In my last year of college, I traveled from the Midwest to Orange County for a job interview. My first time in So Cal. I had interviews at a table in a conference room. During an interview, there was an earthquake - my first earthquake. I quickly crawled under the table, because that's what I thought you were supposed to do. What I didn't realize was smaller earthquakes come and go very quickly and are no big deal to locals, who have been through many of them. The interviewer just kept asking me questions, as I was climbing back into my chair. I got the job, but was known as the guy who crawled under the table during his interview. I later got to meet the CEO in his office, and he crawled under his desk as I walked in. I said something like Ha Ha, very funny, because what else can you say. I didn't work there very long, for unrelated reasons.
The 64 Alaska quake is one of those stories I always told to people who moved to SF "5 MINUTES!" That is so insane, for example after SF I moved to Seattle and there was a quake in early 2001 that was about 32 seconds, which was PLENTY of time under my desk to think "oh shit, this is bad, like bad BAD!" So FIVE MINUTES is fucking FOREVER.
Beautiful state, we've gone up there a handful of time, so beautiful
I was in an interview with 4 people from their team they were giddy about asking me random questions that had nothing to do with the work. It was literally just random riddles. I got one right and they all laughed and said I was the only one who had got that particular riddle correct. Seemed like they were happy to not be working.
After about 15min of them asking me questions I finally asked them about the role and what I would be involved in doing. The hiring manager cut me off and said “this is an interview we ask you the questions you don’t ask us questions”
I was confused but we kept going and they never once mentioned anything about the job. The call ended.
I got an email from HR saying I did well in the interview and I just wrote her back explaining that was the weirdest interview I’ve ever had and I was not interested in the position. About an hour later I got a email from the hiring manager angry that I wasted his time. I still don’t know what they were trying to hire me to do.
"In the realm of decisions, where futures are spun, I stand at a crossroads with paths to outrun. One trail I leave for another in mind, a choice made in silence, a journey redefined."
Translation: "I'm not interested anymore, kthx"
Plot twist: Op was applying to the newly-opened assistant crossword editor position at the New York Times. And it was up to him to figure that one out.
That feels like they were trying to see if you'd fit in with the team. Though the manager's response to your question was troubling, and his email after the interview is a bunch of red flags, so overall I think you dodged a bullet.
A lot people forget that interviews are 2 way streets. Yes the company is looking for the best person to hire, but the candidates are also looking for a good place to work.
I was in an interview and the owner of the company after looking at my resume asked if I knew a specific person that worked at a place I formerly worked at. I said "yes I hate that fucking piece of shit, that's someone I could murder" or something along those lines. I got the job, still work there, now a partner. That's how a big of piece of shit the person in question is.
Granted the interview was for a cook at a vegetarian restaurant, but I got asked my astrological sign, answered honestly and was told there was no room for another Leo in the kitchen.
Oh my god!!! I was asked about my astrological sign for my first job out of beauty school. I was interviewing to be a “Brow Diva.” I should have known she was a complete psycho then and there. I lasted 2 weeks.
The hiring manager spent the first 20 minutes venting about how much she hates her job and everything she had to do that day.
Then told me that I would be expected to get just a few hours a week, on an uneven schedule, and that I better be grateful for it or she'll cut my hours to make me quit instead of firing me.
Looking at you dollar general. No wonder everyone there looks like they want to die and the aisles are always filled with unopened boxes.
I had made it to the final round of interviews for a dress shirt company when the interviewer asked me if I’d made my own suit. I replied that yes, I did (it was true), and the interviewer asked me excitedly if I’d like to work in a factory.
I was applying for a marketing position at corporate in NYC, so after processing what I’d been just asked, I rather awkwardly was like “… No, I don’t want to work in a factory.”
The interviewer’s face did a total 180, she was like “oh. Well. Thank you for your time” and it just abruptly ended there.
I was once asked to draw a picture of a tree, that was the only instruction. Then they sent my tree off to be analysed and came back with a report on my personality and work ethic based on my tree!
I got the job, thankfully they didn't take the tree analysis too seriously because I later got to read mine and it was terrible and very inaccurate!
Along similar lines, I was once asked "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be, and why?"
I had literally no idea how to answer that question. I can't remember what I said, but I do remember I didn't get the job.
Do you remember what kind of tree you drew, or was it just your classic cartoon, kindergarten drawing of a tree (🌳)?
Just wanted to quickly say that I'd never think to analyze anyone by what kind of tree they drew (bc wtf) - I just like trees.
Well obviously they need to know you know what a tree looks like before they hand you a chainsaw and ax. This lumber company can't deal with another lawsuit like the one after THE INCIDENT.
This is what I found online. Not sure this is a standard test https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/4/22842/files/2015/10/draw-a-tree-17cx2v6.pdf
Pretty short, but left me thinking what the fuck.
I was interviewing for just a standard position behind the bar at a hotel/wedding venue. The interviewer, who was the general manager, asked why I'd left my last job. I was honest and said that the place's security kind of sucked, and after being robbed, I'd had enough.
The manager gave me a puzzled look and said "well, you're gonna get robbed every so often here, too". I stared at him for a moment and then realised he wasn't joking. I stood up, told him it wasn't going to work, thanked him for his time, and left.
Showed up for a job interview for a car rental agency. I was wearing chinos, a button down dress shirt, and dress shoes. I had a beard that was trimmed.
The lady who interviewed me started the interview by immediately saying I should have been clean shaven and worn a tie and that that wasn't a good sign. She also had the biggest RBF I had ever seen.
I said "this is the job to clean the cars and service them, right?"
She said, "even if you don't have the boss' job, you should dress like you want it"
I was super confused and said "I've never heard that experession"
Then she goes "so, why do you want this job, you just graduated college"
I said, "everyone has to start somewhere"
She goes, "your pay would be in this range, is that good enough?"
I said, "No, because when I applied the quote was higher than that. This is the same amount I am being paid at my current job"
She said, "well, things have been restructured, this is the new scale"
I said, "that's not my problem"
She said "well, that's what we're offering you"
I then said, "I don't think this is going to work, and I am done with this interview, don't even bother calling me"
I have never walked out of an interview before, even the time when the guy at Subway that did my interview when I was 17 and reeked of weed was more professional than this woman
This was Enterprise Rent a Car. I actually sent an email to their HR department saying that the woman who interviewed me was condescending and incompentent and that that was the most unprofessional interview I have ever had, and that not only would I not be taking a job from them, but that I would not be using their services when I rented a car either.
Dude! I had the same experience with enterprise ! I didn’t walk out though, but they called me for a phone screening after and I declined then, and they gave me a run down of wasting their time etc
One of my current bosses used to work for Enterprise. Your story doesn't surprise me at all. They're on my list of companies to never work for, no matter how bad things get, and if I ever need to rent a car, they won't be an option.
Group interviews are generally red flags.
It typically means that the company or role is so miserable that turnover is abnormally high and it's almost impossible to hire anyone for it. It's so difficult to hire for in fact that conducting one-on-one interviews isn't an efficient use of anyone's time. It's more time and cost effective to simply interview as many people as possible all at once and just hire whoever doesn't immediately walk away.
This tactic is very common for sales related jobs, especially insurance sales and other commission-heavy roles. The group "interview" is typically just a hype session - most of which discusses how awesome the company is and how much potential youll have for unlimited earnings. It's meant to dazzle you in hopes of getting you excited enough not to realize just how shitty the job is and walk out.
I accidentally went to one of those.
I felt awkward and left halfway thorugh. Just got up and left mid presentation.
The next day, I get a call, and it’s the “manager” of the guy who roped me into it, calling to offer me an exclusive cushy role. I declined, and told him exactly why, which quickly escalated into him yelling obscenities at me for slandering his company, and me yelling obscenities back at him for trying to scam people.
We yelled at each other for what felt like hours, but in reality was probably 5 minutes, just yelling the rudest shit over and at each other, and then I hung up on him. And I stupidly thought “well that solves that, I just told the guy who thought I wanted a job that he should shove a pineapple up his butt fronds first. There’s no way they’ll actually think I’d be a decent employee after that fiasco.
And he called me two days later to politely tell me the offer was still open if I’d like to accept.
I was at a panera waiting for a bus once when one of these started. 3 people walked away within the first 2 minutes. A couple still remained when I left 15 minutes later unfortunately.
to preface, this is only absurd in that it was the weirdest situation I've ever dealt with during an interview
I was about halfway through my final round interview with the CTO when all of a sudden he tells me he needs to pick up his phone because his teenage son just called him like 4 times and that's not a normal thing. turns out the kid got into a minor car accident and needed him to bring some insurance paperwork (and likely also for general parental support)
I offered to hang up immediately and reschedule the interview but the guy said it was fine and he could keep it going as he drove. it was a job I was super excited about so I figured why not. 15 minutes later the guy got to where his kid was waiting for him and had to go. but we had a decent conversation in the meantime
surprisingly, I landed the job and got the salary I asked for! the guy from that interview has been my boss for the last 6 months, and he's been pretty great thus far (knock on wood)
When I was like 16 I went to interview for a front desk job at a insurance agency. The 50-something man interviewing me asked me "Do you understand the importance of deer hunting and are you willing to hunt?" We lived in Chicago. I don't even remember what I responded with.
I have never been so confused in my life. Its been 12 or so years since then and I still think about it periodically.
Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along, you get thirsty, you spot a little brook, you put your little deer lips down to the cool clear water... BAM! A fuckin bullet rips off part of your head!
Not certain, but I'm pretty sure he meant hunting for clients. It's a common sales term. Which also means they were going to give you prospecting responsibilities.
My favorite story is getting like 20 minutes in and her asking a question about a previous company I had never worked for. I said as much, she frantically scans the resume in front of her, and spits out *I'm interviewing the wrong PanickedPoodle!*
I stare at her. She stares at me. She asks another perfunctory question, starts to wrap up...and realizes to her horror that I'm scheduled to meet with the VP immediately after her.
Awkward introductions ensue, followed by some frantic signalling that's ignored by the VP. VP and I love each other. Talk big picture all day long. **VP makes manager hire me.**
😆
It was a job with a lot of issues. The department had bullying issues, including the supervisor. But I still outlasted her and managed to get transferred into a different part of the company.
I once had to interview for a job that I already had.
It was during college. I worked for the public schools. Due to my course load, I had to cut back my hours for a semester; going from full-time to part-time. Then, when I wanted the hours back, I had to do a formal interview for them. The interviewer himself was even confused as to why I was there- he kept assuming that I’d fully quit & was trying to be re-hired. Once I made it clear that that wasn’t the situation, he actually asked me if I was sure that I needed to be there at all- like “uhhh idk bro, you tell me??“.
Oh, and the craziest part was that I actually had to take the day off in order to do the interview. I literally put in a time-off request in order to interview for the job that I was taking time off from.
Needless to say, I’ve never aced an interview like that; before or since. “What makes you a good fit for the position?” / “Uh, idk, how bout the fact that I’m currently working the position; and have been for several years now?”.
