18 Job Interviews That Went From Awkward to Absolutely Unforgettable

Getting a job can feel like auditioning for a talent show, where you’re not sure whether you’re being filmed for a hidden camera show. Some interviews go well; others are a little awkward. Then there are the ones that seem as though they were scripted by a screenwriter eager to watch the world burn. In this article, we’ve rounded up 18 interview stories that are a mix of the absurd, the funny, and the sadly real. If you ever thought your interview was strange, just wait until you read these!

• I had an interview where I knew I had given good, solid answers. I understood the technical side well. However, the interviewer kept sneering and being rude, saying things like “Really?” in a sceptical tone, and I got the distinct impression that he hated me. After about 20 minutes, I considered politely ending the interview, but, in my innocence, I thought it would be good practice to stay. Forty minutes in, it was as if a light switch had gone off inside him, and he became the nicest guy. His eyes lit up, and he started enthusiastically selling the role and position to me. He introduced me to the team. The director interviewed me, and he and the team were lovely. Apparently, their interview technique is to be rude to see how you perform under pressure, and they had all been observing me using a camera. They were impressed that I remained so polite and calm throughout. They couldn’t understand why I declined. © bibbiddybobbidyboo / Reddit
• It was for a software engineering position. The entire interview focused on finding solutions to a very specific problem. For about 45 minutes, the interview team said things like, “That won’t work. We tried that already.” I left the interview without finding a solution to the problem. On my way out, I spoke with HR about the next steps in the interview process. She informed me that they had already filled the position but hadn’t canceled any of the scheduled interviews. They brought me in to solve problems the team couldn’t solve. For free. © SpaceGerbil / Reddit
• I met this guy at a job fair. He loved my work, gave me his card, and told me to call him the next day. I called him, and we set up an interview. When I arrived at his office, he looked through my portfolio and told me that it was great and that I would be a great fit for his company. He gave me a tour of the entire office, introduced me to several people, and told me about the great lunch spots in the area. At the end of the interview, we sat back down, and he said, “I love your work, and you seem great. But we’re actually not hiring right now. I’ll keep you in mind.” © Burrito_Loyalist / Reddit

• Fresh out of college, I was looking for my first teaching job. I applied for an elementary school position in a small district. I walked in expecting to meet with the principal and a few teachers. Instead, I met with the superintendent of the district, some high-level administrators, and every elementary school principal in the district. There were probably 15 people in all. They peppered me with questions for 45 minutes. I had zero experience, only my student teaching experience. I did not get the job. © edgarpickle / Reddit
• I had been unemployed for a while and was desperate for a new job. I had gained a lot of weight from living off fast food, so my nice pants didn’t fit me well. I sat down in the interview chair as the interviewer walked around to their side of the desk. The button on my pants popped off and bounced right into their coffee cup. It swished in without making a sound. They sipped their coffee the entire interview while I sat there with my pants unbuttoned, waiting for the big reveal. I left before they finished their coffee, but they had to have put two and two together. This narrowly beats the time I was offered water from a carafe at an interview, dropped it, and soaked both interviewers. At least that one wasn’t as psychologically tense. And no, I didn’t get the job. © PM_Skunk / Reddit
• I went in to apply for an administrative assistant position, but the guy kept asking me questions like, “Do you like kids?” and “Are your passports up to date?” I was SO confused! It turns out that he really wanted a nanny for his two young children to accompany him and his wife on their trip back to India. I was furious that he wasted my time. I left immediately. © you_are_marvelous / Reddit

• I sat down, and two women stared at me. Finally, one of them said, “We thought you were younger” (I am in my 60s.) After she said this, she got up and left. The other woman, who turned out to be the manager, was rude and cold. She tossed a few questions at me, then got on her cell phone. I finally said, "Look, if we’re done here,"—she was staring at her desk, ignoring me—"I have another interview." I left. Later, I reported both of them to the district office. The district manager said, “We’ve had many reports about her.” The manager got fired. I was offered another interview. I declined. © Ill-Summer-5061 / Reddit
• The interviewer asked if I was a “Type A” personality. I said yes, not knowing what that meant. Then he asked me to describe why I was a “Type A” personality. I fumbled through my answer, and he replied, “You don’t have a Type A personality,” then got up and walked out. I’m still not really sure what a “Type A personality” is. © StepDadHulkHogan / Reddit
• There were five interview rounds, the last of which was with the CEO, all for an entry-level customer service job. During the final interview, the CEO said that employees weren’t allowed to get sick and had to stay until all the work was done at the end of the day. Even though the job was 8–4, the CEO said customer service representatives often stayed until 6 p.m. or later. She also asked if I would be comfortable secretly reporting to her on the activities of the customer service team. I declined the job offer, after which the company harassed me with emails asking why and what they did wrong. I’m really glad I didn’t take the job. © freshlydeliveredegg- / Reddit

