Bad interviews
Discussion
Does anyone have any experience of bad interviews? Either being interviewed or doing the interview?
I had one earlier today that from my point of view went well (got offered the job). But the person doing the interview told me during it that one of the other members of staff has a sideline...drug dealing.
I made my mind up there and then that if I was offered it i would turn it down.
Least I got some interview experience out of it.
Anyone else got any stories to share?
I had one earlier today that from my point of view went well (got offered the job). But the person doing the interview told me during it that one of the other members of staff has a sideline...drug dealing.
I made my mind up there and then that if I was offered it i would turn it down.
Least I got some interview experience out of it.
Anyone else got any stories to share?
I have walked out on one before, clearly the agency did not ask me or them the right questions so I politely told the guy I was wasting my and their time and left.
Have also had some total grillings, with really hard and tough trade tests ( i do largely manual assembly work) in the same day, far too long than usual for this kind of work.
But nothing compared to journalism interviews that I was useless at, am not very good at selling myself and due to the level of competition, that was necessary, so I always fell flat,
Have also had some total grillings, with really hard and tough trade tests ( i do largely manual assembly work) in the same day, far too long than usual for this kind of work.
But nothing compared to journalism interviews that I was useless at, am not very good at selling myself and due to the level of competition, that was necessary, so I always fell flat,
I've walked out of a couple, one when I was told that they only gave 20 days holiday a year, with 10 of those to be taken in their August shutdown and another 5 at Xmas.
I've also interviewed a few people that were truly terrible. One was a fresh grad that appeared terrified, that had turned up for an engineering role but wanted to be a project manager.
Another explained to me all about some work he'd done whilst at Company A on a particular problem which he'd managed to solve by some complex maths. When questioned more closely he didn't really have a clue about the maths, and didn't realize that Co A was a sister company to Co B where I'd been working at the time. I knew Fred* that had created the maths had given a presentation to Co A and this guy just assumed he could pass off the work as his own.
I've also interviewed a few people that were truly terrible. One was a fresh grad that appeared terrified, that had turned up for an engineering role but wanted to be a project manager.
Another explained to me all about some work he'd done whilst at Company A on a particular problem which he'd managed to solve by some complex maths. When questioned more closely he didn't really have a clue about the maths, and didn't realize that Co A was a sister company to Co B where I'd been working at the time. I knew Fred* that had created the maths had given a presentation to Co A and this guy just assumed he could pass off the work as his own.
spikeyhead said:
One was a fresh grad that appeared terrified, that had turned up for an engineering role but wanted to be a project manager.
I've been that interviewee. When I was 21 I interviewed for an Excel VBA programming role at a bank, because I had written a few macros and thought I could wing it for the mega money. The recruitment agency didn't pick up on my technical deficiencies. Three-man interview panel at the bank, all programmers. So, so out of my depth. They were very good to me - made the interview last 20 minutes and didn't tell me I was a clown, which would have embarrassed me and didn't need saying. I interviewed a young lady a few years ago for an entry level role and despite a pretty good application form, it became clear at the interview that she could not speak or understand a word of English.
It was very bizarre. She just sat there in silence, not even speaking in whatever language she could speak. We still went through the full interview in case she wasn't saying anything because she couldnt answer the question. She didn't get the job.
It was very bizarre. She just sat there in silence, not even speaking in whatever language she could speak. We still went through the full interview in case she wasn't saying anything because she couldnt answer the question. She didn't get the job.
I had another where the bloke interviewing me had been on the lash at a leaving do the night before. He needed a chunder half way through the interview, and another coffee before we could carry on.
ETA, when contracting, a phone call from a bloke coming for an interview.
Bloke: I'm lost, give me directions
Receptionist: Where are you
Bloke: f
king lost, now tell me which way to go.
Receptionist: what can you see near you? It might help me work out where you are.
Bloke: fking trees, on every fking road I've driven on round here, now give me some fking directions.
ETA, when contracting, a phone call from a bloke coming for an interview.
Bloke: I'm lost, give me directions
Receptionist: Where are you
Bloke: f
king lost, now tell me which way to go.Receptionist: what can you see near you? It might help me work out where you are.
