ADVERTISEMENT

There are many ways to crush a job interview and land your dream job, just as there are many ways to ruin it. Sometimes, it can happen to the most competent and qualified people who stumbled upon an unfortunate brain fart. However, sometimes, a job interview reveals just how much of an a-hole a potential new hire or employer actually is. In both cases, it just proves that while job interviews are usually as fun as medical check-ups, they're pretty essential.

This time, Bored Panda was curious about the job interviews that didn't go well. But most importantly—the reasons behind it. We compiled a list for you featuring some really unfortunate stories about ruined job interviews, so why not give it a scroll and vote for the stories you enjoyed reading the most?

#1

I once interviewed a guy who asked me who his boss would be. When I explained it would be me, the person interviewing him, he laughed and said congratulations for "getting so far" but that he could not be expected to just do what I asked him to, and also any woman being in charge of a man was "disrespectful."

He did not get the job.

TheWaystone Report

#2

I interviewed someone who rolled her eyes at me when I asked her to put a mask on before we got started.

Spoiler: she did not get hired.

BearBeingFuzzy Report

Add photo comments
POST
meyowmix avatar
Colin L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Careful with your health and interests of her coworkers...

View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

"We won't give you a contract until you've bought your uniform and paid for your training"

Yeah, no.

AnotherThrowaway0344 Report

#4

Back when I was teaching, I had an interview once where I had to plan a lesson of bingo. One of the kids kept rubbing their answers out and writing new ones so they could win. I sat down and advised the kid I didn't think what they were doing was fair and asked them why they were doing it. We had a little chat of the school values and they agreed that it was wrong of them to do it.

Cut to after the interview the the interviewer took me aside and said that it was disgraceful I told a kid tehy were cheating and it was wrong and I'd make a horrible teacher. One of the many experiences I've had on why I don't teach anymore.

Some schools are honestly just toxic. The teaching profession is really only for strong willed people and I am definitely not one of them.

TheLittleCas Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#5

I once had an applicant like that throw a fit and insist that he be given my job immediately. (For the record, he wasn't remotely qualified.)

Shockingly, I decided not to hire him.

PeanutButterPigeon85 Report

#6

They asked me to pay for "administrative fee". It's a giant red flag.

janganpercayasaya Report

#7

The owner of the company told me she’d come to my house and cut off all my hair if I ever shared any information with her competitors.

I never shared any info about the company, but you better believe I told everyone what she had said to me.

JoannaStayton Report

#8

As an interviewer let me say my favorite one.

Me: What's your greatest strength? Candidate: uhhh well I guess free lifts.. I can do like 80 now...

I had to excuse myself and leave the room. Mind you this was some 16 year old interviewing for a grocery store but to this day I still think I should have hired him.

serenerdy Report

Add photo comments
POST
kacijoseph avatar
Red
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why didnt you hire this man he is buff man and he beat up robbers >:D

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

My husband inadvertently ruined his job interview that way. Group interview with four people and this was the first question they asked him [what do you know about the company]. He had done his research and started running down the work history of the CEO, patents they obtained, patents they had applied for and even talked about how impressed he was with their one system. Turned out 3 of the interviewers were from HR and one was from marketing or some other completely different department. This was for an engineering job. They abruptly ended the interview. It was quite clear they were not happy he knew more about the company than they did.

Drachenfuer Report

Add photo comments
POST
tystrattonquirk avatar
Ty Stratton-Quirk
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I'm sorry, but you know too much about our company, so we don't think that you would be a good choice for this position. Thank you for your time, and have a nice day."

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#10

Had an interview at a retail store: "I'm really good at zoning out and doing repetitive boring work". Still got the job, don't know how.

Lykola Report

Add photo comments
POST
tami_6 avatar
Tami
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's an honest answer, but I would have worded it differently, something like, "I'm really good at focusing for long periods of time in order to complete a task." Just don't say you're focusing on something else!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

I was interviewing for a customer service position at a company I'd never heard of but thought "hey, maybe it's a start-up". I got up and excused myself when the interviewer mentioned door to door sales for commission. I told her "I'm sorry, the online posting said customer service. Not sales. I don't appreciate having my time wasted, and I'm sure you don't either. Next time be honest In what you're looking for."

