.com/kvjVOhLFm5

— Izzy Evans (@izzyrevans) June 9, 2020

Interesting…

“Are you flexible?” Me: “Not as much as I used to be, but I can still touch my toes” *Silence* “We’ll be in touch”

— Josh (@JoshuaJPE) June 9, 2020

NOOOOOOO

I was co-interviewing for my replacement (app startup) and my boss asked the applicant which three words her boyfriend would use to describe her. He then asked her for his phone number and called him DURING THE INTERVIEW to 'verify' her claim. It was horrific.

— Abigail Mann (@abigailemann) June 9, 2020