12 Job Applicants Who Refused to Play Nice but Landed the Job Anyway

In a world full of polished resumes and rehearsed answers, sometimes it’s the real, unfiltered moments that stand out. From an interviewee who saved the day to a candidate who proved his worth through raw honesty, these unconventional moments led to unexpected job offers. Dive into these incredible stories and see how taking a chance on realness can lead to the perfect hire!

• Had an interview for a promotion the day I returned from vacation. The exec asked me what I did to prepare for the interview. I was very confident going into the meeting. So I said I had spent 2 weeks on a beach eating lobster and clam chowder, forgetting everything I do for a living.
  Then I smiled. That nailed the job for me. I got hired on the spot. Still laugh about this. © Unknown author / Reddit

• A friend went to an interview for a trampoline park where I worked as well. The manager who does the interview tries his best to be "intimidating" despite being a really relaxed guy. He's a big 6'2" and kinda rounded, so it normally works for him.
  Five minutes into the interview, he asked, "Do you have any experience with kids?" My friend says, "I was a kid once." Manager started dying. He got the job. © Hiamigomanly / Reddit

• The candidate was interviewing for an extremely technical sales role that traditionally requires a chemical engineering degree (which she did not have, and it was a dealbreaker).
  When the manager told her this, she said she completely understood but was extremely interested and asked if he had any recommendations of books for her to read to get up to speed. He listed 6 highly technical chemical engineering books (or whatever they were).
  She showed up on Monday, asked to see him, and asked him to ask her about any of the subjects in any of the books. She nailed it and worked there over 20 years as their #1 Sales Executive. © n******_box_100s / Reddit

• Interviewed some low-level helpdesk positions, and I have a few easy technical questions I ask just to weed out the liars. Most people take this too seriously and treat it like an exam, when really it's an unimportant part of the interview. It's a high turnover position, so I'm still up for giving most people a chance.
  One guy absolutely was qualified, answered all my questions right, and seemed like a good fit, so I asked him some level 2 and 3 questions, and he drew a blank on one but followed up with "I could Google it easily."
  So I kinda jokingly, kinda seeing what his thought process would be, said, "What if you were unable to Google it?" And he immediately came back with, "If this job is somewhere where I can't access Google, I don't want it." Worked here for 2 years and left for a Java developer position, smart guy. © b8le / Reddit

• Was doing a phone screen. Extremely qualified candidate, but listed a previous employer as "the Atlantic Ocean."
  I asked what he meant (because ???), and he said, "I was a fisherman for two years and moved around a lot. I met a lot of great people and learned a lot, but I hated it. I didn't get to think through complex problems, and I wasn't really helping anyone. It's what convinced me to get my Ph.D. I didn't want to leave that part of my work history blank, and I find that it's better if I bring it up, since it's the driving force behind where I am today."
  Went from "this guy seems weird" to "wow, I have a lot of respect for him" in 30 seconds flat. © Zouea / Reddit

• Dude showed up late for the interview, hair all disheveled, and his white shirt dirty. A woman on the interstate had a blow-out in front of him, and he stopped to change the tire for her. Apologized profusely for being late and looking like this.
  Ended up hiring him, and he was a great employee. His quality character showed throughout his time working for me. © graptemys / Reddit

• After a decent interview, this guy had a great moment of honesty and said, "Look. I've made mistakes. I'm 28, I work at a video store, and I have a bachelor's in music. I realized over a year ago that I needed to get it together. I just need someone to give me a shot, and they won't be disappointed."
  I appreciated his honesty and offered him the job on the spot. One of the most ambitious and hardworking people I have ever employed. © Unknown author / Reddit

• I had an interview at 3 am for a gas station job. I was desperate for work. The lady started asking normal interview questions, but I was tired and cranky.
  I told her that for minimum wage, I would show up on time, and I don't steal. Worked there for 2 years. © IndependentTap8479 / Reddit

• In a company that I used to work for, interviews were scored. The candidate got points for education, experience, interview skills, etc. There were always 5 points for "receptionist."
  Quite simply, the receptionist at the front would be able to give a mark out of 5. A guy walks up and says, "Mr. Smith is expecting me," while talking on his phone; he's probably getting 0 points. A guy who, when called into the interview, leaves the waiting room in a mess but is otherwise polite—2 points.
  We once had a candidate get 10 out of 5 (bonus points) from the receptionist. As the guy got out of the lift, a staff member got out in front of him and dropped her load of files she was carrying. The guy immediately stopped, helped her collect everything, and helped her tidy stuff up.
  THEN, when he was in the reception waiting area, the coffee man came by (he comes by every day to see if anyone wants to buy coffee). The candidate asked the receptionist what the staff member's name was and arranged for her to be sent a coffee. He got the job. He also got the girl, whom he is now married to. © dannyr / Reddit

• I own a small company and am very hands-on. I was expecting someone to come for an interview. I had a piece of equipment break down, and I was working on it as this person showed up.
  He jumped right in and gave me a hand fixing it while we talked. He's been employed with me for 12 years now. © ShimmyShimmyYes / Reddit

• During a recent interview, I met a man with impressive qualifications who displayed unexpected behavior. While my colleague asked him about his patience and tolerance, he suddenly stood up, walked to the window, and, without a word, stared blankly outside for a while.
  The interview was awkward, but his impressive skills stood out, so we hired him. Later, he admitted the strange behavior was actually because he thought he was going to throw up from nerves—but thankfully, he didn’t. Now, working alongside us, he often recalls that strange moment with laughter.

• The interviewee hadn’t shown up, so my boss and I went outside. As we stood there, we spotted a guy walking towards us with a backpack in his hands. He looked like he’d had a rough time. His hair was a mess, and his white shirt was stained.
  I instantly recognized him—it was the interviewee who had ghosted us. Before I could say anything, suddenly, my boss yelled, "Hey, that’s my backpack!" The guy, without a word, headed to us. Then, he said, "What's inside?"
  Turned out, he had come to the interview early, witnessed two thieves stealing the laptop bag from a car, and chased them down. We watched the security footage and hired him.

As we explore how applicants land jobs by refusing to play by the book, oftentimes things go off-script even when you plan everything to the smallest detail. Like the dinner with a boss that took an unexpected turn, all because of one word: "Yup," and quickly spiraled into a chaotic mess.