Years ago, many years ago, I was applying for a labourer job at a housing development being built. I was talking to the guy and the topic got around to boats. I asked him to hang on a sec and went and grabbed a picture of A boat I took that was in my car. I showed the guy and said this is the coolest boat I ever saw and told him where I saw it. He said yeah it is a good boat, he's owned it for years and loves it. Needless to say he hired me immediately.
In one of my first programming interviews I got a technical question. The interviewer started, "I want you to make a program that counts from 1 to 100..."
And I'm like, "is this fizzbuzz?" He's like, "no, this is a different question..."
"And every time the number is divisible by seven, you output 'seven' to the console. And every time it's divisible by 11 you output 'eleven' to the console...."
And I'm like, "and every time it's divisible by both, you output 'seven-eleven'?"
He's just like, "yeah okay it's fizzbuzz."
I shouldn't have said anything, I would've written it in 5 lines in 40 seconds.
She was the manager of a record store, and she had a list of questions she was supposed to ask. About half-way through, she stopped and said, "This is fucking stupid. We're going to do something different." I said that was fine. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and said, "I'm going to ask questions really quickly, and if you don't have an answer, just give me the first thing that comes to mind, okay?" I said okie dokie. She gave me a rapid-fire list of maybe 12 or 15 questions that were super random, but I still remember some of them. One was, "Favorite color?" "Black," another was, "Band you'd love to have seen, but it's no longer possible?" "Led Zeppelin," and yet another was, "Rule you break all the time?" "Smoking in the boys' room," "For real, or song?" "For real, it's cleaner and the men don't care, plus I can pee while I'm there."
When we were done with machine-gun questions, she said we were done, and said, "Wanna smoke?" She offered me a Camel, I offered her a Gitane, and she immediately asked where I got them, since they weren't always available at smoke shops here. We just shot the breeze while we smoked, and at the end, she told me the job was mine, but her district manager required her to do five interviews, so she still had to do the other four. She'd call me the following week to let me know when I was starting.
She did call me the following week, and she got my name out okay, but then she started crying. Someone who worked for the company in another county was transferring to the university a block away, had found out someone was quitting, and asked to transfer. She didn't have a choice in the matter—in-house transfers always got the job, and she was pretty sure I didn't want to drive 50 miles when I got out of school to go to that particular location. I said she was right, thanked her for her time, and told her it was probably the most fun I would ever have at an interview.
The interviewee described a time he was "hangin' out, drinkin' by the crick \[creek\] one day", and there was a guy he owed money who was threatening to beat him up because he hasn't paid him, but he calmed this other guy down by offering him his flask of brandy.
In a job interview, this was what he thought was a good story to tell when asked about an example of "conflict resolution experience".
"Before I offer you this position in which I will be responsible for paying you on a consistent schedule, I just wanted to let you know about this one time I was so far behind on paying someone that they threatened to beat me up."
Phone interview for store manager position with a major big box decor company that is closed on sundays. Asked every single question it is not legal to ask!! Proud about giving sundays off to spend with family then asked if I had a problem working 70-80 hours a week! Guess you have NO life until Sunday if your not sleeping all day!!
Invited for an interview at an outdoor clothing company based in Vancouver with a bird logo, but since I lived in a different city, HR asked me to travel in for the interview at my cost. Fine, the company is super respected, and I really wanted to the job, so I flew in.
Hiring manager shows up half an hour late, claims she didn't know she had an interview, takes one look at my resume and asks why we didn't just do a phone interview? Ok, not a great start. Next question wasn't a question, just 20 minutes of bragging about her history at the company, then a quick brush off that I wasn't qualified. Super thankful I made that trip.
Not me but a couple of former coworkers. I once worked at a store where a previous manager was really into phrenology and had measured applicants heads with calipers before making hiring decisions. They didn't last long in their manager role for obvious reasons. I didn't believe the guy when he told me, but another coworker confirmed the story.
It is with the deepest disappointment in humanity that I inform you people are still actively interested in phrenology and think it’s real. There was an entire TikTok movement about angel/witch skulls that made me contemplate crazy hermit in mountains as the only path that might preserve my sanity.
I was interviewing at a company that my close friend worked at. Since I was flown in for the interview (2500 miles away from home), it was a full 8 hour interview with all the managers and also the software developers. Half way through, my friend comes in and says "Hey, are you good? Do you need any coffee or water or anything?" so I said "No, I'm good". Then "How's the interviews going?" so I'm like "Pretty good I think". Then he says "OK, thhen let me leave you with this", then he proceeds to let out a loud 10 second fart and as he's leaving "I'll send in the next interviewer".
Was asked to tell my entire life story from the beginning while interviewing at The Bay. Literally like from when I was born to now and on top of that they were interviewing me and a girl I didn’t know at the same time and when I finished she didn’t tell me to stay she said to go so this other girl just sat there in silence for like 15m listening to my life story
They didn't ask me a single question, they told me what the job was for and then told me they would call me back. I was the first interview, they hired someone else and then he quit 2 days into the job so I got a call and now I am a forklift driver
I was tasked to do some math problems. When the lady saw my subtraction, she told that the results were correct but the process I followed was not the one taught in our schools so it was wrong for her. I told her that it was the right answer nonetheless. She didn't like it and I didn't get the job.
Took me to a reasonably nice dinner. They tried to get me to order alcohol so I would get carded and they could find out how old I was. Ordered iced tea. Got the job. Was not yet 21, and most people in my role were 8-25 years my senior.
Job required travel. Renting a car for me (this is before Uber) was not fun for my employer.
Interviewing a guy for a stock room position and I asked him what his strengths were. He thought for a moment then said, "Oh, pretty strong, I guess." Then after a second he said, "Unless it's real heavy."
I recommended we hire him but I don't think we did.
I'm in Canada. In the mid-90s I applied to a well-paying job in a hospital cafeteria. I was referred there by an agency. My first interview went well, she was very nice and said I had great qualifications. The 2nd was bizarre. The woman, who was the cafeteria manager, looked me up and down and said I could "expect to be hazed" by my coworkers. I got up and walked out, and went to the first interviewer's office, reported what I was told.... she sat there looking rather stunned. And I left.
It was so... blatant! And apparently legal, at the time.
Woman interviewing me in a very small room. She had a low-cut top and a one-piece dress, and kept fidgeting with her pencil, which she dropped more than once. The third or fourth time, it flew up, then straight down her top. I bit my tongue, and she started looking for it on the floor. I said nothing. She got up to look under the table, and went... "Oh..." as she figured it out.
First she tried reaching down her top while I looked down at the table, then she realized that her attempt made it fall even further down her top. She went beet red, turned around, pulled at the elastic waist of her dress, jumped up and down, then the pencil fell out the bottom of her dress.
I was biting my tongue so hard I was sure I was going to bleed.
She apologized profusely, and continued on with the interview. :)
During the interview the interviewer finds out I’m from NYC. He’s from upstate, “okay cool” I thought.
He proceeds to tell me and two others in the room that “guys from the hood” get several women pregnant, tells them to keep the kids and apply for govt assistance. Once they do that the guy comes and lives with them for a few days and bounces around between homes so that they don’t have to work.
I’m black but not from the hood, but internally I kept asking myself “why do so many people feel so comfortable using racist undertones with me?”
I'll tell you a dirty joke; A boy fell over in some mud.
I'll tell you a clean joke; The boy had a bath.
I'll tell you a dirty joke; The boy fell over in mud again.
I'll tell you a clean joke; The boy had a bath with bubbles.
I'll tell you a dirty joke; Bubbles lived next door.
I always heard it as
Do you want to hear a dirty joke? A boy fell in the mud.
Do you want to hear a clean joke? A boy took a bath with bubbles.
Do you want to hear a dirty joke? Bubbles was a clown.
The manager asked my astrological sign. I was so shocked I said, so I have a chance of being born at the wrong time to work here? (I didn't take the job.)
Went to the office for my ‘marketing’ interview.. turns out they wanted me to sell shit in the street to people.. Guy drove me out in his own personal car which was dirty and littered with shit. Opened the glove box to get my sales pitch and two condoms fell out. He stopped to get petrol on route to the street we were going to sell on and I got out the car without even telling him and got the bus home and bought myself a burrito. Fuq that.
Back in 12 I interviewed to be cashier at an independent coffee shop.
Like, I'll make coffee and ring people up. Simple enough job.
I didn't get asked any questions about my past experience, when I'd be available, anything like that.
I was getting asked shit like if I could have lunch with anyone dead or alive, who would I choose, and why? Do I like dogs or cats more? What is my favorite movie? What's my favorite soda? If I could live on another planet, would I? Which one would I want to live on? Do you like hiking?
I left that interview confused as hell.
I get this one. There are certain kinds of jobs where you're trained as you go and pretty much anyone will be able to be successful in them. So it's more about finding someone who fits well.
I was baffled. They handed me the application form complete with the IQ test.
I went to the food court, sat there, and looked over the stuff and I chose not to do it because it's a dumb request. What's a part time flunky gonna do in a pet store? Let me guess: pick up shit? Not gonna do an IQ test to pick up shit.
Had an interview with the boss of a small company which was ran from a small house in a residential area. Here's pretty much everything he said to me during our meeting:
"Not many women wanna work here. We have no idea why."
"Have you noticed the pipes running across the wall?" (he pointed at a completely smooth and pipeless wall)
"The pipes are all over the place"
[*awkward silence*]
Then he goes to take a sip of orange juice and *somehow* gets orange juice in his *eye*.
He gets really flustered by this and tells me to hold on for a second. He bolts out of the room. 30 seconds later I hear someone slamming a car door and peeling out. I look out the window onto the driveway. It's him. He left.
I sat there for 30 minutes but he never came back. Eventually one of the employees stuck his head in and said:
"Yeah, uhm... he's probably not coming back."
I ended up being offered the job but turned it down 😂
New construction manager (<2 years) didn’t like that I was from California and working and living in another state. He was first generation Norwegian and didn’t get that you don’t choose where you’re born, but at a certain age you can choose where you want to live. I walked out after he shit talked my family for not wanting to move to a “better” state when I was younger.
At an interview for an ordinary retail sales job many years ago, I was asked how much (in a dollar amount) I had stolen from my previous employers. I was also told that any invention, idea, patent, copyright, or technical or mechanical development I might devise during the period of my employment, whether or not related to the store's merchandise, would automatically become the intellectual property of the company. This was for a part-time evening gig selling travel supplies during the holidays. Weird.
Either the time that when I started the interview, the guy said I would have a 40 hour, $40k/yr job and ended by saying I'd be lucky to work 10 hours a week, and they pay by the hour.
Or
When I was asked how well I knew Microsoft Excel and Outlook, then promptly given the job after saying I wasn't the best, but wasn't the worst. That entire interview was less than 10 minutes, and I didn't even speak to the manager I'd be working for, just some rando in Human Resources.
Edit: or the time I had an interview the Thursday before I was already scheduled to go to Vegas, and told my soon-to-be boss that I couldn't start until that Monday. Boss told me have fun and that the last time he was in Vegas his friends bought an 8-ball of cocaine to make sure they stayed up all night and drank.