Midnight_Arpeggio2 Report

Add photo comments
POST
philrubin avatar
Phil Rubin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been to interviews like that. "Up to" is a red flag. So is "team player".

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#12

Job performance assessment for me.

Was making $21/hr as a 3rd year apprentice. I asked for a raise to $26 - after completing my third year of school (a typical 4th year wage in my area) - and he countered with $22.

I chuckled under my breath and looked down at my feet and said 'well if you don't wanna pay me, I'll leave.' The reply was 'we really need the help.'

My retort was, 'if you did, you'd pay me,'

I had a new job 4 days later with the pay I wanted.

jawnlobotomy Report

#13

The interviewer raised her voice and became verbally abusive during the interview. I stood up, announced the meeting was over, and left.

doublestitch Report

#14

I was interviewing someone once for a job working with children.

A lady told me, out of the blue, "Hispanic people don't know how to raise their children, the things that those kinds of children will say".

That sure took less than 15 seconds and it sure ruined the interview.

makethatnoise Report

#15

I went for an interview at a "sales company" whatever that means. I was 17 and just wanted an easy job, thought it would be a door to door thing. When I got there I was surrounded by business men in suits, all looking really panicked. I got into the interview and the guy looked really shocked to see me, but I instantly smelled something fishy. Worked out pretty quickly it was a (very polished looking) pyramid scheme. When he started to explain the emphasis on getting results and how the pay worked I stood up, told him he clearly didn't pay attention when sorting through the CVs and that it wasn't for me. Shook his hand and walked out. On the bus home I figured out that my shirt was on inside out the whole time. Total professionalism on both sides!

DanDoesSteam Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#16

I had a candidate tell me “I have extreme anger problems and I can’t help but get loud and hands on when’s someone’s doesn’t get what I’m trying to say” it was for an engineering internship.

KeemstarsBlackFriend Report

#17

Did this already! Was nervous and chugged the last of my coke before going inside. Went to shake the guys hand and say Hello but a very loud long burp came out instead. I just dropped his hand and left.

RosieCakeness Report

#18

A driving job advertised as paying $16 an hour plus tips. During the interview they clarified it's actually $9 an hour but the tips would bring the average up to $16 an hour. No thanks. Maybe don't word it like your wage will be $16 and the tips will be added to that. They knew what they were doing, I could tell the interviewer noticed my change in demeanor when she told me the truth. Borderline bait and switch.

fetidshambler Report

#19

I was told that I would have to sign aircraft off for return to service even if I wasn't the one doing the work or inspection.

I worked hard to earn my certification and am not risking someone else's mistakes going on my record.

Russtbucket89 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

Interview with small business. Mostly remote work. Supply your own computer. Salary and preliminary benefit info is okay, not stellar. They mention the requirement to install monitoring software on my computer. It takes snapshots every 5 minutes and video every hour that is reviewed by mgmt. If not mouse or keyboard movement within X time, you get clocked out.



Not really interested in working someplace they don't trust employees. If your going to make these crazy rules, you need to pay someone to put up with your craziness. Oh, and *NOT* on my personal computer. Not even on a VM!

edcrosbys Report

Add photo comments
POST
ambroise-lescop-2 avatar
Shelp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is pure madness. I can't even understand how some people can be ok with that

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

My manager once had a guy come in for a job interview. "Dolf" seemed really nice, clean cut, polite. He was talking to her and rolled up his sleeves...

SWASTIKAS!!! An arm full of swastikas.

She was honest and told him she didn't think it was going to work out, as the owner of the business was Jewish.

He was like, "Okay, I understand."

They were in there for about two minutes.

GwynnFatone Report

Add photo comments
POST
hazelree avatar
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The owner didn't need to be Jewish. If you want to be honest, say the offensive tattoos are problematic in a professional environment.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

I waited 30 minutes for the manager to show up to interview me and then I left. I decided if she was doing this at the interview, it was likely indicative of how she’d be at the regular job.