• During an interview with a tech startup, I was asked, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?” I answered “otter” because they’re fun, active, good with their hands, and cute as hell. They debated whether to hire me because of my answer. They said, “We only hire predators, never prey,” and they weren’t sure how to quantify an otter. None of them had paid attention to animal documentaries, biology, or zoos. That job was awful. © rileysweeney / Reddit
• I logged onto a scheduled Zoom interview for a highly paid position. Someone else was logged in and waiting. I assumed it was my interviewer. Nope. They were waiting to be interviewed, too. Okay.... So, are we competing for the position? Cool, I guess. Four more people logged on and waited for their interviews. I had never done a group interview before, but I was ready. There was an awkward silence between us. About fifteen minutes go by with no sign of the interviewer. Thirty minutes in, we started conspiring that one of us was the interviewer conducting a social experiment. Nope, we all just got scammed. We all logged off. © Severe_Chipmunk_8954 / Reddit
• I was interviewing for a standard bartending position at a hotel/wedding venue. The interviewer, who was the general manager, asked me why I left my last job. I was honest and said that the security at the previous place was poor, and after being robbed, I’d had enough. The manager gave me a puzzled look and said, “Well, you’re going to get robbed every so often here, too.” I stared at him for a moment, then realized he wasn’t joking. I stood up, told him it wasn’t going to work, thanked him for his time, and left. © attheark / Reddit

• A couple of hours into the interview and introductory training, I was given paperwork to fill out for my new job as a dog groomer. That would have been great, except I had applied to be a cashier and had never owned or groomed a dog. When I brought this up to the trainers, they didn’t seem concerned at all. They said there were no open cashier positions and that the dog grooming position must have been posted by mistake. They insisted that I would like dog grooming because it’s fun. They seemed surprised when I left the paperwork on the table and congratulated them on wasting our time. I never shopped at that pet store again. © Sporkicide / Reddit
• I was in the room with the VP and an HR representative. The person who would be my boss if I got the position was running a few minutes late. We were making small talk when one of them brought up a recent football game. I told them honestly that I didn’t keep up with football. I said this as the other guy came in. When I turned around, he was basically just missing face paint. He was head to toe in Browns apparel, which seemed strange for a place of business. I lost him before he even sat down; he was on his phone the whole time, embarrassing the other two people in the room. For what it’s worth, if I liked football, I wouldn’t root for the Browns. © DodkaVick / Reddit
• They asked me which Harry Potter character I’m most similar to, but I haven’t read the books. This obviously had nothing to do with the position I was applying for. I didn’t get the job, probably because I was exposed as not being part of the HP fan club. © variebaeted / Reddit

• I was working in Illinois in February. My hands were extremely dry and cracked. I had a job interview in Fremont, California. It was simply beautiful there. The first interview went well. A week later, they flew me out again for a second interview with the president. The president’s administrative assistant welcomed me and shook my hand... really hard. It cracked open the dry skin that I had been having trouble with all winter. As soon as the president came in to welcome me to her office, I reached out to shake her hand and realized blood was dripping down my arm. I asked for the nearest restroom. I cleaned up, but at that point, I could tell she was grossed out, and no matter what I did, I didn’t stand a chance. I would be the “bloody hand guy.” © Gummikoalabears / Reddit
• I had an interview at a big tech company. Everything was going fine until I sat down. As soon as I settled into the chair, I felt something crawling up my leg. I froze, interviewers were smiling. I tried to keep my cool when I noticed a huge spider inside my pants. My heart was racing, and I was trying not to panic. I discreetly shifted in my seat, hoping the spider would move away, but it didn’t. I had two choices: freak out or stay calm. I chose calm and looked the interviewers in the eye, saying, “Well, it seems like I’m bringing a little extra to the table today.” They laughed, clearly relieved I wasn’t panicking. When the interview ended, I thought I had blown it, but a few days later, they called with an offer. They were impressed by how I handled the situation, not the spider. One of the interviewers later said, “Your calm under pressure is exactly what we need.” I got the job, and now I always check my clothes before sitting down for an interview.
• At 18, I was living with my parents and had only ever held labor jobs (no real work experience). I got an interview at a company that manufactures chainsaws as an assembler. The pay and hours were great for an 18-year-old, and I was pretty excited. For some reason, my dad gave me a ride to the interview and walked straight into the building with me. When the owner came out, he shook my hand and told me to follow him into his office. My dad followed. The whole interview was just the three of us. My dad even answered some questions as if I were eight years old. I didn’t get hired. © jimmymoney33 / Reddit

These stories bring a smile to our faces—or a grimace of "Please don’t let that happen to me!"—and remind us that we are not alone in the madness of looking for a job. Want more anecdotes to laugh or cry about? Then don’t miss this other compilation of bizarre and unforgettable moments that prove real life always beats fiction.