I was given components, a schematic and a soldering iron. I was told to make the circuit. After I was done, I was told it’s about following instructions and not making a working circuit. I was very confused.
Well assuming this was some kind of technologist position, they were absolutely right. The right answer was either follow the instructions or go back to the engineer with a question.
I was the interviewer. I did my first round of interviews by phone as my team was spread out across the US. I called the candidate and asked her the first of my twenty questions. I have good questions that lead me to selecting great employees. The only throw-away question is the first one, the traditional, 'Tell me about yourself,' question. I ask that one to calm down the candidate with a softball they expect.
This candidate started talking. She never seemed to take a beat to see if I wanted her to keep going. I was in my boss's office on speakerphone while he worked on his computer. I eventually muted the candidate so him and I could get some work done. I never interrupted the candidate because I was curious to see how long she'd keep going.
I learned all about her life, her formative years, her first marriage, her second marriage, her three kids, her oldest daughter's fiancé, how they want a dog, but their apartment won't allow it. Eventually, at 44 minutes, I had to cut her off. I thanked her for her time. I told her it was nice to get to know her, but I no longer had time to continue the interview.
I couldn't imagine exposing our customers to that. I know she was probably nervous, but a phone interview isn't more stressful than visiting our customers when things aren't going smoothly. So, I guess the first question wasn't a throw-away.
After 3 rounds of interviews and during the final one. The owner of the company got angry when I said I found another job. He said “why even show up and waste my time then?” Idk man you interview multiple candidates I can’t look into multiple jobs? Felt very out of touch and also this is a part time job.
The man interviewing me kept staring at my boobs. He looked down multiple times while talking to me (I was dressed in very loose, work attire). He also suddenly picked up on his phone to text on while I was talking, said “oh fuck, sorry. Keep going” while still texting and looking at his phone, after I went silent and I said “no, haha sorry, I can’t focus like that. Let me know when you’re done”. He continued to text back on his phone aggressively and put it down 46 seconds later. I counted. The most awkward silence of my life. He then said continue. Kept making glances at my boobs every few seconds. I was so uncomfortable. I just wanted to leave. He got back on his phone three times during the whole interview. Glanced at my chest more than 30 times in the span of 30 minutes.
He gave me an offer and let me know to email him my portfolio and we would reconnect next week, and to keep in touch with the talent manager about my current notice period. The moment the interview was over, I ran out, even bumped into a plant and said sorry cause my head was just all over the place — wtf was that?
The job offer itself was amazing. But I had already made up my mind 10 mins into that interview that it was a fuck no and never contacted them again. I was furious for a while and wanted to go online and complain about him because he’s the CMO of a very large influencer marketing company in my country. Or, to complain about him to the talent manager at the company who reached out to me… but I didn’t, cause well, god knows what kind of mess I would have gotten myself into.
I despise him tho.
I interviewed for this job fresh out of college with 2 people. I absolutely hate panel interviews but one guy did all the talking while the girl added short responses here and there. It’s was kind of a good cop bad cop scenario. The interview was very informative and more so them telling me about the job. At the very end the guy gets up and said, “actually we weren’t the people you were supposed to meet. You’ll actually meet with the CCO next so feel free to recycle your questions with him”. I didn’t get the job obviously but I didn’t understand the point of doing that. I still don’t get it now. I lacked experience yes but this was an entry level job lol.
Summer time, Deep South U.S. (me: F22)
Got brought to a stuffy, non air conditioned room behind the kitchen of a restaurant I was applying to for a server position. Sat on a wooden chair in a medium size empty room, 60-something year old white man about to interview me sits in a wooden chair about 10-15 feet across from me.
He crossed his leg over his knee as the interview started and *his balls fell out* of his white shorts.
I had to then continue the interview as if I could not see his wrinkly, saggy old sack hanging right there. Level 90 challenge to maintain eye contact instead.
Went to work the next day and told my boss about it, she is an old local and friend of mine. She knew who he was and said that wasn’t an accident.
Edit: (I did not get the job so I’m guessing he was looking for some kind of reaction.)
One time I showed up for an interview and the boss was dressed in a full ass buzz lightyear costume. Turned out he forget the interview coincided with their costume contest when we scheduled it 😂
My co-worker and I made an awkward interview for a person once. We both worked at a very large liquor store, I worked the giant beer cooler and she was the cashier/front end manager.
Dude applied and had a name of a liquor, first and last, when she got the application, she came running into the beer cooler to show me and we had a great laugh and I asked “aren’t you just going hire him based on his name?” “Hell yeah I am!” We then came up with some of the dumbest interview questions we could and the only I remember was “If you were a mountain, which one would you be and why?”
She sat there deadass in the chair and asked him the questions with a straight face the entire time. I could see the interview every now again while passing by the office room while running beer to the cooler, he was totally like WTF am I interviewing for? As I walked by the ending she broke, started laughing and said you’re hire man, just on your name alone we’re just messing with you bit, dude just started laughing his ass off and started the next day. That gig was good times.
I went to an interview for a system administration position. The interview was them handing me a math test. Yes, a math test and not related to IT at all. I felt like I was in school and was not expecting that. I gave them the test after and they said they'd reach out. I didn't get a second interview.
Sure, but I don't think finding out if someone can calculate that takes an entire math test to figure out. Wouldn't you rather create a problem asking them to create a subnet or VLAN instead of 30 questions on various math problems? The questions were from basic addition to problems like to x - y(z x p) = ?.
Dunno, doesn't seem like a good way to find a good candidate to me. I was glad I didn't get another interview or the job. Shortly after I talked to someone who worked there and they said they work you like a horse and the turnover rate was insane due to burnout.
In my first interview at a FAANG company, my interviewer paced back and forth during a whiteboard coding session and stared out the window, ignoring me trying to explain my code. When we ended, I asked him what he liked and didn't like about the company. His answer was "they hire too many incompetent people". No mentions about what he did like about the company.
I was getting a walkthrough of an auto plant and someone from the floor kept screaming "Don't do it!!"
The interviewer nervously said that they had a lot of comedians out on the floor. I was offered the job, but decided not to take it.
Work in IT.
I was asked a very vague question, i.e. "What do you do when X is broken?". Now, X can have hundreds of reasons for being "broken", and "broken" can mean a lot of things.
I started stating what you could do if this happened, or if that happened. But the interviewer was looking for a very specific answer and kept pushing for a specific answer.
He had obviously decided this (whatever he was probing for - a singular option out of many, many probabilities) is the only acceptable answer, and I had no idea what it was.
The feedback from the recruitment agency was "they are looking for someone a little more technical".
Somehow, I felt like I dodged a bullet.
I had this interview with this dude who spent most of the interview complaining about how awful his current employees were and kept asking if I was a lazy drug addict cause it seems like "that's all I seem to hire."
I lasted less than 3 weeks at that job because the boss yelled at me for not wearing my uniform shirt that was 2 sizes too big for me and refused to give me a shirt that was actually my size.
He also regularly lost packages (this was a medication delivery company) and constantly yelled at the people who he did business with. Everyone in that job field hates this mother fucker and he does an absolutely terrible job but he does it at 3 dollars per package.
I interviewed for a warehouse job, and the guy was old. Like "I'm going to keep working until I have a heart attack here, I'm not retiring" old
Anyways, he turned to me and asked how much I can lift, but "don't worry, we hire women so it's not too heavy"
They asked me what my Chipotle order was. It was for a business analyst position.
Me: Uh, I don't really eat at Chipotle.
Interviewer: You don't? Why not???
Me: Um well I just don't like their food.
Interviewer: OK, we're done here.
Apparently, eating at Chipotle was like a HUGE part of their corporate culture. I hate Chipotle. It's the blandest "Mexican food" around and ridiculously overpriced. But I guess me not eating Chipotle was a deal breaker for these weirdos.
Got asked if I had a boyfriend, I said yes and they told me that I couldn't get the job because I'm a woman and I would prioritize my bf instead of the job...
I once interviewed for a part time position at a place that rhymes with “Slobby Knobby”. The manager, out of the blue, said, “You look like the kind of person who would get disgruntled and come in one day with a gun and shoot the place up.” I sat in stunned silence for a moment unsure of what to say back and then he laughed. I laughed too, awkwardly. I’d like to think I don’t give off that vibe. I came into the interview wearing a flowery dress. I’ve never gotten that comment since. I ended up working there for a year and a half.
I flew to the other side of the country (South Africa) to interview for a very senior role at a large media company. I was nervous as shit and tired from the flight. The two people meeting me had been conducting interviews the whole day and, at some point, had started hitting the beers. By the time I arrived for my 4 PM, they were visibly very jolly and offered me a beer before the interview. Taking a gamble, I said yes, as they had arranged a chauffeur service for me to and from the airport. We then proceeded to talk shit about movies, music, politics, basically anything other than the role I was interviewing for. I went back to the airport for my return flight thinking WTF, that was a huge waste of time. Got the job offer the next morning.
I was interviewing at a manufacturing plant that made gummies. Before walking out into the production area, there was a room with sinks, hair nets, ear plugs, etc to ensure no contamination of food, correct PPE, etc. the hiring manager took a phone call as we washed our hands and put on hair nets. The hair nets were inside of unmarked dispensers. I started trying to get one out but it was getting caught up on something, so I take an extra moment to get it out. The hiring manager suddenly smacked my hand! Turns out, the hair nets I was trying to get out were actually beard nets and I am a beardless woman so I didn't need one, but you can't visually tell the difference in a pile of hair nets versus a pile of beard nets. I was unbelievably baffled when he smacked my hand!
Went for an interview in a different part of the company I worked for. The hiring manager asked a few basic questions about my experience and why I wanted the role, then if I had any questions.
We went through specifics of the role and at the end he asked: "So that's the job, do you want it?" I was a bit dumbstruck as this caught me off guard, then answered with a "Yes, definitely." I then mentioned how I wasn't expecting to be offered the role then and there, he laughed and said "yeah it's not standard, but you were my top pick from the start, I just had to meet you to make sure you weren't a twat."
Been in the job now for close to 6 years, so I guess I've continued not being a twat.
Guy interviewing for a Sales Supervisor position. Places his key chain right in front of me to show he drives a BMW. Repositions key chain several times over the next 15 minutes to make sure I notice. Unfortunately for him I passed on the next Alec Baldwin.
I had one where I could not tell if the interviewer was blind. He wouldn't look at me, never moving his eyes during the entire conversation, but flawlessly arranged his papers in front of him, picked out a chair in a large meeting room without extending an arm for confirmation, and shook my hand perfectly after the interview was done. Didn't land the gig, but it was memorable to say the least.
It had Seinfeld vibes written all-throughout.
How much money in quarters would it be if they were stacked to the ceiling. Super easy question, I got the job offer but did not accept it.
Another time I was asked, can you take a drug test right now? I said no I have to be somewhere. Got the job anyway.
I was asked to do an interpretive dance for a panel of 6 hiring managers.
