Thaedolus
Member
Med devices, specifically regulatory affairs and quality management systems
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The Worst Job Interview in History
- Thread starter RavenSan
- Start date
Lol!! Wtf?
T8SC
Member
Me and the other 2 in the interview thought the same. He must've thought he was being sneaky but it was the most obvious thing possible. Literally reading from his screen after a search like a robot.
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I interviewed a guy who acted like I was wasting his time. He would sigh each time I asked him a question. The purpose of my questions were to gauge how much of the resume is bs, how much he actually knew, and what his line of thinking was when trouble shooting server environments.
Here is a scenario, what kind of things would you look for and what would you think the problem might be. How would you check it?
Sigh I would check this. (Couple word answer) *silence*
Umm ok so what do you think the could be causing the issue?
Sigh (couple word answer) silence.
Ok so what if you check this and find it was working what would you check?
Sigh I would check this I guess (silence)
Why?
Sigh "Because you said this was broken."
Here is a scenario, what kind of things would you look for and what would you think the problem might be. How would you check it?
Sigh I would check this. (Couple word answer) *silence*
Umm ok so what do you think the could be causing the issue?
Sigh (couple word answer) silence.
Ok so what if you check this and find it was working what would you check?
Sigh I would check this I guess (silence)
Why?
Sigh "Because you said this was broken."
TheMan
Member
In my 20s, just out of college, I was desperate for a job. Interviewed at a local steakhouse for a position as a runner, not even a waiter. If you're not familiar, a runner basically delivers food from the kitchen to the table and passes it out. Had to take a personality test and stupid me, I answered some questions like "do you sometimes get nervous" truthfully.
Interview had been going well and then the manager came back with a puzzled look on his face. He explained that the results indicated he could not continue with the interview. Up until that point the interview was fine.
I failed a personality test.
Interview had been going well and then the manager came back with a puzzled look on his face. He explained that the results indicated he could not continue with the interview. Up until that point the interview was fine.
I failed a personality test.
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Uhtred
Member
I was interviewing once for a job as an insurance salesman and I was very young so during the interview, I was being honest and saying things like I’m just looking for someone to take me under their wing teach me the ropes and as as I’m saying this he starts stacking books in front of us on the desk to the point where we can’t see each other, and from the other side of the desk, he asked me do you see what you’re doing? I looked at him puzzled, even though he couldn’t see my face, I said no he replied, you are building a Wall of excuses. I knew right then and there I didn’t want the job.
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MastAndo
Member
I had an interview with Verizon for an entry level tech position right out of college, and the interviewer decided he would evaluate me by asking strictly existential/philosophical questions. It was your typical "if a tree falls in the forest...' fare, but I was already nervous as hell as it was and I was NOT prepared to provide any thoughtful answers to life's great mysteries. I stammered my way through a lot of it. When it finally ended, I thanked him for making me realize I'm an idiot, and I went home and stared at the wall for a while.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
My interview story is the opposite. It wasn't the worst, it was the best and easiest job interview ever.
Before I began looking for jobs I created a new resume/CV using a pre-set template I found online. I left the font formatting as is on this template - Myriad Pro.
I then applied for a position at the University of Cambridge to work within the communications and marketing team. I get called in for an interview and I'm interviewed by two women, the Director of Marketing and the Marketing Manager.
The first and only question of worth relevant to working their they asked was if I knew that the font I had used on my resume was the exact same as their house font to which I answered no. They then seemed to take this whole business with the font as being an omen that I was sent to them from the heavens and they asked me when I could start and offered me the job on the spot.
After this we went the rest of the interview talking about coffee and nothing else of worth and then I went home and got the call confirming I got the job.
Before I began looking for jobs I created a new resume/CV using a pre-set template I found online. I left the font formatting as is on this template - Myriad Pro.
I then applied for a position at the University of Cambridge to work within the communications and marketing team. I get called in for an interview and I'm interviewed by two women, the Director of Marketing and the Marketing Manager.
The first and only question of worth relevant to working their they asked was if I knew that the font I had used on my resume was the exact same as their house font to which I answered no. They then seemed to take this whole business with the font as being an omen that I was sent to them from the heavens and they asked me when I could start and offered me the job on the spot.
After this we went the rest of the interview talking about coffee and nothing else of worth and then I went home and got the call confirming I got the job.
I then handed in my notice stating I was resigning to the same managers in Myriad Pro. 
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Lunarorbit
Gold Member
I was 19 and had taken a course at school to get my red card, which let's you fight forest fires. One of the guest lecturers was from my home town and we hit it off. Told me to apply.
