My job interview this morning was a complete disaster. What was your worst job interview ?

runhills wrote:

Despite preparing for the interview the last 2 days, I still bombed it. They asked me 9 questions but had only 25 minutes to answer them (2-3 minutes per question). I bombed 4 of the questions because I couldn't think of a good answer given the amount of time given. I felt rushed and nervous. Anyone else had the same experience?

I don't know a person that hasn't bombed an interview before. You learn from it and move on; happens to almost everyone

It was also a Zoom Interview.

I think I said this once. Sent a PDF resume to a job dealing with the Linux operating system, back in the days that Linux would render PDF files about a well as a newborn draws with crayons.

I sat before a team of ten or so, who were grinning madly while I answered questions, then they said "we only called you in here because we wanted to see what kind of person would send a PDF."

The next five minutes I spent ripping their business apart, and recommended they liquidate and put the money from the business into Apple stock. "Oh, that company that makes the toilet seat computer," they roared.

I worked for their competitor across town three weeks later, the original company was out of business in six months, and I'm up $700K on Apple since that day.

Went something like this but they gave me the job:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgmreH_d7s

Once I literally threw up in a bucket during an interview

Once I loudly and rudely insisted that when I took the SAT the scale was different so my poor math score wasn't fair. And then I stayed with that theme for some reason.

Once I mentioned guns in an inappropriate situation.

Once I nearly got in a fight with a guy's dad.

But it all worked out in the end.

Just have to laugh and move on, preferably after learning something about yourself.

These things happen. I once accidentally poured orange juice all over my shirt right before an interview. I had to take it off and pull my jacket up real high so they (hopefully) couldn’t see I had no shirt underneath. But I still smelled like OJ. I was so distracted by the OJ incident that I barely paid attention to the interview questions. I hate OJ now— and yes, this is a true story.

smoooove wrote:

Once I literally threw up in a bucket during an interview

Once I loudly and rudely insisted that when I took the SAT the scale was different so my poor math score wasn't fair. And then I stayed with that theme for some reason.

Once I mentioned guns in an inappropriate situation.

Once I nearly got in a fight with a guy's dad.

But it all worked out in the end.

Just have to laugh and move on, preferably after learning something about yourself.

forgot one.

I applied for a temporary census job. I literally filled out the application wrong and had to cross things out. To get a job that is all about forms and following instructions. I crack myself up.

Not two minutes from the interview place I had bomb erupting in my lower digestive tract. I pulled into a fast food place, luckily got into the bathroom, and totally detonated. Like, tear the place down and burn the debris. Emerging through the gassy fog I'd left behind I had to have the restaurant staff and patrons stare at me.

Got to the interview place, I could feel the stench on me still, with my rear end inflammation literally putting off stink.

Got the job.

I was stressed and took my adhd medicine to try to focus. I came off too aggressive and could not connect with the interviewers.

Caffeine lubricates. Nothing else, I experience.

hands down when I told the principal of the school I interviewed at that I was shocked with how the kids were so out of control for a school with a good reputation (KIPP)

Thought I was interviewing with a woman as the name sent to me was "Clare". Shared an elevator with some guy on my way to interview. He found out where I was heading and why and said he was Clare. I thought he was screwing with me and told him so. Turned out Clare was short for Clarence and he was indeed my interviewer. Got the job.

While still in college, interviewed for some internal audit position at a bank. The interviewer was by far the most boring, emotionless person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. It was four hours of torture listening him to drone on, trying to act like I cared. I felt like I was walking out of prison when I left there. I was happy that I never heard from them again.

I sh*t the bed during a residency interview at my top choice program--drank too much caffeine beforehand, and ended up jittery, unable to communicate eloquently, thoughts all over the place.

Don't try new drugs/dosages on the morning of a job interview, kids.

man I've had a lot of bad interviews and this thread is bringing them all back home

once I finished an interview and the boss asked a junior person to walk me out of the office. The guy chatted me up and I told him I didn't think I really fit in there. But I did probably fit in and I really wanted the job. He must have reported back and I ah didn't get the job.

there was a fairly young and thriving internet company that i thought would be the bomb to go work at. They pulled me in for an interview, but as soon as I was done, they announced that the interview was officially over, but asked me would i mind taking a consumer survey for their marketing efforts.

I took the survey which was all about what kind of products i use with an online connection, and it was obvious they wanted to know which lines of business to expand into online. Didn't get the job and I suspect that i only was interviewed as a way to get me in for their marketing survey. But that is okay because that employer is notoriously bad to work for, so I hear.

Another job i applied for, I knew I bombed because the main person on the interview team started mocking a mannerism I had just done, and I could tell, he was spoofing me.

But to the OP, don't worry about it. I know for certain that many jobs that are advertised are designated to be "inside" jobs - meaning, they have to go through an interviews as a matter of protocol, but they already have someone in mind, often an internal candidate, who they intend to hire. So, every interview is good for building experience at it, and don't think twice about a rejection.

There's also a whole strategy you can use about a follow-up letter which can be a nice touch, and even a de-brief if you don't get the job so you may gain insight on what to do differently next time.

A company came to the school I was attending and set up a bunch of interviews. I was doing homework in the computer lab and lost track of time. I ended up about 10 minutes late to the interview. They offered to reschedule but I considered the damage done and said no thanks. Looking back I'm not sure why I even showed up.

A couple years later a different company flew me out to interview. I missed the flight. They actually offered to change the flight to the next day. I was desperate so this time I accepted. I was so embarrassed that I bombed the interview.

serious question? wrote:

runhills wrote:

Despite preparing for the interview the last 2 days, I still bombed it. They asked me 9 questions but had only 25 minutes to answer them (2-3 minutes per question). I bombed 4 of the questions because I couldn't think of a good answer given the amount of time given. I felt rushed and nervous. Anyone else had the same experience?

I don't know a person that hasn't bombed an interview before. You learn from it and move on; happens to almost everyone

Yep. Mine was my first interview after graduating and man it was bad. Only thing that made it someone tolerable is how understanding the guys interviewing me were

Close to 8:30 a.m. EST on September 11, 2001 I picked up an application and resume from my desk and walked down the hallway towards the lobby and a waiting job candidate. There was a crowd of coworkers with confused facial expressions gathered at the administrative work area when I passed. Coming back by with the person I was to interview, I paused and was told the reason for the concern. Unable to stay focused, it was a poor interview on my part. In addition to not hiring that candidate, our staff was reduced a few weeks later.

I wouldn't worry about a bombed interview. Every school/program/employer I've ever really wanted to attend/work for has had a very casual and conversational interview. I figure that if an interview is stressful enough to be bombed, I probably didn't want to work there anyway.

Interviews are a bad way to judge an applicant's abilities, anyway. The point of an interview should be to judge fit. It's like a first date. Let's chat for a bit and we can both decide if we think we'll get along. I have board scores, evaluations and clinical grades, and letters of recommendation from physicians who have worked with me and know me well. You can judge my knowledge and performance based on all that. If you think you need to grill me in an interview to decide whether I'm a good physician despite having way more meaningful evidence in front of you, we probably aren't going to get along anyway.

So I figure that if I bomb a residency or fellowship interview, it's really a blessing and a dodged bullet. I'll rank the program where the director spent 20 minutes chatting with me about my dog over the program where they tried to grill me with dumb theoretical behavioral questions every time anyway.

The problem with interviews is they typically involve PR guys with no clue about the specialty they are interviewing. In my worst interview, the guy asked me what my ideal job was an my response, without blinking, was I’d like to be a fishing guide and make six figures a year. He didn’t like that answer, evidently, as that is the only interview I did where I was not offered the job.