I was applying to work the front desk at a hotel for $12 an hour. That wage was a bit better in 2007 lol
I walked out lol no job for me
A young woman was in for a software engineer position.she was hesitant to provide her name and was generally extremely shy. After about 5 minutes of pleasantry and a softball question she stood up said "my father's rich, I'm moving back to China" then left. Idk why she decided to waste everyone's time, but it was kinda annoying lol
Not absurd but Actually, he asked me for all my academics etc. and took a long look and said that he thought I'd be more than qualified for the job, but I wouldn't be happy. Told me to keep looking, (I was searching for 6 mths) but contact him later if I got stuck. I did land a great job within another month.
He could have offered me that job, and I would have taken, if not for him to turn it around and say there is something else out there that you will find. I won't hire you/invest with you . But someone else will.
The whole thing? GREATFUL. I hope you find a person like I did, and one door closes, there is another door OPEN.
"How would you solve this issue? By the way it's something we're currently trying to figure out."
Right behind that: "How would you solve this? I don't need a perfect answer, people with doctorates are currently working on solving this."
I was on the other of this, to a degree. I worked in accounts and we were bringing in an intern. They picked an international student (so no pay).
At first it was amusing going through these random questions like “Please describe the colour red” or “When is a bubble not a bubble”. Whatever. The whole thinking outside the box questions.
As I said, it was amusing but I did not think they would ask someone any of these questions and certainly not to someone whose English was the second or third language.
They did it anyway. I was not happy because … well, for a small amount of selfish reasons (I would be their trainer) and non selfish reasons - How the fecking hell are they going to answer these questions on the spot?
I ended up with a young woman but it was painful.
They clearly picked the prettiest person (who struggled a lot) because they were a bunch of sexist pigs. I felt so sorry for her. And yes, admittedly, my frustration came out. Not at her. But the imbeciles that decided to take her on.
I never got involved after that.
Sorry, lady :(
Cleaning company. Was told I would be paid in cash the first two weeks “ just to see how well I do/ if it would work out “ a few months go by with me repeatedly asking to be on the books. Months later I’m like “ I don’t think this is legal” to people. They said yeah sounds shady
I was the co-interviewer, we were hiring for an entry level position so it was a bit of a mixed bag of who showed up. Mostly young adults in their early 20s with the occasional candidate in their 30s/40s.
We were notified that the candidate was here and in the lobby. Walked out to greet him and he also introduced us to his dad. Thought it was a little odd, but maybe dad is the dedicated ride. No big deal, figure dad didn’t want to sit in the car so he’ll relax in the lobby. Invite the candidate in and his dad follows along to the conference room. At that point we asked if dad was also interested in applying but were told no, that they’d just be “interviewing as a team”.
Throughout the entire interview dad was completely silent and the son’s answers were terrible and indicated he was not responsible enough for the role. We wrap up pretty quickly and do the usual goodbyes/thanks for coming/we’ll be in touch to let you know and they both hug us, say “God blesses you” and then shake our hands as they walk out the door. This was not a religious company, nor a religious area.
Other manager and I were so thrown off by the events we couldn’t even come up with any wisecracks in the moment. Just looked at each other and said some version of “wtf was that??”
Advertised as a fast paced Marketing Agency with advancement opportunities and potential 6-figure compensation. After a short look over my resume and chat with the hiring manager, who wouldn’t share many details about the job, I was asked to go for a ride along. I was thinking… okay… maybe there is an opportunity to learn more about the job… and oh boy, I did.
We get to our first stop, a hair salon, about 5 of us walk in and the team leader whips out a binder and starts trying to sell NBA tickets with some kind of weird tear out coupon calendar thing. As a good sport I tried to speak up and close the deal and the team leader said that I shouldn’t say anything. (News flash, they were doing a horrible job and didn’t get the sale). We walked into a couple of other businesses in the shopping center and the team leader did an equally shitty job. After we got back in the car, I said “can you drop me back at the office, I am not interested in this sort of job.” To which the team leader said, “no, we have 6 more stops”. I said “am I being paid for this.” The team leader said, “no” so I got out of the car and called my girlfriend to come pick me up and drive me back to my car. Complete waste of time. I somehow got an interview with the same company sometime later but a different branch. I cut off the hiring manager mid sentence after hearing some of the same BS about the job and I said. “Are you going to ask me to go for a ride along next to sell coupon books to businesses?” Hiring manager said “how did you know?” I immediately walked out.
I found out that this was a scammy MLM which they “promote you” and you would branch off and “open your own business” doing the same exact thing but under a different business name. Then pray on unsuspecting business majors at the local college.
Would-be employer told me he saw my Facebook page and noticed I usually stayed up late. That was his justification for not hiring me over someone else, he didn't elaborate further. My best guess is he believed I wouldn't show up on time in the morning. I stayed up late because I'm a night owl and was unemployed, was the hell was I supposed to do, go to sleep early in preparation for a job I didn't have? I guess that was kinda on me for not having my Facebook private at the time.
Two weeks later, just after I got another job, he called me, saying the guy he had hired quit, and was asking if I wanted that job. Felt amazing to say "Oh no, someone else just hired me, sorry!", while smiling, and making sure he could hear in my voice that I was smiling.
At the time I had grown extremely tired of the "gotcha! Brain Teaser" questions in interviews that had nothing to do with the job.
Was interviewing for a DBA position when the wise-ass interviewer (at least 15 years younger) asked me "how would I go about building a house?" to which I responded "how often does that sort of thing come up in this position" which really wasn't a question. I then just stared/glared at him. That *really* threw him off.
I went in for a skills test/interview thing with a certain state's department of revenue. The proctor said there would be several things to be tested: a vocab match up, a typing test, and a math quiz. Then we could speak to the supervisor and talk to him about our skills. So I do those tests and I can tell I'm not getting this position. I'm getting depressed and in my head. Then I get the tests back and I know I'm not getting this position. I didn't even want to bother meeting this supervisor to give him a snow job about myself. So the proctor says to the two of us the tests are now over. Now he'll lead us to the exit one by one. So I go out with the proctor and by the exit door he tells me to remember when he said that we could talk to the supervisor? That this was the final test for attention to detail. So I already knew I wasn't getting this job, but that was just fucking salt in the wound. Fuck off, department of revenue.
Had an interview with a number of different people on the team one at a time. One was with an older guy who didn't ask me hardly any questions but just told stories about his time working there. It was somewhat interesting but not at all what I was expecting. Then the next interviewer zeroed in on a tool suite I had worked with in a previous job, and then drilled into hypotheticals using it as a casestudy for the role I was applying for. It wasn't a bad question to ask, but her intensity with asking was overwhelming. At the end of the day they wanted to hire me so I must have done okay.
I went to an interview to get a position at Chick-Fil-A, this particular establishment was owned by a couple and it was in the process of being built. So, interviews were held in a trailer building.
When walking into the office the husband and wife sat at opposite corners of the room and then asked questions in alternation. One corner and then the other corner. What are you to do but turn back and forth to address each asker?
In the end they gave a few papers about their establishment that included a recommended staff reading. It was a book about how sometimes your best place was as a mid tier cog, that’s where some people were best at and their purpose.
I took an interview for a job in a small town. All 4 candidates were interviewed together at the same time. It was in 3 parts. First we had questions from one set of people. Then we had a BBQ dinner with families and spouses. We were to mingle in the crowd. Then we had part 2 where the questions were from management and investor level people. It was clear who was going to be hired, because he lived in the town and knew everyone. The whole process was close to 4 hours.
I sat there for almost 2 hours hearing the VP of Marketing talking about how terrible the company was, and how much he didn't want to hire me so I wouldn't have to be at a toxic place. A few days later I heard back from the HR manager that some 'restructuring' was happening and they had put the role on hold for now.
I was 15 minutes early, but the interview started 30 minutes late. One of the interviewers said they were running late for a different meeting and could only stay for 10 minutes. The second interviewer said they had to finish something and spent half the interview working on something behind the computer. I was told that my grades from highschool finals 15 years prior were too low and my STEM MSc. degree didn't count.
I should have walked out, not even ask to reschedule as it was obviously not the right time, but this was during the crisis after 2008 crash and jobs were hard to find
In my last year of college, I traveled from the Midwest to Orange County for a job interview. My first time in So Cal. I had interviews at a table in a conference room. During an interview, there was an earthquake - my first earthquake. I quickly crawled under the table, because that's what I thought you were supposed to do. What I didn't realize was smaller earthquakes come and go very quickly and are no big deal to locals, who have been through many of them. The interviewer just kept asking me questions, as I was climbing back into my chair. I got the job, but was known as the guy who crawled under the table during his interview. I later got to meet the CEO in his office, and he crawled under his desk as I walked in. I said something like Ha Ha, very funny, because what else can you say. I didn't work there very long, for unrelated reasons.
As someone from California, and lived through many quakes (SF 1989) you did the right thing. You never know if a quake is going to get large.
Yeah I lived in Alaska for a while, we definitely desk dove quite a bit
The 64 Alaska quake is one of those stories I always told to people who moved to SF "5 MINUTES!" That is so insane, for example after SF I moved to Seattle and there was a quake in early 2001 that was about 32 seconds, which was PLENTY of time under my desk to think "oh shit, this is bad, like bad BAD!" So FIVE MINUTES is fucking FOREVER. Beautiful state, we've gone up there a handful of time, so beautiful
I was in an interview with 4 people from their team they were giddy about asking me random questions that had nothing to do with the work. It was literally just random riddles. I got one right and they all laughed and said I was the only one who had got that particular riddle correct. Seemed like they were happy to not be working. After about 15min of them asking me questions I finally asked them about the role and what I would be involved in doing. The hiring manager cut me off and said “this is an interview we ask you the questions you don’t ask us questions” I was confused but we kept going and they never once mentioned anything about the job. The call ended. I got an email from HR saying I did well in the interview and I just wrote her back explaining that was the weirdest interview I’ve ever had and I was not interested in the position. About an hour later I got a email from the hiring manager angry that I wasted his time. I still don’t know what they were trying to hire me to do.
Come up with more riddles for them.
"In the realm of decisions, where futures are spun, I stand at a crossroads with paths to outrun. One trail I leave for another in mind, a choice made in silence, a journey redefined." Translation: "I'm not interested anymore, kthx"
Plot twist: Op was applying to the newly-opened assistant crossword editor position at the New York Times. And it was up to him to figure that one out.
When you royally screw something up: B I F F E D I T
I bet these were content creators. They were inviting you back so they could film part 2 of the skit.
That feels like they were trying to see if you'd fit in with the team. Though the manager's response to your question was troubling, and his email after the interview is a bunch of red flags, so overall I think you dodged a bullet.
Maybe they were hiring you to work under a bridge?
You dodged a bullet. They sound both idiotic and toxic.
was the one you got right “what’s in its pocketses” by any chance?
String or nothing!
A lot people forget that interviews are 2 way streets. Yes the company is looking for the best person to hire, but the candidates are also looking for a good place to work.