Bloke: f
king trees, on every fking road I've driven on round here, now give me some fking directions.Edited by spikeyhead on Tuesday 8th January 22:19
I saw a software developer job advertised at £50k... about double what I was on at the time. Seemed similar to what I already did so thought I'd chance it and apply.
First interview is an group test. I'm 23, and every other applicant is pushing 50 and decidedly grey. I'm the odd one out.
The HR person starts the interview by giving a speech about how the test is very hard, failure is expected, maybe one of the ten applicants might pass but none might.
At this point I'm panicking a bit.
Test starts and it's a mix of classic fermi-estimation questions nicked off the internet ("how many golf balls can you fit in a school bus" - spot the Americanism) and then some poorly worded "explain this concept" essay questions that shouldn't struggle a first-year computer science student. Very easy.
Get a call a while later from the very surprised HR person because I aced the test and they can't believe it and want to bring me in for an interview. However, I'm not the candidate they expected, so the salary might be lower. Maybe £35k. Warning sign #1.
Come in for an interview and am kept waiting at reception for about 20 minutes before meeting my would-be supervisor. Before even starting the interview he moans he wasn't told about an interview and wasn't prepared, nor offers an explanation for the wait. And is dressed like a tramp. Warning sign #2.
Put in a conference room and am given an API specification to examine and think about to discuss. Oh, and the specification is in Italian. The companies not Italian. I don't know Italian. Italian isn't a requirement for the job. "Just give it your best shot".
5 mins in and I'm turfed out of the conference room because someone wants to have a meeting, and am dumped somewhere else. Warning sign #3.
My big moment arrives, and I sit down to talk to the guy and his boss about a job. It's tough. It goes badly. One appears to have adopted "bad cop". At one point I get told "I'm not even looking to hire another software developer - so I don't know why your here. Why should I even hire you?". In hindsight this was a "stress interview". I've decided I don't want to work with these people, not that it matters anyway.
A couple of days later and I get the call. They were very impressed. They want to hire me! I decline.
On the plus side, it's a great story to bring up in interviews, on both sides of the table. Quite a few people can even name the place from the story, having had a similar experience!
First interview is an group test. I'm 23, and every other applicant is pushing 50 and decidedly grey. I'm the odd one out.
The HR person starts the interview by giving a speech about how the test is very hard, failure is expected, maybe one of the ten applicants might pass but none might.
At this point I'm panicking a bit.
Test starts and it's a mix of classic fermi-estimation questions nicked off the internet ("how many golf balls can you fit in a school bus" - spot the Americanism) and then some poorly worded "explain this concept" essay questions that shouldn't struggle a first-year computer science student. Very easy.
Get a call a while later from the very surprised HR person because I aced the test and they can't believe it and want to bring me in for an interview. However, I'm not the candidate they expected, so the salary might be lower. Maybe £35k. Warning sign #1.
Come in for an interview and am kept waiting at reception for about 20 minutes before meeting my would-be supervisor. Before even starting the interview he moans he wasn't told about an interview and wasn't prepared, nor offers an explanation for the wait. And is dressed like a tramp. Warning sign #2.
Put in a conference room and am given an API specification to examine and think about to discuss. Oh, and the specification is in Italian. The companies not Italian. I don't know Italian. Italian isn't a requirement for the job. "Just give it your best shot".
5 mins in and I'm turfed out of the conference room because someone wants to have a meeting, and am dumped somewhere else. Warning sign #3.
My big moment arrives, and I sit down to talk to the guy and his boss about a job. It's tough. It goes badly. One appears to have adopted "bad cop". At one point I get told "I'm not even looking to hire another software developer - so I don't know why your here. Why should I even hire you?". In hindsight this was a "stress interview". I've decided I don't want to work with these people, not that it matters anyway.
A couple of days later and I get the call. They were very impressed. They want to hire me! I decline.
On the plus side, it's a great story to bring up in interviews, on both sides of the table. Quite a few people can even name the place from the story, having had a similar experience!
