The world of job interviews can be a fascinating but sometimes confusing journey. Every meeting brings with it a unique set of challenges, from unusual questions and tasks to unexpected behaviors and demands from potential employers. In the shared stories, we dive into the realm of job interview experiences that range from the bizarre to the downright surreal, so that candidates are sometimes amused and stunned.
The job search process often leads individuals to encounter different interview styles and company cultures. From long and grueling interviews that test patience to quirky requests like showing personal photos as a “personality check”, job seekers go through a myriad of scenarios that can range from the hilarious to the downright bizarre.
In the midst of these special encounters, applicants find themselves faced with unexpected challenges, such as being asked about their living situation or checking their feet during an interview. These experiences not only highlight a diverse range of interviewing practices but also reflect the resilience and adaptability required to navigate the world of job hunting.
In addition, shared anecdotes shed light on the importance of staying calm and thinking quickly when dealing with unexpected situations during interviews. Whether it’s creating a makeshift paper cup to quench your thirst or dealing with eccentric interviewers, these stories showcase the ingenuity and savvy of job seekers as they navigate the unpredictable terrain of job interviews.
Overall, these stories serve as a reminder that job interviews can be as diverse and varied as the individuals who attend them. While some encounters may leave candidates scratching their heads, each experience contributes to a journey of self-discovery and professional growth in the pursuit of meaningful employment.
One person can make you feel like a million bucks, while others make you feel so anxious that all you can do is wander around aimlessly and wish you would just disappear. To make matters worse, the process becomes even more difficult if the potential employer turns out to be a freak.
It was impossible for Bright Side to ignore the topic, and they discovered anecdotes of people giggling to the point of crying when they heard the term “job interview.”
When I decided to change my career path. I was asked to come to the office after sending my CV to the appropriate post. Five hours passed during the interview. I didn’t want to work there anymore even though they said they would call me back. It wasn’t long before I met an old acquaintance of mine who worked in the bathroom at that company, so I finally believed it.
It was found that each employee had a unique toilet key and no outsiders were allowed to use it. My acquaintance had the key to the toilet. However, something else really confused me: I found 20 rolls of toilet paper in the toilets, each with the name and surname of an employee.
I laughed and started back home.
I went to one interview as a secretary. I told them I had an advanced degree when they asked about my education. What surprised me was their response: “We don’t need a really smart secretary.” At a job interview today, I was asked to show the last ten pictures I took on my phone. I was told it was done as a personality check. After I showed them, the HR manager opened one of my dog’s pictures and asked me in a serious tone, “Did you cut off your dog’s ears? Is that why he’s wearing a headband?”
Unexpected events forced me to start looking for work elsewhere. “Yes, we work from 9:00 to 18:00, but in principle, it is not customary to leave the workplace at 18:00,” someone told me during one of the interviews. We don’t like laziness. I had to decline their offer.
I went for a job interview at a small travel agency. The owner, who is also the director, informed me that if she decided to hire me, I would have to submit two applications – one for the position and one undated – for termination. Whenever she felt like it, she entered the date. I was at a tattoo parlor and had a job interview for an administrative role. I handed my phone to the HR manager when he asked to see my Instagram on it. He picked up his phone and started looking at my pictures, scrolling through my posts and even counting how many people liked. He asked why some pictures got less likes than others. He did it all from my personal phone, periodically looking up to stare at me. I had the impression of a product that was ready for sale.
I attended a job interview at a particular company.
They asked me to wait for a while on the couch in the hallway. While I was waiting, a dog came to me. I greeted her in a friendly way, held out my hand and it licked her. I gave him a quick pet.
It turned out that the dog belonged to the director, and one of the questions during the hiring interview was: Are you afraid of dogs? I also have an example of an unusual job interview. I was asked to choose a seat away from the HR manager because he doesn’t like people sitting close to him. After a while I found myself sitting at the opposite end of the office, frantically trying to decipher what he was mumbling. I went to a job interview with my classmate at school. I entered the building first. The principal taunted me with difficult questions for an hour. She seemed unsatisfied with my answers even though I answered all of them. With a tone of despair, she then asked the following question:
– Do you have kids?
No, I just got my college degree and am not currently planning to start a family.
– So how will you work with children? We don’t think you’re the one.
A classmate of mine was asked, “How are you going to work with the other kids when you have to take care of your own?” when she checked in with a baby in tow.
I have already interviewed with a number of businesses when I was looking for a job. In one of them, there were five other candidates besides me. It was a scorching day at the end of May. I was really thirsty because we all sat near the receptionist. In the corner stood a refrigerator filled with water but without glasses. I went to the receptionist, I was dying of heatstroke, and I said, “Excuse me, can I have water?”
She replied, keeping her eyes on the computer screen:
No, this water is for employees only.
Me: Do you really think there is so little water?
The receptionist said, pointing to the side of the refrigerator:
You can continue; we will not be stingy. However, since we do not have any cups, we will not offer them to you.
When I got back to my apartment, I realized the trick. I went back to the front desk agent and asked, “Would you please give me a sheet of paper?”
She: Can I use printer paper?
Me: That’s fine, that’s for sure.
After creating a paper cup, I finally found some water to quench my thirst. The agent at the front desk was taken aback. After successfully getting some water, two guys asked me to demonstrate how to do it.