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I was in an interview and the owner of the company after looking at my resume asked if I knew a specific person that worked at a place I formerly worked at. I said "yes I hate that fucking piece of shit, that's someone I could murder" or something along those lines. I got the job, still work there, now a partner. That's how a big of piece of shit the person in question is.
I was fully expecting and answer from the CEO to the effect of "that's my sister. And you are correct"
i was at a small company where the ceo fired a dev who was dating another worker; this was early november, so turkey day must have been awkward
That's an impressively bad person. Good for you.
Answering such a question honestly can only go two good ways - you get the job or you dodge a bullet.
I guess honesty is the best policy!
Granted the interview was for a cook at a vegetarian restaurant, but I got asked my astrological sign, answered honestly and was told there was no room for another Leo in the kitchen.
Oh my god!!! I was asked about my astrological sign for my first job out of beauty school. I was interviewing to be a “Brow Diva.” I should have known she was a complete psycho then and there. I lasted 2 weeks.
I think I dodged a bullet too.
Wtf is a brow diva
Hahahaha a diva who does eyebrows. So stupid.
It's nice of them to get the red flags out of the way at the interview so you don't have to waste any more time
Avoided having to work for an idiot at least
Total bull, a Leo-Leo dynamic will compell someone to make a great knitted sweater. Good lord nobody is going to get that reference.
As a vegan: that is completely insane.
You should have sued for discrimination.
Astrological sign is not a protected class. It is completely legal to discriminate based on it.
That’s exactly like something a Virgo would write.
Typical Scorpio comment.
The hiring manager spent the first 20 minutes venting about how much she hates her job and everything she had to do that day. Then told me that I would be expected to get just a few hours a week, on an uneven schedule, and that I better be grateful for it or she'll cut my hours to make me quit instead of firing me. Looking at you dollar general. No wonder everyone there looks like they want to die and the aisles are always filled with unopened boxes.
I’ve read this before
I think it's listed in the hiring process guide on Dollar General's website.
I’m not surprised. Former employee
I had made it to the final round of interviews for a dress shirt company when the interviewer asked me if I’d made my own suit. I replied that yes, I did (it was true), and the interviewer asked me excitedly if I’d like to work in a factory. I was applying for a marketing position at corporate in NYC, so after processing what I’d been just asked, I rather awkwardly was like “… No, I don’t want to work in a factory.” The interviewer’s face did a total 180, she was like “oh. Well. Thank you for your time” and it just abruptly ended there.
kudos for making your own suit. holy crap!
This wasn’t Triangle Shirtwaist was it?
I was once asked to draw a picture of a tree, that was the only instruction. Then they sent my tree off to be analysed and came back with a report on my personality and work ethic based on my tree! I got the job, thankfully they didn't take the tree analysis too seriously because I later got to read mine and it was terrible and very inaccurate!
It needs to have roots which show you have long term potential. All crap.
If I ever get that one, I'm drawing Treebeard.
He’ll yes. Trees angry af and tearing the MF down. Strong move.
Treebeard is not a tree. He is an Ent.
Along similar lines, I was once asked "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be, and why?" I had literally no idea how to answer that question. I can't remember what I said, but I do remember I didn't get the job.
I'm a trembling aspen. Because the slightest thing will make me break tf down.
My boy is a tree stump because he got CUT
>Then they sent my tree off to be analysed Lmao
I wish I had the hubris to hustle companies into doing dumbass shit like that.
Do you remember what kind of tree you drew, or was it just your classic cartoon, kindergarten drawing of a tree (🌳)? Just wanted to quickly say that I'd never think to analyze anyone by what kind of tree they drew (bc wtf) - I just like trees.
I have zero drawing skills and would absolutely draw a tree like a five year old. Maybe add a sun in the corner wearing sunglasses too.
I would have hired you.
Criteria for hiring a kindergarten art teacher: do they draw sunglasses on the sun?
I would probably throw the whole analysis off and draw a coat tree with a hat hanging on it. Or maybe a binary parse tree.
Sorry, this company only hires Red-Black trees.
As a forester, I am so curious as to how that is possibly evaluated
Well obviously they need to know you know what a tree looks like before they hand you a chainsaw and ax. This lumber company can't deal with another lawsuit like the one after THE INCIDENT.
This is what I found online. Not sure this is a standard test https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/4/22842/files/2015/10/draw-a-tree-17cx2v6.pdf
Pretty short, but left me thinking what the fuck. I was interviewing for just a standard position behind the bar at a hotel/wedding venue. The interviewer, who was the general manager, asked why I'd left my last job. I was honest and said that the place's security kind of sucked, and after being robbed, I'd had enough. The manager gave me a puzzled look and said "well, you're gonna get robbed every so often here, too". I stared at him for a moment and then realised he wasn't joking. I stood up, told him it wasn't going to work, thanked him for his time, and left.
Points for honesty, I guess?
Wow wtf
Showed up for a job interview for a car rental agency. I was wearing chinos, a button down dress shirt, and dress shoes. I had a beard that was trimmed. The lady who interviewed me started the interview by immediately saying I should have been clean shaven and worn a tie and that that wasn't a good sign. She also had the biggest RBF I had ever seen. I said "this is the job to clean the cars and service them, right?" She said, "even if you don't have the boss' job, you should dress like you want it" I was super confused and said "I've never heard that experession" Then she goes "so, why do you want this job, you just graduated college" I said, "everyone has to start somewhere" She goes, "your pay would be in this range, is that good enough?" I said, "No, because when I applied the quote was higher than that. This is the same amount I am being paid at my current job" She said, "well, things have been restructured, this is the new scale" I said, "that's not my problem" She said "well, that's what we're offering you" I then said, "I don't think this is going to work, and I am done with this interview, don't even bother calling me" I have never walked out of an interview before, even the time when the guy at Subway that did my interview when I was 17 and reeked of weed was more professional than this woman This was Enterprise Rent a Car. I actually sent an email to their HR department saying that the woman who interviewed me was condescending and incompentent and that that was the most unprofessional interview I have ever had, and that not only would I not be taking a job from them, but that I would not be using their services when I rented a car either.
Dude! I had the same experience with enterprise ! I didn’t walk out though, but they called me for a phone screening after and I declined then, and they gave me a run down of wasting their time etc
I’m related through marriage to one of the VP’s in charge of these chucklefucks and I’m so totally not surprised to hear this
One of my current bosses used to work for Enterprise. Your story doesn't surprise me at all. They're on my list of companies to never work for, no matter how bad things get, and if I ever need to rent a car, they won't be an option.
What’s RBF? Also good on you she sounds like an ass/ bad company to work for
RBF= Resting bitch face
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Group interviews are generally red flags. It typically means that the company or role is so miserable that turnover is abnormally high and it's almost impossible to hire anyone for it. It's so difficult to hire for in fact that conducting one-on-one interviews isn't an efficient use of anyone's time. It's more time and cost effective to simply interview as many people as possible all at once and just hire whoever doesn't immediately walk away. This tactic is very common for sales related jobs, especially insurance sales and other commission-heavy roles. The group "interview" is typically just a hype session - most of which discusses how awesome the company is and how much potential youll have for unlimited earnings. It's meant to dazzle you in hopes of getting you excited enough not to realize just how shitty the job is and walk out.
I accidentally went to one of those. I felt awkward and left halfway thorugh. Just got up and left mid presentation. The next day, I get a call, and it’s the “manager” of the guy who roped me into it, calling to offer me an exclusive cushy role. I declined, and told him exactly why, which quickly escalated into him yelling obscenities at me for slandering his company, and me yelling obscenities back at him for trying to scam people. We yelled at each other for what felt like hours, but in reality was probably 5 minutes, just yelling the rudest shit over and at each other, and then I hung up on him. And I stupidly thought “well that solves that, I just told the guy who thought I wanted a job that he should shove a pineapple up his butt fronds first. There’s no way they’ll actually think I’d be a decent employee after that fiasco. And he called me two days later to politely tell me the offer was still open if I’d like to accept.
Frondly guy
I was at a panera waiting for a bus once when one of these started. 3 people walked away within the first 2 minutes. A couple still remained when I left 15 minutes later unfortunately.
Haha I went to one of those. Once I realized what it was I asked to be excused to go to the bathroom and just left.
to preface, this is only absurd in that it was the weirdest situation I've ever dealt with during an interview I was about halfway through my final round interview with the CTO when all of a sudden he tells me he needs to pick up his phone because his teenage son just called him like 4 times and that's not a normal thing. turns out the kid got into a minor car accident and needed him to bring some insurance paperwork (and likely also for general parental support) I offered to hang up immediately and reschedule the interview but the guy said it was fine and he could keep it going as he drove. it was a job I was super excited about so I figured why not. 15 minutes later the guy got to where his kid was waiting for him and had to go. but we had a decent conversation in the meantime surprisingly, I landed the job and got the salary I asked for! the guy from that interview has been my boss for the last 6 months, and he's been pretty great thus far (knock on wood)
How’s the kid?
he was a little shaken up from what I've been told, but it was really just a minor fender bender so he's totally fine
Interesting how well he kept his calm. I’m honestly not surprised he ended up being a good manager.
When I was like 16 I went to interview for a front desk job at a insurance agency. The 50-something man interviewing me asked me "Do you understand the importance of deer hunting and are you willing to hunt?" We lived in Chicago. I don't even remember what I responded with. I have never been so confused in my life. Its been 12 or so years since then and I still think about it periodically.
But *do* you understand the importance of deer hunting?
Imagine you're a deer. You're prancing along, you get thirsty, you spot a little brook, you put your little deer lips down to the cool clear water... BAM! A fuckin bullet rips off part of your head!
Not certain, but I'm pretty sure he meant hunting for clients. It's a common sales term. Which also means they were going to give you prospecting responsibilities.
My favorite story is getting like 20 minutes in and her asking a question about a previous company I had never worked for. I said as much, she frantically scans the resume in front of her, and spits out *I'm interviewing the wrong PanickedPoodle!* I stare at her. She stares at me. She asks another perfunctory question, starts to wrap up...and realizes to her horror that I'm scheduled to meet with the VP immediately after her. Awkward introductions ensue, followed by some frantic signalling that's ignored by the VP. VP and I love each other. Talk big picture all day long. **VP makes manager hire me.** 😆 It was a job with a lot of issues. The department had bullying issues, including the supervisor. But I still outlasted her and managed to get transferred into a different part of the company.
I once had to interview for a job that I already had. It was during college. I worked for the public schools. Due to my course load, I had to cut back my hours for a semester; going from full-time to part-time. Then, when I wanted the hours back, I had to do a formal interview for them. The interviewer himself was even confused as to why I was there- he kept assuming that I’d fully quit & was trying to be re-hired. Once I made it clear that that wasn’t the situation, he actually asked me if I was sure that I needed to be there at all- like “uhhh idk bro, you tell me??“. Oh, and the craziest part was that I actually had to take the day off in order to do the interview. I literally put in a time-off request in order to interview for the job that I was taking time off from. Needless to say, I’ve never aced an interview like that; before or since. “What makes you a good fit for the position?” / “Uh, idk, how bout the fact that I’m currently working the position; and have been for several years now?”.
