12 Cringe-Worthy Job Interviews That Went from Bad to Worse

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, but for some people, they turn into unforgettable nightmares. From bizarre questions to unexpected interruptions, these experiences go far beyond the usual awkward moments. Some candidates left the room questioning reality, while others walked away with stories too wild to make up. Whether hilarious, shocking, or downright cringeworthy, these interview moments will stick with them forever.

1.

“I was interviewing for a job in Houston, and lived in Austin, about 2.5 hours away. I drove to Houston for the first round of interviews, and they said it went well and wanted me to be in for a final interview, so I drove there again. It seemed like it went well, and they told me they had one more interview to conduct and would have a decision tomorrow.

So the next day came and went, I emailed the manager to ask if any decision had been made, nothing, waited a couple more days, left a voicemail, nothing. Then a couple days later, I just called the main number for the company and told the receptionist why I was calling. She was like, ’Well, someone just started in that job yesterday.’ They ghosted me after I drove a total of 10 hours to interview twice. Still salty about that 11 years later.” Unknown author / Reddit

2.

“Had an interview, went well. I was offered the job on the spot and accepted. The HR manager went to get the needed paperwork, came back 10 mins later and said, ’I must have forgotten that we already filled this position. I’m sorry, but we don’t have an opening. I could call you if something opens back up.’

I said, ’No, thank you.’” hardware5434 / Reddit

3.

“Video chat interview: red flag #1 the interview was with 10 interviewers (I was told it would be 1-on-1). Red flag #2: towards the end, they asked if I had any questions. When I asked, ’Do you all enjoy working here?’ they all looked at each other nervously for about 20 seconds until someone said, ’Sure. I mean, as much as you can enjoy work, I guess.’ Nope.” paesanossbits / Reddit

4.

“I went in to apply for an administrative assistant position and the guy kept asking me questions about liking kids and are my passports up to date, etc. I was SO confused. Turns out, what he really wanted was a nanny for his two young kids to travel with him and his wife back to India. I was so pissed he wasted my time.” you_are_marvelous / Reddit

5.

“Five interview rounds with the last interview round being with the CEO, all for an entry level customer service job. During the last interview, the CEO said you weren’t allowed to get sick, and you weren’t allowed to leave at the end of the day until all of the work had been done.

So even though the job was 8-4 the CEO said customer service reps often stayed until 6 PM or later. She also asked if I would be comfortable secretly reporting to her about what the customer service team is up to. Really glad I didn’t take the job.” freshlydeliveredegg- / Reddit

6.

“Had a phone interview and the woman kept asking more and more intrusive questions, kept hinting I’m totally unfit for the job (it was the easiest job description ever) and jumping to conclusions about my life that were completely untrue. For example, I found out that being a freelancer who gets a lot of decently paid work each month is apparently living off my parents.

She kept going on and on like that for quite a while before I hung up. Years later I found out it was a ’stress interview’ which apparently is a thing.” ZestyFix / Reddit

7.

“Sat down with the owner and the first thing he said was, ’I don’t hire people with beards.’ I said okay, got up and walked out.” lookssharp / Reddit

8.

“I’m a vet tech. Interviewed at a primary care, single doctor practice. The manager was over 25 minutes late to my interview. While I waited for her, the front desk staff ignored me. The manager said they did not believe in referring to any specialists, because ’Dr. A is a specialist in everything from grizzly bears to canaries.’

He was not, he hadn’t even done a rotating internship and definitely had not done any type of residency program. I had already worked in a toxic clinic, but at least the doctors were competent. When she asked if I had any questions, I just asked if I could have my resume back, so I didn’t waste the paper.” Karbar049 / Reddit

9.

“At an interview to be a county street sweeper, a guy asks me if I have a girlfriend, proceeds to rant for 5 minutes how young people don’t get married anymore. Then he asks me what I want to avoid on the job. At the time I had no idea how to answer as I’d never been asked that in an interview before.

So I ask him to clarify, to which he just repeats the question, over and over until he gets super angry that I don’t know how to answer that, then asks me to leave. To this day, the strangest interview I’ve had.” iforgotmyfirstname** / Reddit

10.

“Was invited for an IT ’helper’ position when I was 17. Would help fix computers for people at a PC fix shop. They asked me, ’What’s the first thing you check if a customer calls and says their screen doesn’t turn on?’ I said, ’Well, you gotta check if they have it plugged into a socket.’

They laughed and said, ’Thank you, that will be it.’ Then led me to the door and gently pushed me out.” IgnasP / Reddit

11.

“In the middle of my job interview, a middle-aged woman suddenly burst into the room. She started screaming and yelling, then knocked over a glass of water on the table. Without any explanation, she abruptly turned and left.

Unsure of what to do, I continued as if nothing had happened. The HR representative, still in shock, looked at me and said, ’That woman is the company’s stress test. And you just passed.’”

12.

“I drove about 4 hours to an interview in another city. I told the person interviewing me that I was happy at my current job and wouldn’t consider leaving just for the higher pay. He stood up and looked over the cubicle walls to make sure no one was around and whispered, ’You don’t want to work here.’” carefreeguru / Reddit

Money and family don’t always mix smoothly—especially when unexpected changes shake up the household. Trying to cover expenses while keeping everyone happy can feel like an impossible juggling act, leading to tension, tough conversations, and even resentment.

That’s exactly what one woman experienced when she made the tough decision to stop supporting her unemployed stepdaughter. What she didn’t expect, however, was the emotional fallout that followed. The drama that unfolded left her questioning everything.