I went for an interview once - a very junior Draughtsman in a mapping records office
I was 19 iirc. and I was somewhat surprised to be met with a panel of 5 (4 women one man)
It went ok tbh and I was hopeful. Then the panel had an open discussion that the office was staffed by 50 women all under 30 years old and it would be disruptive to employ me
I didn't get the job - how my life could have been different if I did!
I was 19 iirc. and I was somewhat surprised to be met with a panel of 5 (4 women one man)
It went ok tbh and I was hopeful. Then the panel had an open discussion that the office was staffed by 50 women all under 30 years old and it would be disruptive to employ me
I didn't get the job - how my life could have been different if I did!
I had a terrible interview at my last place after we all got made redundant. We had to interview for a new role they’d made up that was pretty much the same as the current role. There were endless questions unrelated to the role I’d already been doing for the past 2 years, I got the blame for various problems that happened before I even started at the company and asked to explain why I somehow let them happen. Unsurprisingly I didn’t get the job, nor did the other candidates and the role disappeared never to be heard of again.
The experience did set me up well for my interviews in other roles though so it was positive for me.
I was waiting to hear back about a job which I was confident of getting but had an interview lined up just in case it didn’t come through. It was selling cars for a main dealer. It was a group interview and was pretty confusing really. The whole day was spent doing tasks with no real answer so they could observe us all. Every so often people would be taken away and told they hadn’t got the job and the rest of confused as to whether we were doing well or not. I got offered the job so I was pleased to have managed to get through the various tasks and grillings by the directors but I really didn’t want the job. Luckily the other job I did want came through in the end.
The experience did set me up well for my interviews in other roles though so it was positive for me.
I was waiting to hear back about a job which I was confident of getting but had an interview lined up just in case it didn’t come through. It was selling cars for a main dealer. It was a group interview and was pretty confusing really. The whole day was spent doing tasks with no real answer so they could observe us all. Every so often people would be taken away and told they hadn’t got the job and the rest of confused as to whether we were doing well or not. I got offered the job so I was pleased to have managed to get through the various tasks and grillings by the directors but I really didn’t want the job. Luckily the other job I did want came through in the end.
I had a particularly bad interview at a startup for a DevOps role... All looked good from Glassdoor reviews and their social media etc.
I turned up to the office early, waiting outside as I needed a pass to get in - I hear a voice say 'Is it <myname>?', I looked up and saw a full on hippie, dreadlocks, smelt of stale B.O. and those weird baggy pants that look like curtains etc smoking one of those massive vapes that blows inordinate amounts of smoke coming over to me. Okay, first impression was 'weird', didn't judge though, could be a decent guy overall.
He walked me to into the 'office', office in inverted commas because it was a room in small converted shop by the looks of it - He sat me down and asked some 'non-technical' questions, one being: "How many petrol stations do you think there are within the M60?" - I just sat there thinking WTF, a series of similarly weird non-technical questions followed as well as the usual stuff (my background, experience, why I want the job) and all I could think about was, oh my god I'd be working in this small room with just this guy all day every day...
Safe to say I lacked enthusiasm for the rest of the interview and debated walking out on a couple of occasions, I didn't, I waited for it to come to a head and never thought about it again, until now...
I turned up to the office early, waiting outside as I needed a pass to get in - I hear a voice say 'Is it <myname>?', I looked up and saw a full on hippie, dreadlocks, smelt of stale B.O. and those weird baggy pants that look like curtains etc smoking one of those massive vapes that blows inordinate amounts of smoke coming over to me. Okay, first impression was 'weird', didn't judge though, could be a decent guy overall.
He walked me to into the 'office', office in inverted commas because it was a room in small converted shop by the looks of it - He sat me down and asked some 'non-technical' questions, one being: "How many petrol stations do you think there are within the M60?" - I just sat there thinking WTF, a series of similarly weird non-technical questions followed as well as the usual stuff (my background, experience, why I want the job) and all I could think about was, oh my god I'd be working in this small room with just this guy all day every day...