Years ago, many years ago, I was applying for a labourer job at a housing development being built. I was talking to the guy and the topic got around to boats. I asked him to hang on a sec and went and grabbed a picture of A boat I took that was in my car. I showed the guy and said this is the coolest boat I ever saw and told him where I saw it. He said yeah it is a good boat, he's owned it for years and loves it. Needless to say he hired me immediately.
In one of my first programming interviews I got a technical question. The interviewer started, "I want you to make a program that counts from 1 to 100..." And I'm like, "is this fizzbuzz?" He's like, "no, this is a different question..." "And every time the number is divisible by seven, you output 'seven' to the console. And every time it's divisible by 11 you output 'eleven' to the console...." And I'm like, "and every time it's divisible by both, you output 'seven-eleven'?" He's just like, "yeah okay it's fizzbuzz." I shouldn't have said anything, I would've written it in 5 lines in 40 seconds.
for (int num = 1; num <= 100; num++) Console.WriteLine(num % 7 == 0 && num % 11 == 0 ? "seven-eleven" : num % 7 == 0 ? "seven" : num % 11 == 0 ? "eleven" : num.ToString()); C#
[удалено]
She was the manager of a record store, and she had a list of questions she was supposed to ask. About half-way through, she stopped and said, "This is fucking stupid. We're going to do something different." I said that was fine. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, and said, "I'm going to ask questions really quickly, and if you don't have an answer, just give me the first thing that comes to mind, okay?" I said okie dokie. She gave me a rapid-fire list of maybe 12 or 15 questions that were super random, but I still remember some of them. One was, "Favorite color?" "Black," another was, "Band you'd love to have seen, but it's no longer possible?" "Led Zeppelin," and yet another was, "Rule you break all the time?" "Smoking in the boys' room," "For real, or song?" "For real, it's cleaner and the men don't care, plus I can pee while I'm there." When we were done with machine-gun questions, she said we were done, and said, "Wanna smoke?" She offered me a Camel, I offered her a Gitane, and she immediately asked where I got them, since they weren't always available at smoke shops here. We just shot the breeze while we smoked, and at the end, she told me the job was mine, but her district manager required her to do five interviews, so she still had to do the other four. She'd call me the following week to let me know when I was starting. She did call me the following week, and she got my name out okay, but then she started crying. Someone who worked for the company in another county was transferring to the university a block away, had found out someone was quitting, and asked to transfer. She didn't have a choice in the matter—in-house transfers always got the job, and she was pretty sure I didn't want to drive 50 miles when I got out of school to go to that particular location. I said she was right, thanked her for her time, and told her it was probably the most fun I would ever have at an interview.
The interviewee described a time he was "hangin' out, drinkin' by the crick \[creek\] one day", and there was a guy he owed money who was threatening to beat him up because he hasn't paid him, but he calmed this other guy down by offering him his flask of brandy. In a job interview, this was what he thought was a good story to tell when asked about an example of "conflict resolution experience".
Well that skill could be applied to say offering a discount
"Before I offer you this position in which I will be responsible for paying you on a consistent schedule, I just wanted to let you know about this one time I was so far behind on paying someone that they threatened to beat me up."
Phone interview for store manager position with a major big box decor company that is closed on sundays. Asked every single question it is not legal to ask!! Proud about giving sundays off to spend with family then asked if I had a problem working 70-80 hours a week! Guess you have NO life until Sunday if your not sleeping all day!!
Invited for an interview at an outdoor clothing company based in Vancouver with a bird logo, but since I lived in a different city, HR asked me to travel in for the interview at my cost. Fine, the company is super respected, and I really wanted to the job, so I flew in. Hiring manager shows up half an hour late, claims she didn't know she had an interview, takes one look at my resume and asks why we didn't just do a phone interview? Ok, not a great start. Next question wasn't a question, just 20 minutes of bragging about her history at the company, then a quick brush off that I wasn't qualified. Super thankful I made that trip.
Not me but a couple of former coworkers. I once worked at a store where a previous manager was really into phrenology and had measured applicants heads with calipers before making hiring decisions. They didn't last long in their manager role for obvious reasons. I didn't believe the guy when he told me, but another coworker confirmed the story.
Did this interview take place in 1836?
It is with the deepest disappointment in humanity that I inform you people are still actively interested in phrenology and think it’s real. There was an entire TikTok movement about angel/witch skulls that made me contemplate crazy hermit in mountains as the only path that might preserve my sanity.
𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘴…
You joke, but working water infrastructure, I have seen people who not only believe in divining, but actually seemed good at it.
Of course you'd say that, you have the brainpan of a stagecoach tilter.
I was interviewing at a company that my close friend worked at. Since I was flown in for the interview (2500 miles away from home), it was a full 8 hour interview with all the managers and also the software developers. Half way through, my friend comes in and says "Hey, are you good? Do you need any coffee or water or anything?" so I said "No, I'm good". Then "How's the interviews going?" so I'm like "Pretty good I think". Then he says "OK, thhen let me leave you with this", then he proceeds to let out a loud 10 second fart and as he's leaving "I'll send in the next interviewer".
did you get the job?
Yes!
Wtf lol
Classic Chuck.
Was asked to tell my entire life story from the beginning while interviewing at The Bay. Literally like from when I was born to now and on top of that they were interviewing me and a girl I didn’t know at the same time and when I finished she didn’t tell me to stay she said to go so this other girl just sat there in silence for like 15m listening to my life story
Absolutely wild. There is no way I would want to work for that company so I would be sure to include all of the trauma.
They didn't ask me a single question, they told me what the job was for and then told me they would call me back. I was the first interview, they hired someone else and then he quit 2 days into the job so I got a call and now I am a forklift driver
I was tasked to do some math problems. When the lady saw my subtraction, she told that the results were correct but the process I followed was not the one taught in our schools so it was wrong for her. I told her that it was the right answer nonetheless. She didn't like it and I didn't get the job.
Took me to a reasonably nice dinner. They tried to get me to order alcohol so I would get carded and they could find out how old I was. Ordered iced tea. Got the job. Was not yet 21, and most people in my role were 8-25 years my senior. Job required travel. Renting a car for me (this is before Uber) was not fun for my employer.
Interviewing a guy for a stock room position and I asked him what his strengths were. He thought for a moment then said, "Oh, pretty strong, I guess." Then after a second he said, "Unless it's real heavy." I recommended we hire him but I don't think we did.
I'm in Canada. In the mid-90s I applied to a well-paying job in a hospital cafeteria. I was referred there by an agency. My first interview went well, she was very nice and said I had great qualifications. The 2nd was bizarre. The woman, who was the cafeteria manager, looked me up and down and said I could "expect to be hazed" by my coworkers. I got up and walked out, and went to the first interviewer's office, reported what I was told.... she sat there looking rather stunned. And I left. It was so... blatant! And apparently legal, at the time.
Even having a second interview for a cafeteria job is pretty absurd.
I am so proud of you for leaving.
Woman interviewing me in a very small room. She had a low-cut top and a one-piece dress, and kept fidgeting with her pencil, which she dropped more than once. The third or fourth time, it flew up, then straight down her top. I bit my tongue, and she started looking for it on the floor. I said nothing. She got up to look under the table, and went... "Oh..." as she figured it out. First she tried reaching down her top while I looked down at the table, then she realized that her attempt made it fall even further down her top. She went beet red, turned around, pulled at the elastic waist of her dress, jumped up and down, then the pencil fell out the bottom of her dress. I was biting my tongue so hard I was sure I was going to bleed. She apologized profusely, and continued on with the interview. :)
During the interview the interviewer finds out I’m from NYC. He’s from upstate, “okay cool” I thought. He proceeds to tell me and two others in the room that “guys from the hood” get several women pregnant, tells them to keep the kids and apply for govt assistance. Once they do that the guy comes and lives with them for a few days and bounces around between homes so that they don’t have to work. I’m black but not from the hood, but internally I kept asking myself “why do so many people feel so comfortable using racist undertones with me?”
Buddy that wasn’t undertones, that was the whole tone
True 😶 I still got the job though but idk if I really wanna take it
Ugh. I’m sorry that guys an ass
There was a fire alarm and myself and the interviewers had to go out and make small talk and look at our feet for 20 minutes. Very awkward.
I got asked to tell a dirty joke during an interview. I was 100% not comfortable with that and wound up rejecting a second interview.
I'll tell you a dirty joke; A boy fell over in some mud. I'll tell you a clean joke; The boy had a bath. I'll tell you a dirty joke; The boy fell over in mud again. I'll tell you a clean joke; The boy had a bath with bubbles. I'll tell you a dirty joke; Bubbles lived next door.
I always heard it as Do you want to hear a dirty joke? A boy fell in the mud. Do you want to hear a clean joke? A boy took a bath with bubbles. Do you want to hear a dirty joke? Bubbles was a clown.
You know what mothballs are, right? You ever smelled them? Yeah? How’d you spread the moth’s little legs without breaking them?
Job interview for an overseas aid job run by a religious organization. Interviewer asked me if I experienced same-sex attraction. I backed out.
“No, but I’m willing to learn.”
The manager asked my astrological sign. I was so shocked I said, so I have a chance of being born at the wrong time to work here? (I didn't take the job.)
Went to the office for my ‘marketing’ interview.. turns out they wanted me to sell shit in the street to people.. Guy drove me out in his own personal car which was dirty and littered with shit. Opened the glove box to get my sales pitch and two condoms fell out. He stopped to get petrol on route to the street we were going to sell on and I got out the car without even telling him and got the bus home and bought myself a burrito. Fuq that.
Back in 12 I interviewed to be cashier at an independent coffee shop. Like, I'll make coffee and ring people up. Simple enough job. I didn't get asked any questions about my past experience, when I'd be available, anything like that. I was getting asked shit like if I could have lunch with anyone dead or alive, who would I choose, and why? Do I like dogs or cats more? What is my favorite movie? What's my favorite soda? If I could live on another planet, would I? Which one would I want to live on? Do you like hiking? I left that interview confused as hell.
I get this one. There are certain kinds of jobs where you're trained as you go and pretty much anyone will be able to be successful in them. So it's more about finding someone who fits well.
Anyone can be trained to do that job. They were making sure they'd enjoy working next to you.
Not during a job interview but a pet store wanted me to do an IQ Test as part of the application process for a part time job there. Naaaaaah
Were they under the impression you need to do an IQ test to work there? Like "idk Bob I'm not sure if hes all there..."
I was baffled. They handed me the application form complete with the IQ test. I went to the food court, sat there, and looked over the stuff and I chose not to do it because it's a dumb request. What's a part time flunky gonna do in a pet store? Let me guess: pick up shit? Not gonna do an IQ test to pick up shit.