Ten minutes of driving later, she called me and said, “I’m here, you can come back now if you want.” I said, no, thank you.

cwills815 Report

Add photo comments
POST
iseektheunvanquishedtruth avatar
zims
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've had managers not realize they had an interview scheduled, but the solution was to take the interviewee to an empty office and have the manager call in to conduct it over the phone.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

It was a sales position at an air filter company. He liked me enough to start talking salary which is where I noped out. Basically, it was a ridiculously complicated system where I could make UP TO a certain amount, but really realistically I'd be making less than minimum wage. He kind of got red faced and b***hy when I kept saying "but wait, this means I'll be making like $5/hour. I must not be understanding this right because you advertised this position as $40k/year. Can you explain? Am I missing something?"

Basically, he would rope people in with bad math and false promises and when they didn't make any money, they'd basically agreed to it by accident. They'd quit and the cycle began again.

Once this became clear, I politely declined and left.

elcasaurus Report

Add photo comments
POST
hazelree avatar
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean that's how a lot of sales places work, but it's not a good model

View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

When I asked how much they’d pay me and the response was “you can make as much as you want”

-CorrectOpinion- Report

#25

Interview going well.

Female Interviewer : Do you have any questions ?

Me : About you or the company ?

Female Interviewer : ..............

Haunts my memory to this day

ShreyasSodhe Report

#26

I was in an interview to be a math teacher at a school with 7 openings. Just a continual mass exodus at an awful school. It was a 5 minute drive from home, though, so I decided to check it out.

The first question I am asked is what I do if a student has a cell phone out in class. I said that I usually take the phone and give it back after class, but if the school has another policy I would be glad to follow it. The interviewer's immediate response was that she didn't think I would be able to build relationships with their students with that kind of mindset, so she would be fine with concluding the interview at that point. I agreed and walked out, completely blown away. No wonder why they can't keep teachers.

I already had a contract with another school, so it was whatever to me.

Karsticles Report

#27

Manager: So what do you think you can bring to our team?

Me: I'll infect everyone with happiness and pixie dust.

I actually DID say that in an interview one time and upon reflection, it sounds like I wanted to give everybody drugs and/or a disease.

KnockMeYourLobes Report

Add photo comments
POST
sammyanne1_sh avatar
Helen Haley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had an interviewer who didn't ask the 5 year question. Instead, he asked what I wanted to be. I looked him dead in the eye and said, astronaut. Ask a question. Get an answer.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

We have a guy come in and say “so I actually exaggerated on my cv just to get my foot in the door, I’ve never actually done any of those things”.... ok, bye then.

Letheron88 Report

#29

I went to an interview for a tech firm. The job's hours meant that most days I'd get off work about midnight.

During a break in the interview process I went outside for a snack and saw the lead story on a newspaper, it said two violent drug gangs were having a turf war and the border between their territories was the pedestrian mall right outside the building where I'd be working.

The idea of walking across a dark, deserted pedestrian mall to a mostly-empty parking garage in the middle of the night across the front lines of a gang war didn't appeal. I might have been overreacting but I decided right then and there to accept another offer.

firelock_ny Report

See Also on Bored Panda
#30

The staff member who started the interview noticeably changed to very guarded/self protected when the manager walked in. I had a gut feeling and watched her interact with him I knew he must be an ass. I turned down the job and left.

Muckkr28 Report

#31

Yup because I realized it was a well hidden pyramid scheme.

Well hidden because it had AmEx's name slapped on it, so I figured it was a legit "financial advisor" job.

I should have walked out immediately, but I was too young and inexperienced to see the red flags ahead of time.

Guy who called to set up the "interview" was not in HR. Strike 1.

The "interview" was at 7 pm. Strike 2.

When I got there, I realized it was a group "interview" with like 10-15 other people. Strike 3.

I should have turned around and walked out then, but I was young and naive (or dumb) and still thought maybe it was somehow legit.