Day of the interview he flips out on me when he sees my application. Under hobbies I wrote hiking, reading, biking and girls.
My bad. I'm 19 and apologized immediately. He doesn't care and yells at me for the rest of the short interview. Fucking asshole.
Day of the interview he flips out on me when he sees my application. Under hobbies I wrote hiking, reading, biking and girls.
My bad. I'm 19 and apologized immediately. He doesn't care and yells at me for the rest of the short interview. Fucking asshole.
Vyse
Gold Member
I was interviewing someone for a customer service position who told me she hated people. I was like you know this is 98% talking to people, right? Asked her why she was applying for this position and she said she needed a job. She had accounting experience and we had an open position with accounts payable. Told her to apply for that and she not only got the job, but she was great at it and talked to no one.
Vyse
Gold Member
What an asshole.
Mr1999
Member
Worst one was when I went in for an interview for one position but they let it be known to me that the plan was to put me in someone elses position who they were actively trying to get rid of. Said persons position was higher and required more responsibility but they did not want to budge on wages or did not even bring it up until I mentioned it, knew it was a mistake and never responded when they extended the offer.
Best interview is the one im in now, was overqualified for position, interviewer who is now my boss asked me a couple of questions, saw that I knew my stuff and said that the work ill be doing there is more laid back and easy, which turned out to be true and then when I left he said "You got it", so I guess that was positive. Few days later talent acquisition called me back to explain that I was one of the front runners and just wanted to keep me warm until they were done with candidates and that it would take 2 weeks. They called back on the last day saying the hiring manager wanted to extend the offer.
Best interview is the one im in now, was overqualified for position, interviewer who is now my boss asked me a couple of questions, saw that I knew my stuff and said that the work ill be doing there is more laid back and easy, which turned out to be true and then when I left he said "You got it", so I guess that was positive. Few days later talent acquisition called me back to explain that I was one of the front runners and just wanted to keep me warm until they were done with candidates and that it would take 2 weeks. They called back on the last day saying the hiring manager wanted to extend the offer.
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Dacvak
No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
I’m gonna shamelessly brag for a minute. I’ve only ever had good interviews. In fact, every job I’ve ever interviewed for, I got the job offer. I’m not always the most qualified person, but I definitely know how to interview well.
One of my favorite interviews I had was when I interviewed for reddit. It started pretty normal, but after all of standard interview stuff, they invited me to stick around. We ended up eating pizza and watching Die Hard on Wired’s 90-something inch TV. Good times.
One of my favorite interviews I had was when I interviewed for reddit. It started pretty normal, but after all of standard interview stuff, they invited me to stick around. We ended up eating pizza and watching Die Hard on Wired’s 90-something inch TV. Good times.
Then I ended up getting cancer and had to delay being hired for almost a year, so I guess things balance out lmao
Lunarorbit
Gold Member
I was so taken aback. It was unprofessional on my part but it was a summer job and I was young.
But yeah. Fuck that guy
Porcile
Member
Applied for a job at a Japanese company on a whim. Got an interview. Of course the whole interview is in Japanese which is fine, but it was my first time doing a job interview in a foreign language. For some reason when they asked me to do a most basic self-introduction (like what's your name, where are you from etc) my mind blanked out and I sat there like a lemon for a about 30 seconds while they just looked back at me in silence.
Not a big deal as the company just got killed during the pandemic (a year or so later) but I still look back and cringe.
Not a big deal as the company just got killed during the pandemic (a year or so later) but I still look back and cringe.
reezoo
Member
Through out my career I had one really odd interview (software engineer). It was in late december and from the start it was clear that guy was just trying to look beneath for whatever reason. First coding quesiton he asked me was to write a code to sort integers in one line of code. I realized he is not serious and we ended the interview. it lasted less then 5 minutes.
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Audiophile
Member
It still amazes me that society keeps up this façade that we're meant to be drawn to that company specifically and in some cases are almost expected to be in love with them.
Like Bro, I need a job and I need to eat... you know this, I know this, what game are we playing here?
At my first proper job and second interview I got asked this and I literally just said "the money" and laughed. Still got the job, but then so did the guy who turned up with what seemed like leprosy while wearing jeans and a Liverpool cap, so that probably isn't saying much.
lmimmfn
Member
A long time ago I had a software engineer interview. They had many coding questions but one of them was a C++ expression adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying a number and I was asked what the result of the expression was for a given value.