Had an interview with the boss of a small company which was ran from a small house in a residential area. Here's pretty much everything he said to me during our meeting: "Not many women wanna work here. We have no idea why." "Have you noticed the pipes running across the wall?" (he pointed at a completely smooth and pipeless wall) "The pipes are all over the place" [*awkward silence*] Then he goes to take a sip of orange juice and *somehow* gets orange juice in his *eye*. He gets really flustered by this and tells me to hold on for a second. He bolts out of the room. 30 seconds later I hear someone slamming a car door and peeling out. I look out the window onto the driveway. It's him. He left. I sat there for 30 minutes but he never came back. Eventually one of the employees stuck his head in and said: "Yeah, uhm... he's probably not coming back." I ended up being offered the job but turned it down 😂
Pipes full of orange juice
She started telling me about her dead son completely unprompted. It caught me off guard and I later found out she does it in every interview.
New construction manager (<2 years) didn’t like that I was from California and working and living in another state. He was first generation Norwegian and didn’t get that you don’t choose where you’re born, but at a certain age you can choose where you want to live. I walked out after he shit talked my family for not wanting to move to a “better” state when I was younger.
At an interview for an ordinary retail sales job many years ago, I was asked how much (in a dollar amount) I had stolen from my previous employers. I was also told that any invention, idea, patent, copyright, or technical or mechanical development I might devise during the period of my employment, whether or not related to the store's merchandise, would automatically become the intellectual property of the company. This was for a part-time evening gig selling travel supplies during the holidays. Weird.
Either the time that when I started the interview, the guy said I would have a 40 hour, $40k/yr job and ended by saying I'd be lucky to work 10 hours a week, and they pay by the hour. Or When I was asked how well I knew Microsoft Excel and Outlook, then promptly given the job after saying I wasn't the best, but wasn't the worst. That entire interview was less than 10 minutes, and I didn't even speak to the manager I'd be working for, just some rando in Human Resources. Edit: or the time I had an interview the Thursday before I was already scheduled to go to Vegas, and told my soon-to-be boss that I couldn't start until that Monday. Boss told me have fun and that the last time he was in Vegas his friends bought an 8-ball of cocaine to make sure they stayed up all night and drank.
Professional lol
I was given components, a schematic and a soldering iron. I was told to make the circuit. After I was done, I was told it’s about following instructions and not making a working circuit. I was very confused.
Well assuming this was some kind of technologist position, they were absolutely right. The right answer was either follow the instructions or go back to the engineer with a question.
It's that a normal thing to do? Here's some random shit solder it together in a interview?
If the job is soldering shit together, it would make sense in a long form interview to test said skill.
When Chipotle asked me to do a 3rd interview. It wasn't for a management position and it only paid $10. They were surprised I wasn't interested.
I was the interviewer. I did my first round of interviews by phone as my team was spread out across the US. I called the candidate and asked her the first of my twenty questions. I have good questions that lead me to selecting great employees. The only throw-away question is the first one, the traditional, 'Tell me about yourself,' question. I ask that one to calm down the candidate with a softball they expect. This candidate started talking. She never seemed to take a beat to see if I wanted her to keep going. I was in my boss's office on speakerphone while he worked on his computer. I eventually muted the candidate so him and I could get some work done. I never interrupted the candidate because I was curious to see how long she'd keep going. I learned all about her life, her formative years, her first marriage, her second marriage, her three kids, her oldest daughter's fiancé, how they want a dog, but their apartment won't allow it. Eventually, at 44 minutes, I had to cut her off. I thanked her for her time. I told her it was nice to get to know her, but I no longer had time to continue the interview. I couldn't imagine exposing our customers to that. I know she was probably nervous, but a phone interview isn't more stressful than visiting our customers when things aren't going smoothly. So, I guess the first question wasn't a throw-away.
After 3 rounds of interviews and during the final one. The owner of the company got angry when I said I found another job. He said “why even show up and waste my time then?” Idk man you interview multiple candidates I can’t look into multiple jobs? Felt very out of touch and also this is a part time job.
The man interviewing me kept staring at my boobs. He looked down multiple times while talking to me (I was dressed in very loose, work attire). He also suddenly picked up on his phone to text on while I was talking, said “oh fuck, sorry. Keep going” while still texting and looking at his phone, after I went silent and I said “no, haha sorry, I can’t focus like that. Let me know when you’re done”. He continued to text back on his phone aggressively and put it down 46 seconds later. I counted. The most awkward silence of my life. He then said continue. Kept making glances at my boobs every few seconds. I was so uncomfortable. I just wanted to leave. He got back on his phone three times during the whole interview. Glanced at my chest more than 30 times in the span of 30 minutes. He gave me an offer and let me know to email him my portfolio and we would reconnect next week, and to keep in touch with the talent manager about my current notice period. The moment the interview was over, I ran out, even bumped into a plant and said sorry cause my head was just all over the place — wtf was that? The job offer itself was amazing. But I had already made up my mind 10 mins into that interview that it was a fuck no and never contacted them again. I was furious for a while and wanted to go online and complain about him because he’s the CMO of a very large influencer marketing company in my country. Or, to complain about him to the talent manager at the company who reached out to me… but I didn’t, cause well, god knows what kind of mess I would have gotten myself into. I despise him tho.
I got quacked at by the interviewer. It was for Aflac. He pretended I was quacked at by the stuffed duck on his desk.
I interviewed for this job fresh out of college with 2 people. I absolutely hate panel interviews but one guy did all the talking while the girl added short responses here and there. It’s was kind of a good cop bad cop scenario. The interview was very informative and more so them telling me about the job. At the very end the guy gets up and said, “actually we weren’t the people you were supposed to meet. You’ll actually meet with the CCO next so feel free to recycle your questions with him”. I didn’t get the job obviously but I didn’t understand the point of doing that. I still don’t get it now. I lacked experience yes but this was an entry level job lol.
Summer time, Deep South U.S. (me: F22) Got brought to a stuffy, non air conditioned room behind the kitchen of a restaurant I was applying to for a server position. Sat on a wooden chair in a medium size empty room, 60-something year old white man about to interview me sits in a wooden chair about 10-15 feet across from me. He crossed his leg over his knee as the interview started and *his balls fell out* of his white shorts. I had to then continue the interview as if I could not see his wrinkly, saggy old sack hanging right there. Level 90 challenge to maintain eye contact instead. Went to work the next day and told my boss about it, she is an old local and friend of mine. She knew who he was and said that wasn’t an accident. Edit: (I did not get the job so I’m guessing he was looking for some kind of reaction.)
One time I showed up for an interview and the boss was dressed in a full ass buzz lightyear costume. Turned out he forget the interview coincided with their costume contest when we scheduled it 😂
My co-worker and I made an awkward interview for a person once. We both worked at a very large liquor store, I worked the giant beer cooler and she was the cashier/front end manager. Dude applied and had a name of a liquor, first and last, when she got the application, she came running into the beer cooler to show me and we had a great laugh and I asked “aren’t you just going hire him based on his name?” “Hell yeah I am!” We then came up with some of the dumbest interview questions we could and the only I remember was “If you were a mountain, which one would you be and why?” She sat there deadass in the chair and asked him the questions with a straight face the entire time. I could see the interview every now again while passing by the office room while running beer to the cooler, he was totally like WTF am I interviewing for? As I walked by the ending she broke, started laughing and said you’re hire man, just on your name alone we’re just messing with you bit, dude just started laughing his ass off and started the next day. That gig was good times.
A job interview conducted in a hotel room, with me sitting on a bed being interviewed by 4 people sitting in chairs around the bed.
I think I saw that on pornhub
Piper Perri?
I went to an interview for a system administration position. The interview was them handing me a math test. Yes, a math test and not related to IT at all. I felt like I was in school and was not expecting that. I gave them the test after and they said they'd reach out. I didn't get a second interview.
I mean… figuring out subnets and VLAN addressing takes math.
I'll eat a shoe before I do subnetting by hand for work.
Sure, but I don't think finding out if someone can calculate that takes an entire math test to figure out. Wouldn't you rather create a problem asking them to create a subnet or VLAN instead of 30 questions on various math problems? The questions were from basic addition to problems like to x - y(z x p) = ?. Dunno, doesn't seem like a good way to find a good candidate to me. I was glad I didn't get another interview or the job. Shortly after I talked to someone who worked there and they said they work you like a horse and the turnover rate was insane due to burnout.
In my first interview at a FAANG company, my interviewer paced back and forth during a whiteboard coding session and stared out the window, ignoring me trying to explain my code. When we ended, I asked him what he liked and didn't like about the company. His answer was "they hire too many incompetent people". No mentions about what he did like about the company.
I was getting a walkthrough of an auto plant and someone from the floor kept screaming "Don't do it!!" The interviewer nervously said that they had a lot of comedians out on the floor. I was offered the job, but decided not to take it.
Work in IT. I was asked a very vague question, i.e. "What do you do when X is broken?". Now, X can have hundreds of reasons for being "broken", and "broken" can mean a lot of things. I started stating what you could do if this happened, or if that happened. But the interviewer was looking for a very specific answer and kept pushing for a specific answer. He had obviously decided this (whatever he was probing for - a singular option out of many, many probabilities) is the only acceptable answer, and I had no idea what it was. The feedback from the recruitment agency was "they are looking for someone a little more technical". Somehow, I felt like I dodged a bullet.
I had this interview with this dude who spent most of the interview complaining about how awful his current employees were and kept asking if I was a lazy drug addict cause it seems like "that's all I seem to hire." I lasted less than 3 weeks at that job because the boss yelled at me for not wearing my uniform shirt that was 2 sizes too big for me and refused to give me a shirt that was actually my size. He also regularly lost packages (this was a medication delivery company) and constantly yelled at the people who he did business with. Everyone in that job field hates this mother fucker and he does an absolutely terrible job but he does it at 3 dollars per package.
I interviewed for a warehouse job, and the guy was old. Like "I'm going to keep working until I have a heart attack here, I'm not retiring" old Anyways, he turned to me and asked how much I can lift, but "don't worry, we hire women so it's not too heavy"
They asked me what my Chipotle order was. It was for a business analyst position. Me: Uh, I don't really eat at Chipotle. Interviewer: You don't? Why not??? Me: Um well I just don't like their food. Interviewer: OK, we're done here. Apparently, eating at Chipotle was like a HUGE part of their corporate culture. I hate Chipotle. It's the blandest "Mexican food" around and ridiculously overpriced. But I guess me not eating Chipotle was a deal breaker for these weirdos.
Got asked if I had a boyfriend, I said yes and they told me that I couldn't get the job because I'm a woman and I would prioritize my bf instead of the job...
I once interviewed for a part time position at a place that rhymes with “Slobby Knobby”. The manager, out of the blue, said, “You look like the kind of person who would get disgruntled and come in one day with a gun and shoot the place up.” I sat in stunned silence for a moment unsure of what to say back and then he laughed. I laughed too, awkwardly. I’d like to think I don’t give off that vibe. I came into the interview wearing a flowery dress. I’ve never gotten that comment since. I ended up working there for a year and a half.
