Job Interviews Gone Awry
Posted by: Justine Fields
Filed in:
news
10:20AM, Thursday July 23rd 2009
Today, CNN.com posted an article called “43 Weird Things Said in Job Interviews.” I couldn’t believe some of the items on the list. One person answered the question, “Why did you leave your last job?” with the response, “I have a problem with authority.” And when asked if he/she had any questions, another person asked, “If I get an offer, how long do I have before I have to take the drug test?” Since all of the interviews I’ve gone on have been pretty straight-forward, I asked my friends if they’ve ever had any job interview mishaps. Below are their surprising responses.
Once, I interviewed for a job as a dominatrix. I thought I would make exorbitant amounts of money for kicking guys in the balls—I wasn’t really aware that I would also have to tease old guys with dildos. Anyway, I walked into this sketchy building and there was one room filled entirely with different kinds of rope, which creeped me out. I sat nervously in the waiting area and a guy walked in and started to interview me. Midway through the interview, some guy in one of the rooms started screaming his head off in pain—or ecstasy? The guy who was interviewing me stopped and very quietly said, “Ahhh, the sound of money being made.” I left and never went back.
I was interviewing for a marketing position and the guy interviewing me made me do breathing exercises. He then explained that the job gets stressful and it’s necessary to do the exercises to stay calm.
I went on a job interview once and when I asked the interviewer if she wanted a list of references, she said, “No, who am I going to call, your grandma? [Makes a grandma-voice] ‘She’s such a nice girl!’” I was, like, “Ummm, okay.”
One time I was interviewing to work at a hospital and they asked me if I have had tuberculosis. So I responded, “Yes, I get that all the time.” They looked at me like I was crazy. Then I realized they asked about tuberculosis, not bronchitis.
Fresh out of college, I was interviewing for my dream job at a magazine. The first phase of the interview was meeting with a recruiter in Human Resources. That went well, and the HR woman said, “I think you’re a great candidate. I’m going to bring you to meet the editor-in-chief.” She walked me into the editor-in-chief’s office and the recruiter stuck out her hand. In retrospect, she was trying to shake my hand goodbye. But for some unknown reason, I gave her a big hug. The look on her face let me know it was so inappropriate. I mean, who hugs on a job interview? Luckily, the editor-in-chief didn’t think I was a total weirdo and gave me the job anyway.
What’s your craziest job interview moment?
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juliePS
wrote on July 23 2009 @ 11:50 am: [report]
My most recent interview, the mild-mannered, conservative guy I was talking to asked if I was serious about relocating, since the position is in a different city than the one I currently live in.
Without thinking, I gave him The Eyebrow (you know what I mean) and said, “Honey, I wouldn’t BE here if I wasn’t serious.” I think I even did the little head zig-zag thing. And you can imagine exactly the Southern belle voice I said it in, haha.
The best part is that I got the job.
dandrean
wrote on July 23 2009 @ 01:33 pm: [report]
not what i wanted to read the day before i go to an interview… even if it is just some lame part time job. i really need it. and the interview i’ve gone on before i have totally bombed. i always draw blanks. :/
becktasm
wrote on July 23 2009 @ 02:43 pm: [report]
When I was in high school I interviewed for a job at an ice cream store. It was a group interview, and at one point we all had to break into groups and make up a song about how much we loved ice cream, then perform it (the particular creamery required that we sing about ice cream every time we got a tip- Cold Stone, if you’re familiar with it). There was also a talent show portion of the interview. I, apparently, was the only one in the room with any guts and sang Cry Me a River with gusto. This got me the job, and for a year and a half I came home from all my shifts smelling like cookies.
I also got my current job as a waitress without an interview at all, simply on good faith and the fact that they were really impressed that I actually typed my application.
EarthGoddess
wrote on July 23 2009 @ 06:22 pm: [report]
I interviewed at a company that I should have notified the BBB about several years ago. When I arrived at the building, the sign with the company’s name was made from paper and taped to the door, since I was desperate, I went in anyway. There were small piles of trash on the floor (candy/gum wrappers, receipts, old sticky notes, etc), boxes in all the hallways, and complete disorganization everywhere. The person interviewing me mentioned that they had been there 5 years ... 5 years and it looked like they had moved in the day before! He also asked me if I was “scared to be aggressive” and if I was “overly sensitive” since they often had to “put the customers in their place”. I guess no one had told them that the customer is always right. LOL They offered me the job, but I didn’t take it. Desperate or not, I could never set foot in that place again!
yarngasm
wrote on July 23 2009 @ 10:21 pm: [report]
I interviewed for a credit collector position last year, and I was told that since I had a lot of “humanitarian-type jobs,” I probably wouldn’t like the job. I then met with a second interviewer who told me that I would have to ask people how they put food on their tables if they couldn’t pay their bills. I didn’t get it because I still value having some shred of my soul at the end of the day.