I put brackets around all the operations to force operator precedence and gave a value. They interviewer said that wasn't the expected result and I told him that no-one should write such awful code that someone else reading needs to look up the languages operator precedence to understand what the code was doing.
He laughed and agreed and said he'll accept the result but that he'll update the question to disallow that in future.
So the next suckered would still have to still with such a stupid coding question.
StabbyStabStabStabStab
Member
Slightly different angle from when I worked in recruitment for many years. I mean I didn't have too many bad interviews (obviously conducting, not on the other side), a couple with tears and 'you don't what I've been through in life' stories which is awks. I've had a couple of candidates commit suicide (not during the interview, only once I've got them a job). One who was a convicted terrorist (ended up in Syria I think having shown interest in becoming a suicide bomber - quite the ambition. Interesting chat though, but not one that was going to avail to potential employers). I'm sure there's been some that I recall ended up in punchups, however not on my turf.
billthomas696969
Member
From early 2018 through late 2019 I was pretty much job hunting the entire time (had a decent job but wanted to relocate). I had a TON of interviews in that time, the best of which included:
- One that made me do homework via a PowerPoint and procedure document, then offered me $20K less than what I was making before
- One where multiple recruiters called me, unaware that I had already interviewed for the same position at the same company with someone else
- One where the company kept me on the phone for an hour and clearly just wanted to pick my brain about the operational structure at my prior places of employment
- One where a high-level VP got on the call and bullied me about my use of the term "policies and procedures," which was what they were called at my prior job
- The one I wound up taking, where they promised unlimited overtime but forgot to tell me that you had to be there for a year before you got offered the overtime, and also we were all being hired so they didn't have to offer overtime anymore, and right after hire my team got moved into a new line of business that was different from the one I applied for, and leadership got on a call to reassure us that our jobs were secure for "at least two years," and the job sucked so much they fed us pizza twice a week
Hudo
Member
Ngl, that takes balls to do.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Speaking of jobs, wish me luck. I have one next week. I got past the screener interview, so this one is a combo session with multiple people at once with me. I know some people there so they helped me getting an interview.
But you know whats funny? When I spoke to one of them, he said...... "dont say anything but...... [name] from your company applied too!"
lol. So that fat fuck also applied.
But you know whats funny? When I spoke to one of them, he said...... "dont say anything but...... [name] from your company applied too!"
lol. So that fat fuck also applied.
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billthomas696969
Member
Good luck! I once got laid off but stuck around for the full notice period so I'd get a severance check. I interviewed at another company and when I found out they had already hired one of my former colleagues (an idiot), I knew I was good to go. And, as it turned out, I was!
touchfuzzy
Member
I had an interview for a part time job doing the music and stuff at major junior hockey games. I kind of led off with stuff like "Oh yeah I don't want to just be someone up there pushing the buttons, I want to be involved with helping to pick the music and etc. etc." -- it did seem like a really cool job, I think I was only 18 at the time. The two guys were kinda snooty and basically said "Yeah... we're just looking for someone to push the buttons" -- and it didn't go well from there. Only interview I've left knowing was a total disaster.
AeonGaidenRaiden
Member
I recently saw a post on LI by one of those recruiters mentioning how its so hard for them to keep up with people if you dont show up for interview time bla bla. Im sure she expected a bunch of likes and affirmative confirmation from peers but her post turned into a bunch of employees saying " YOU are the ones that ghost us". First round, second, third, no contact...like for fucks sake send a generic email I am not fit for the role and lets all move on.
Also, Linkedin is such a cringe cock stroking platform its pathetic.
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StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Yup.
I dont get how it can be so hard in modern day to send out decline responses. It's all digital. I'm sure there's got to be software that can automate things.
If I do get an interview from a recruiter or direct from the company and I dont make it farther, I actually rarely get an email saying it's a no go. I have to probe them and then they say it's a no go. Of course, they can assume that if a candidate gets no response it means it's dead. So that makes sense, but some courtesy would be appreciated.
Before the net when I sent resumes by mail to head offices looking for jobs, it's was actually pretty interesting compared to now. Now, you apply online and if you get shot down right away, only some will send you a rejection email. 25 years ago, I'd actually get a lot of mailed back rejection letters. So as crazy as it seems, there was more effort by someone in HR back then going through the hassle mailing back a letter vs. now when all they need to do is email you a canned response in 10 seconds. Talk about lazy.