Safe to say I lacked enthusiasm for the rest of the interview and debated walking out on a couple of occasions, I didn't, I waited for it to come to a head and never thought about it again, until now...
having not been interviewed for like 5 years then finding myself out of a job this time last year the interviewing style of 2018 came as a shock to me so I while I could talk about my CV etc I wasnt prepared for competency based questions. I fluffed a few of them. Vowed not to get caught like that again.
Its weird though as I had the experience the knowledge the contacts for that job and no slack was cut to take that into account - its like you must fit the box or youre out.
The old saying is true fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
at other countless interviews Ive had interviewers ask me why I left my last job when on the CV it states "redundant". Some interviewers really dont prepare and fly by the seat of their pants.
Its weird though as I had the experience the knowledge the contacts for that job and no slack was cut to take that into account - its like you must fit the box or youre out.
The old saying is true fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
at other countless interviews Ive had interviewers ask me why I left my last job when on the CV it states "redundant". Some interviewers really dont prepare and fly by the seat of their pants.
jules_s said:
I went for an interview once - a very junior Draughtsman in a mapping records office
I was 19 iirc. and I was somewhat surprised to be met with a panel of 5 (4 women one man)
It went ok tbh and I was hopeful. Then the panel had an open discussion that the office was staffed by 50 women all under 30 years old and it would be disruptive to employ me
I didn't get the job - how my life could have been different if I did!
You could have whacked in a sex discrimination claim!I was 19 iirc. and I was somewhat surprised to be met with a panel of 5 (4 women one man)
It went ok tbh and I was hopeful. Then the panel had an open discussion that the office was staffed by 50 women all under 30 years old and it would be disruptive to employ me
I didn't get the job - how my life could have been different if I did!
My two personal favourites
First one, straight out of school at 16, no work experience except for a Saturday job at an AV store. Saw a job for a yellow pages type outfit locally doing sales for advertising spots in the weekly rag (this was back in the 90's
).
Job stated no experience required, school leavers welcome, full training provided. Applied, got an interview
Long story short, got interviewed and kept getting asked about my experience, my CV was honest (basically school achievements and the Saturday job listed), got asked a few sales questions which apparently I answered well, then was told the next day I interviewed very well but I lacked any sales experience
Second one was a job doing VoIP analysis and product support. Got an interview, was a small company near Marlow. When I turned up, I noticed as walking through the office that everyone was Indian. Probably about 30 or 40 people on the floor. The interviewer (an Indian man as well) made it very clear that I was not going to get the job, and all my skills were not relevant to the job. I asked politely why he bothered to interview me then, and he basically just blanked me and told me they would be in touch. Surprisingly they were not
First one, straight out of school at 16, no work experience except for a Saturday job at an AV store. Saw a job for a yellow pages type outfit locally doing sales for advertising spots in the weekly rag (this was back in the 90's
).Job stated no experience required, school leavers welcome, full training provided. Applied, got an interview
Long story short, got interviewed and kept getting asked about my experience, my CV was honest (basically school achievements and the Saturday job listed), got asked a few sales questions which apparently I answered well, then was told the next day I interviewed very well but I lacked any sales experience
Second one was a job doing VoIP analysis and product support. Got an interview, was a small company near Marlow. When I turned up, I noticed as walking through the office that everyone was Indian. Probably about 30 or 40 people on the floor. The interviewer (an Indian man as well) made it very clear that I was not going to get the job, and all my skills were not relevant to the job. I asked politely why he bothered to interview me then, and he basically just blanked me and told me they would be in touch. Surprisingly they were not
I still find it amusing that in the Merchant Navy an interview is usually an email asking what certificates you have followed by a job offer. Considering some of the eastern bloc countries ability to hand certificates out for a bribe it’s amazing the people that get jobs (most for a very short time). For the money being offered in a lot of cases fairly high it’s mind boggling.
I do however remember going for a car sales job and being asked why I think I should get the job? As a very naive 17yr old my answer of “well I know all the top speed and 0-60’s of most cars” wasn’t perhaps the answer they were looking for.
I do however remember going for a car sales job and being asked why I think I should get the job? As a very naive 17yr old my answer of “well I know all the top speed and 0-60’s of most cars” wasn’t perhaps the answer they were looking for.
Edited by Shambler on Wednesday 9th January 10:24
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