During a job interview, the interviewer praised the result of his manicure, which he applied with a paper-knife for opening envelopes. His fingernails, meanwhile, were in terrible shape. Once upon a time, I was having lunch in the canteen at work. The young man the director was interrogating was sitting at the next table. Suddenly a huge bug landed on his hand. With a startled “Ahhhh, what the hell is that?” he jumped to his feet. Later, when he’s settled down a bit, he sits down and apologizes for losing his cool. The manager replies, “If you’ve lost your cool over that, it means you’re not right for the job.” I was a young lady applying for a professional position right out of college through a recruiter. The recruiter continued to focus on my legs. She informed me that this job would require me to wear stockings. “I understand,” I replied as I was already dressed in a dress, heels, and hose. She started insisting on talking to me about the dress code and then suddenly pulled my leg as if to show me that I was naked. I remember being so little I was completely pulled out of my chair. I declined their services after this incident and she apologized.
At the job interview, the recruiter asked about my living situation after asking the typical question about my marital status. When he heard that I was living with my relatives, he changed his expression and asked, “Is your relationship with your relatives so good that they can still be with you?” in an unpleasant voice. “Yes, they are,” I replied.
Writing for a popular magazine was my request. The woman scheduled to interview me was opening a plate of sushi when I arrived at the meeting with my writing samples. She said, “I have to eat my lunch, I have my priorities.” She then asked me what I was applying for and informed me that Boyz Il Men were coming so she didn’t have time for that. They were the people I met on the elevator ride up. I was sure I didn’t want to work for her.
My closest friend was rejected for a job. When she accidentally came across the paper on which the HR manager was jotting down notes regarding the candidates, she found out why. “I can see on her hands that she washes the dishes herself,” he wrote of her. She had typical hands, you know – well-groomed and nicely manicured. She really does the dishes herself. She also does her own laundry, makes the bed, and brushes her hair. If they needed a princess who didn’t participate in regular activities, I still wondered what kind of person they were looking for.
I remember going to a job interview for a government position. They asked me about my parents, my income, whether I am married or not, the reasons for my single status, and other things. They finally told me that at my age (I was in my thirties) it was time for me to stop changing jobs.
I got an interview for a job in a distant city. The weather was “charming” – rain and snow – and the distance was quite considerable. During our conversation, the director expressed his pleasure to speak with me and asked me about my starting date. “Thanks for saying all that, but let’s discuss my salary first,” I ask in a startled tone. His response, which I remember vividly, was, “I didn’t even think about it.” I had an interview at a startup for an executive role. Their investor sent me there. The interviewer’s child was present in the space. The child was clingy. The individual – the owner of the startup – took the child in her arms and began to breastfeed him.
I pretended that this was the most typical scenario that could occur. I was hired, but six months later I left the position because, you guessed it, the company’s decision-making process was a bit odd. The lesson here is to not bother the saints during the job interview.
it happened a very long time ago. I wanted to work as a coder. One company had given me several interviews before and the CEO was supposed to be the last one. He was interested in getting to know the candidates the company was hiring. We exchanged greetings when I walked in and then there was a break. He was staring at me and I had the impression that he was about to ask me about a possible job.
– What is the zodiac sign? He asked and I gasped. It was a strange beginning.
– Cancer… – He answers, humming. One more time, pause. Rak coder seems like a good idea. Okay, you’ve got a job to do. Please hand over your papers.
When I was a student, I tried to get a part-time job. I discovered an open position for an assistant gardener. We scheduled an interview when I called them. When I got to the address they gave me, a man in his fifties answered the door.
Delivering it as soon as possible was his command as he handed me the package and a sheet with the address printed on it.
-What is included?
– Dental.
What do you think?
– A prosthesis. You must provide them to the client after I make them. Fast.
I’m still not sure why he didn’t say in the notice that he wanted a courier, but I immediately ran out of the area because the man was so angry.
What field do you currently hold? Do you remember the interview you had for this job?
Job interviews can be a roller coaster of experiences, from the bizarre to the downright absurd. These stories, shared by individuals who have navigated the labyrinth of job interviews, show the wide range of encounters one can encounter in the job search. From strange questions and unexpected tasks to strange behavior and unreasonable demands, these anecdotes highlight the challenges and surprises job seekers often encounter during the hiring process.
In the first story, the interviewee found himself in a situation where the toilet key revealed more about the company culture than expected. Another candidate was caught off guard when he was asked to produce personal photographs as part of a “personality check”, while someone else was told he could not leave work at 6 pm despite office hours.
Unusual requests, such as submitting termination requests before the termination date or demonstrating how to make a paper cup, added layers of complexity and confusion to the interview. Cases such as being judged based on physical appearance or unrelated personal matters further illustrate the unpredictability of job interviews.
Despite the challenges and idiosyncrasies these interviews face, each story reflects the resilience and adaptability of job seekers in dealing with unexpected situations. Whether it’s handling bizarre questions with composure or coming up with creative solutions on the spot, these experiences demonstrate the determination and humor often needed in the job search.
In conclusion, job interviews can be a mix of weird, funny, and confusing moments that test candidates in a unique way. These stories not only entertain but also illuminate the diversity of experiences that individuals encounter as they pursue their career aspirations.