21 Stories About Job Interviews Nobody Was Ready For

Job interviews are often serious challenges for candidates. They are stressed, they are asked uncomfortable questions that have nothing to do with the job itself, they have to take psychological tests, and they have to deal with many other difficulties that are impossible to be ready for. However, recruiters may also get into situations where job interviews spiral out of their control and start to seem like a comedy movie.

We at Bright Side believe that any job interview is always an invaluable experience, but also, sometimes, it turns into an amazing story to share with friends. We’ve made a compilation of stories from recruiters and candidates for you, and there is a bonus at the end of the article with the question that every candidate should be asked.

• My favorite job interview was when I had a candidate speak for like 20 minutes and after that, she took out her phone and started showing me pictures of a PIKE, saying, “Look at it! It’s 15 pounds and I caught it all by myself.” Obviously, the vacancy had nothing to do with fishing. © beta_juiletta / Twitter

• There was a time when I interviewed people for a job and I remember this conversation with one guy:
  — Do you have any experience in marketing?
  — No.
  — What about blockchain?
  — No.
  — Why are you here then?
  — I don’t know.
  After 3 seconds of deafening silence, he looked at a box that had candy in it and asked:
  — May I have one? © juliegagi / Twitter

• A girl listed out all of her ex-boyfriends that currently worked at our company, and said she couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces when she showed up to work. This was in the first 3 minutes of the interview, so I wasn’t even close to offering the job yet. I cut the interview right there and sent her on her way. © lovelanguage_sarcasm / Reddit

• It happened a long time ago when I didn’t have a lot of experience to fill my resume and I had to put nonsense like, “I have a good memory, I can deal with stress.” I got a call from a company. I met the recruiter and the boss, and we were talking. The boss says, “Your CV says you have a good memory. What’s my name?” I said, “Andrew.” He said, “No, it’s Mark.” I said, “Okay, let’s cross out the memory point.” We had a good laugh, I got the job, and I worked there for several years. © Lagavulin / Pikabu

• I had a job interview where I was asked about what I did in my free time. I said, “I read books, watch movies, and cook.” The recruiter asked, “What do you cook? Why didn’t you bring any of that to the interview?” I laughed, but then I realized the recruiter wasn’t joking. © Turko_the_Fair / Twitter

• I had an online interview with a candidate. I told him that if he had any more questions, he could text me. He did. He asked me what shade of yellow the wall was behind me. © Inga_Kudracheva / Twitter

• I was pouring water into a glass during a job interview and I poured too much, so it spilled. The interviewer asked me, “Are you nervous?” I said, “No, it’s just that I always give 110%.” © DmitriSychikov / Twitter

• I was doing a job interview once. A guy came in, answered 3 regular questions about his education, job experience, and skills. And then he suddenly got up and said in a loud voice, “I DON’T LIKE YOU.” And he left. © blinpalin / Twitter

• Once, I needed to discuss my career achievements in Spanish. I did. Afterward, the recruiter said, “I don’t speak Spanish, but I had to make sure you could speak it.” © Olga_Vryadli / Twitter

• I was looking for a job and I got a call from a company:
  — Hello, are you still looking for a job?
  — Yes.
  — How do you usually choose a company to work for?
  — Based on the impression of the conversation we have. Plus, I read reviews online.
  Long pause.
  — I’m afraid we can’t work together.
  And they hung up. © TeslaCat / Pikabu

• When I was 22 years old, I had a job interview for a company. While I was waiting for the boss, I found that the chair I was sitting on could spin really well. All I had to do was push just once and I could circle around 2-3 times. The boss came in right when I was spinning and having fun. © la_marygold / Twitter

• Me, “What about the salary? I need to know the numbers, how often you pay, and about the bonuses.” The recruiter, “You have so many questions about the salary that I’m starting to think you just want to work here because of the money.” Me, “You’re thinking right.” © Wizard_Severus / Twitter

• I was in a rush to get to a job interview. I was almost running when I saw a guy next to me. We were both walking really fast, but I was a little bit faster. I got to the door, opened it, and held it open for him to enter. Then, I had the interview, talked to the recruiter, and the next stage was a conversation with the boss. I go into the office and see the guy from the street. The recruiter didn’t even have a chance to leave before the boss said, “We’re hiring him, no need for the interview. He’s punctual, responsible, and polite.” © Vipman84 / Pikabu

• Once, I had an interview where they asked me about the exact time and place of my birth. They made a horoscope of my life and then offered me 3 times less money that we talked about before. Horoscopes are pointless, they said. © djeylam / Twitter

• I was being interviewed for a sales manager position where they asked me to sell them a pen. It was the third time I was asked this on that day, so I just looked at the expensive Parker in my hands and said, “You know what. This pen is not for you.” I put it in my pocket and went to the door. They stopped me and asked me to return the pen. © Yoghikitt / Twitter

Bonus: Sometimes, this is all it takes.

Tell us about the most memorable job interview you’ve ever had in your life!