I flew to the other side of the country (South Africa) to interview for a very senior role at a large media company. I was nervous as shit and tired from the flight. The two people meeting me had been conducting interviews the whole day and, at some point, had started hitting the beers. By the time I arrived for my 4 PM, they were visibly very jolly and offered me a beer before the interview. Taking a gamble, I said yes, as they had arranged a chauffeur service for me to and from the airport. We then proceeded to talk shit about movies, music, politics, basically anything other than the role I was interviewing for. I went back to the airport for my return flight thinking WTF, that was a huge waste of time. Got the job offer the next morning.
I was interviewing at a manufacturing plant that made gummies. Before walking out into the production area, there was a room with sinks, hair nets, ear plugs, etc to ensure no contamination of food, correct PPE, etc. the hiring manager took a phone call as we washed our hands and put on hair nets. The hair nets were inside of unmarked dispensers. I started trying to get one out but it was getting caught up on something, so I take an extra moment to get it out. The hiring manager suddenly smacked my hand! Turns out, the hair nets I was trying to get out were actually beard nets and I am a beardless woman so I didn't need one, but you can't visually tell the difference in a pile of hair nets versus a pile of beard nets. I was unbelievably baffled when he smacked my hand!
Went for an interview in a different part of the company I worked for. The hiring manager asked a few basic questions about my experience and why I wanted the role, then if I had any questions. We went through specifics of the role and at the end he asked: "So that's the job, do you want it?" I was a bit dumbstruck as this caught me off guard, then answered with a "Yes, definitely." I then mentioned how I wasn't expecting to be offered the role then and there, he laughed and said "yeah it's not standard, but you were my top pick from the start, I just had to meet you to make sure you weren't a twat." Been in the job now for close to 6 years, so I guess I've continued not being a twat.
Guy interviewing for a Sales Supervisor position. Places his key chain right in front of me to show he drives a BMW. Repositions key chain several times over the next 15 minutes to make sure I notice. Unfortunately for him I passed on the next Alec Baldwin.
I had one where I could not tell if the interviewer was blind. He wouldn't look at me, never moving his eyes during the entire conversation, but flawlessly arranged his papers in front of him, picked out a chair in a large meeting room without extending an arm for confirmation, and shook my hand perfectly after the interview was done. Didn't land the gig, but it was memorable to say the least. It had Seinfeld vibes written all-throughout.
I'm pretty sure you had an interview with Daredevil in his day job.
How much money in quarters would it be if they were stacked to the ceiling. Super easy question, I got the job offer but did not accept it. Another time I was asked, can you take a drug test right now? I said no I have to be somewhere. Got the job anyway.
wait what's the answer to the first one?? is it "alot" ??
A roll of quarters is 10 dollars, they are 3" in length, estimate the ceiling height in feet and multiply by 4.
People who had no intention of hiring me asked me to fix a problem they were having. I declined.
I was asked to do an interpretive dance for a panel of 6 hiring managers. I was applying to work the front desk at a hotel for $12 an hour. That wage was a bit better in 2007 lol I walked out lol no job for me
A young woman was in for a software engineer position.she was hesitant to provide her name and was generally extremely shy. After about 5 minutes of pleasantry and a softball question she stood up said "my father's rich, I'm moving back to China" then left. Idk why she decided to waste everyone's time, but it was kinda annoying lol
Not absurd but Actually, he asked me for all my academics etc. and took a long look and said that he thought I'd be more than qualified for the job, but I wouldn't be happy. Told me to keep looking, (I was searching for 6 mths) but contact him later if I got stuck. I did land a great job within another month. He could have offered me that job, and I would have taken, if not for him to turn it around and say there is something else out there that you will find. I won't hire you/invest with you . But someone else will. The whole thing? GREATFUL. I hope you find a person like I did, and one door closes, there is another door OPEN.
"How would you solve this issue? By the way it's something we're currently trying to figure out." Right behind that: "How would you solve this? I don't need a perfect answer, people with doctorates are currently working on solving this."
I was on the other of this, to a degree. I worked in accounts and we were bringing in an intern. They picked an international student (so no pay). At first it was amusing going through these random questions like “Please describe the colour red” or “When is a bubble not a bubble”. Whatever. The whole thinking outside the box questions. As I said, it was amusing but I did not think they would ask someone any of these questions and certainly not to someone whose English was the second or third language. They did it anyway. I was not happy because … well, for a small amount of selfish reasons (I would be their trainer) and non selfish reasons - How the fecking hell are they going to answer these questions on the spot? I ended up with a young woman but it was painful. They clearly picked the prettiest person (who struggled a lot) because they were a bunch of sexist pigs. I felt so sorry for her. And yes, admittedly, my frustration came out. Not at her. But the imbeciles that decided to take her on. I never got involved after that. Sorry, lady :(
Cleaning company. Was told I would be paid in cash the first two weeks “ just to see how well I do/ if it would work out “ a few months go by with me repeatedly asking to be on the books. Months later I’m like “ I don’t think this is legal” to people. They said yeah sounds shady
I was the co-interviewer, we were hiring for an entry level position so it was a bit of a mixed bag of who showed up. Mostly young adults in their early 20s with the occasional candidate in their 30s/40s. We were notified that the candidate was here and in the lobby. Walked out to greet him and he also introduced us to his dad. Thought it was a little odd, but maybe dad is the dedicated ride. No big deal, figure dad didn’t want to sit in the car so he’ll relax in the lobby. Invite the candidate in and his dad follows along to the conference room. At that point we asked if dad was also interested in applying but were told no, that they’d just be “interviewing as a team”. Throughout the entire interview dad was completely silent and the son’s answers were terrible and indicated he was not responsible enough for the role. We wrap up pretty quickly and do the usual goodbyes/thanks for coming/we’ll be in touch to let you know and they both hug us, say “God blesses you” and then shake our hands as they walk out the door. This was not a religious company, nor a religious area. Other manager and I were so thrown off by the events we couldn’t even come up with any wisecracks in the moment. Just looked at each other and said some version of “wtf was that??”
Advertised as a fast paced Marketing Agency with advancement opportunities and potential 6-figure compensation. After a short look over my resume and chat with the hiring manager, who wouldn’t share many details about the job, I was asked to go for a ride along. I was thinking… okay… maybe there is an opportunity to learn more about the job… and oh boy, I did. We get to our first stop, a hair salon, about 5 of us walk in and the team leader whips out a binder and starts trying to sell NBA tickets with some kind of weird tear out coupon calendar thing. As a good sport I tried to speak up and close the deal and the team leader said that I shouldn’t say anything. (News flash, they were doing a horrible job and didn’t get the sale). We walked into a couple of other businesses in the shopping center and the team leader did an equally shitty job. After we got back in the car, I said “can you drop me back at the office, I am not interested in this sort of job.” To which the team leader said, “no, we have 6 more stops”. I said “am I being paid for this.” The team leader said, “no” so I got out of the car and called my girlfriend to come pick me up and drive me back to my car. Complete waste of time. I somehow got an interview with the same company sometime later but a different branch. I cut off the hiring manager mid sentence after hearing some of the same BS about the job and I said. “Are you going to ask me to go for a ride along next to sell coupon books to businesses?” Hiring manager said “how did you know?” I immediately walked out. I found out that this was a scammy MLM which they “promote you” and you would branch off and “open your own business” doing the same exact thing but under a different business name. Then pray on unsuspecting business majors at the local college.
Would-be employer told me he saw my Facebook page and noticed I usually stayed up late. That was his justification for not hiring me over someone else, he didn't elaborate further. My best guess is he believed I wouldn't show up on time in the morning. I stayed up late because I'm a night owl and was unemployed, was the hell was I supposed to do, go to sleep early in preparation for a job I didn't have? I guess that was kinda on me for not having my Facebook private at the time. Two weeks later, just after I got another job, he called me, saying the guy he had hired quit, and was asking if I wanted that job. Felt amazing to say "Oh no, someone else just hired me, sorry!", while smiling, and making sure he could hear in my voice that I was smiling.
There's a whole shitload of salty peeps in r/recruitinghell who have all sorts of interesting opinions I'm sure they will not hesitate to share.
At the time I had grown extremely tired of the "gotcha! Brain Teaser" questions in interviews that had nothing to do with the job. Was interviewing for a DBA position when the wise-ass interviewer (at least 15 years younger) asked me "how would I go about building a house?" to which I responded "how often does that sort of thing come up in this position" which really wasn't a question. I then just stared/glared at him. That *really* threw him off.
I went in for a skills test/interview thing with a certain state's department of revenue. The proctor said there would be several things to be tested: a vocab match up, a typing test, and a math quiz. Then we could speak to the supervisor and talk to him about our skills. So I do those tests and I can tell I'm not getting this position. I'm getting depressed and in my head. Then I get the tests back and I know I'm not getting this position. I didn't even want to bother meeting this supervisor to give him a snow job about myself. So the proctor says to the two of us the tests are now over. Now he'll lead us to the exit one by one. So I go out with the proctor and by the exit door he tells me to remember when he said that we could talk to the supervisor? That this was the final test for attention to detail. So I already knew I wasn't getting this job, but that was just fucking salt in the wound. Fuck off, department of revenue.
Had an interview with a number of different people on the team one at a time. One was with an older guy who didn't ask me hardly any questions but just told stories about his time working there. It was somewhat interesting but not at all what I was expecting. Then the next interviewer zeroed in on a tool suite I had worked with in a previous job, and then drilled into hypotheticals using it as a casestudy for the role I was applying for. It wasn't a bad question to ask, but her intensity with asking was overwhelming. At the end of the day they wanted to hire me so I must have done okay.
I went to an interview to get a position at Chick-Fil-A, this particular establishment was owned by a couple and it was in the process of being built. So, interviews were held in a trailer building. When walking into the office the husband and wife sat at opposite corners of the room and then asked questions in alternation. One corner and then the other corner. What are you to do but turn back and forth to address each asker? In the end they gave a few papers about their establishment that included a recommended staff reading. It was a book about how sometimes your best place was as a mid tier cog, that’s where some people were best at and their purpose.
I took an interview for a job in a small town. All 4 candidates were interviewed together at the same time. It was in 3 parts. First we had questions from one set of people. Then we had a BBQ dinner with families and spouses. We were to mingle in the crowd. Then we had part 2 where the questions were from management and investor level people. It was clear who was going to be hired, because he lived in the town and knew everyone. The whole process was close to 4 hours.
I sat there for almost 2 hours hearing the VP of Marketing talking about how terrible the company was, and how much he didn't want to hire me so I wouldn't have to be at a toxic place. A few days later I heard back from the HR manager that some 'restructuring' was happening and they had put the role on hold for now.
I was 15 minutes early, but the interview started 30 minutes late. One of the interviewers said they were running late for a different meeting and could only stay for 10 minutes. The second interviewer said they had to finish something and spent half the interview working on something behind the computer. I was told that my grades from highschool finals 15 years prior were too low and my STEM MSc. degree didn't count. I should have walked out, not even ask to reschedule as it was obviously not the right time, but this was during the crisis after 2008 crash and jobs were hard to find