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Yoda
Member
Man I wish big tech did regular interviews
For my current role (TL/eng) I had to solve:
6 puzzle coding questions (15-20 minutes each, must be perfect solution w/no bugs)
3 system design (something like design instagram or youtube -> interviewer will randomly pick one component and go deep)
1 behavioral (if you have a pulse you pass)
All back to back with total of 5 interviewers.
I'd kill for just regular interviews where you just bullshit, sure you get arbitrary rejections but you don't need multiple months of prep beforehand.
For my current role (TL/eng) I had to solve:
6 puzzle coding questions (15-20 minutes each, must be perfect solution w/no bugs)
3 system design (something like design instagram or youtube -> interviewer will randomly pick one component and go deep)
1 behavioral (if you have a pulse you pass)
All back to back with total of 5 interviewers.
I'd kill for just regular interviews where you just bullshit, sure you get arbitrary rejections but you don't need multiple months of prep beforehand.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
For business jobs interviews, they've all been usual interviews. One screener, and then any number of people after that. It could be a few, or more. Some companies do that behavioural/psyche/math test.
I've had two jobs where I interviewed with 8 different people. Declined both times dammit. Most are one on one interviews, but sometimes it's 2 on 1, or a few 3 on 1! One 3 on 1 session was literally sitting at a square/rectangular table and there's an interviewer in front of me, to my left, to my right. No real organization. So I'm getting all kinds of questions from any direction. lol
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diffusionx
Gold Member
If I ran a company I would tell my HR department to never, ever, EVER ghost anyone you interview. Even first round. It's so rude. People remember that shit.
"Thank you for taking the time to interview with us. We decided to go in a better direction. Best of luck." There. Done.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I remember another one. I was still in college and was working in a kitchen as a cook, but I needed a second part time job because college is fucking expensive. So I apply for this other cook position at a family owned restaurant.
I go in and they interview me in the dining room. Everything goes great. They say I can have the position and proceed to give me a tour of the back of house. It was the most disgusting environment I had ever seen. It appeared that they hadn't cleaned the dishwasher like ever. Their sinks were clogged. They took me into the walkin and like half of the veggies were obviously molded. I was totally grossed out. I thanked them and left. That place is still open.
I go in and they interview me in the dining room. Everything goes great. They say I can have the position and proceed to give me a tour of the back of house. It was the most disgusting environment I had ever seen. It appeared that they hadn't cleaned the dishwasher like ever. Their sinks were clogged. They took me into the walkin and like half of the veggies were obviously molded. I was totally grossed out. I thanked them and left. That place is still open.
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AeonGaidenRaiden
Member
Three months ago i had a second interview with the CEO. Said im a perfect fit, that they will send me an offer next week. I never heard back from him or HR and when I sent an email 10 days later to HR about it, they acted like ohhhh you werent sent a response? Let me check that and again, they never replied after. As you say for one, its rude, and two, you are wasting my time too because we all have lives and we want to make plans for the future. Dont tell me you are going to send a contract offer when that is not what is on your mind. Just better say "we will let you know" and even after that, a final response whatever it is, should be made.
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darrylgorn
Member
I recall having an interview where one of the questions asked was if I had done anything selfless.
I told them about a charity that I make annual donations to and one of the interviewers started mocking me, saying he didn't believe me. At first, I thought he was joking, so I laughed it off.
He then proceeded to get visibly upset and went on a longer tirade - essentially just repeating his disbelief, but more angrily.
I looked at the other interviewer, a little perplexed and she stepped in and apologized for his behavior.
It happens more often than I'd like to believe but I've multiple experiences where the interviewer becomes actively hostile and I'm left wondering if it's just a test. I usually diffuse it with a joke or whatever but some people are just fucked up.
I told them about a charity that I make annual donations to and one of the interviewers started mocking me, saying he didn't believe me. At first, I thought he was joking, so I laughed it off.
He then proceeded to get visibly upset and went on a longer tirade - essentially just repeating his disbelief, but more angrily.
I looked at the other interviewer, a little perplexed and she stepped in and apologized for his behavior.
It happens more often than I'd like to believe but I've multiple experiences where the interviewer becomes actively hostile and I'm left wondering if it's just a test. I usually diffuse it with a joke or whatever but some people are just fucked up.
I always hate the first one since that's a FizzBuzz test which most companies seem to completely miss the point of. It's just there to see if you can code at all.(Do you understand assignments, functions, conditionals, etc.) Way too many companies mess that up by thinking they can use it to figure out who's a good coder. (Create perfect code quickly.) Pretty much the only way to pass is to know the answer ahead of time. (I really doubt it helps them find good coders.)