Looking for a job might actually be worse than having a job you want to escape. It’s like working for free, but with even more judgment and traveling involved. You never know who is going to be interviewing you, what biases they might have, or if they’ll notice you’re so hungover you’re about to barf in the trash can. We all remember our worst interviews because deep shame is very memorable.
Writer Harriet Williamson asked for people to share that shame on Twitter, writing, “Twitter, what’s the worst job interview you’ve ever had?”
Twitter, what’s the worst job interview you’ve ever had?
— Harriet Williamson (@harriepw) January 16, 2020
Weirdly, some of the people describing their worst interview ever actually got the jobs they were interviewing for, which means there’s hope for even the most awkward and woefully unprepared job seekers out there. But most of them didn’t.
Scroll through to see what not to do on an interview, and also to see what the red flags are for avoiding a company like the plague.
1.
two years ago I had an interview that went so badly one of the interviewers said “I don’t understand. Why did you apply for this job?”
it was at Rockstar Games and the first question was “What makes you passionate for Rockstar?” and I, for some insane reason, said “oh, I’m not” https://t.co/v1fFwJGOw5
— Jeremy Kaplowitz (@jeremysmiles) January 18, 2020
2.
At 16, I showed up to my interview for Barnes & Noble (dream job) in jeans and a polo shirt. First thing the manager said to me verbatim was “look around— do you see anyone working here in jeans? No. You can go.” That location closed and now I’m rich but I’m still traumatized. https://t.co/BIAi9fDWuN
— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) January 18, 2020
3.
Me: “So why has this position opened up now?”
Him: “Well after my dad gave me the job I decided to get rid of all former staff”
I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING
— Katie Beech (@KatieBeech) January 16, 2020
4.
A friend of mine interviewed for a sales role and made up something about doing everything as efficiently as possible. Panicking for an example he said that he “always runs instead of walking”, and after the interview ran out of the room and office to show he was genuine https://t.co/KIha0Sx1M0
— Jack Vening (@JerkVening) January 16, 2020
5.
Law firm interview where the partner asked about “running” as my hobby.
“At least you look like a runner. I don’t like when fat women say they are runners. I won’t make you prove you are a runner.” https://t.co/2LNpqPIzVE— Jessica Pishko (@JessPish) January 18, 2020
6.
I went to an interview really hungover, when the interviewer came to meet me and show me to the room, she held out her hand guiding the way. In my hungover state, I stood up and held her hand! Both of us were too embarrassed to let go so walked to the interview room hand in hand.
— Sam Cleasby (@so_bad_ass) January 16, 2020
7.
Not me but a colleague once went to an interview across London in his lunch break. Client locked him and 2 others in a room and refused to release them until they ‘found a solution to his problem’. One of them called police and the man was charged with false imprisonment.
— quitedo (@q1t3d0) January 16, 2020
…they were being locked in the room until they fixed the problem. The customer said not to complain as they would be paid well. They spent quite some time trying to reason with the guy before someone called the police. Total time before he managed to get home = 6 hours /2
— quitedo (@q1t3d0) January 17, 2020
(including time talking to police). Apparently it was a BIG consuntancy company but the person who locked them in was described by the company MD as “a bit of a wild card”.
— quitedo (@q1t3d0) January 17, 2020
8.
Once called in sick in order to go for an interview only to find my current boss had done exactly the same and was sitting in the waiting area. Neither of us got the gig.
— Mark Davis (@mgtd76) January 16, 2020
9.
Interview at GameStation when I was in my late teens. The manager asks me “What do you think you’ll bring to the company”……I panicked, not knowing what to say and just blurted out: “What have you brought to the company?” – He gave me the job on the spot instead of answering.
— Justin French @PGConnects (@Just_In_Dreamer) January 16, 2020
10.
They asked “can you dance?”
Then they proceeded to say “dance for us.”
It was a real estate firm. https://t.co/jG0C3nUxRb— Nwanyioma (@ada__OG) January 19, 2020