The "interview" started and the only question any of us was asked was our names. The the guy goes right into basically what I know now to have been a MLM presentation, talking about how all of us can help each other and him make money, while advising clients, etc.

I sat through the initial 45 minute presentation and then the guy said something like "if this great opportunity doesn't sound like a fit for you, you're free to go now before we start the sign up and training."

I stayed put for a second, not wanting to be the first in what I assumed would be a stampede out the door. Waited too long and the guy started to talk again so when I got up to leave it was super awkward with everyone watching me since I was the only one to take off.

non_clever_username Report

#32

This didn't happen at an interview (as far as I know); it happened while I was attempting to train this new employee. She kept standing around, arms crossed, sour look on her face, and told me "I'm only here because the state said I had to get a job or I'd lose benefits. So I got a job. They didn't say I had to work" Makes me wonder what she did say in the interview. And what would happen if she had said that in the interview.

She actually finally started putting a little effort into it and became an ok-ish employee. She did bare minimum but she did it reliably and correctly.

MrsPottyMouth Report

#33

I had a job interview at a bread bakery/ sandwich place. They asked me where I saw myself in five years. I said, "not making sandwiches." Interview was immediately over lol.

xlitawit Report

Add photo comments
POST
hazelree avatar
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

First, a sandwich place shouldn't really be asking something so ridiculous unless they are looking to fill a fulltime position down the road....also don't go to an interview and be rude.

phil-lucas avatar
Lucas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This. Honestly, some people think that question is appropriate for any and all interviews. it is not.

Load More Replies...
manusal avatar
El muerto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

is funny how they ask questions, where they expect you to tell a lie, knowing full well nobody can tell the truth without losing the chance...how work works

troux avatar
Troux
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This question isn't a test of how much you can pretend that you dream of making sandwiches your whole career path; it's about seeing if you have any kind of goals, drive or sense of planning. Even if the job is just to put yourself or your kids through college, those goals are enough to show them that you have responsibilities and long-term thinking. The response given above says "I can't wait to leave this place and I haven't even started."

jlkooiker avatar
lenka
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I dont think a sandwhich place expects you to respond that you want to be making sandwhiches. What they are looking for is someone who is motivated to acheive something -anything!

banjopeppers avatar
Banjo Peppers
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What happens if you answer “dead in a gutter due to poverty thanks to a lack of upward job mobility and rampant poverty”?

sm_tilley avatar
Sam Tilley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Had a similar interview. Interviewed a junior guy for an analysts role at a commodities brokerage. He had just finished a summer interning at Merrill Lynch which he couldn't stop talking about. When asked where he wanted to be in 3-years he said back at Merrill Lynch!! Needless to say he wasn't hired.

naimaivansdttir avatar
Naima Ivansdóttir
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

an acquaintance of mine told me he'd really love to land a job in the company i work for. he said he had a job interview some years prior to knowing me and asked me to please inform me if some position would open up in warehouse management, which eventually happened so i called him and told him to send me his CV and I would make sure HR would see it. not a proper endorsement but still. he managed to land an interview. minutes after he left i met the purchase and warehouse manager at the coffee machine and he was laughing "where on earth did you find that guy?" he said that he asked why he should hire him and his reply was something like "i'd love to work in this company and i am wiling to start in the warehouse but i am confident i could work my way up to international sales" and when he was asked the 5 years question he replied "i see myself in cuba or some place like that 5 or 10 years from now" i was SPEECHLESS

roxy_eastland avatar
Roxy Eastland
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a stupid interview question. Not many people take a job at a sandwich bar as their ultimate ambition.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

As a young teacher I interviewed for a school closer to home and when I went in the staff room on the 'tour' I noticed that all the staff seemed to be limp, grey and completely washed out. Eavesdropping conversations uncovered a few of the reasons, high staff turnover, lots of long term sickness and the majority of teacher's non contact time was being taken to cover lessons with no staff; all the time. This showed me that the staff were not respected by the students nor valued by management. I didn't disrespect the interview by leaving but did say 'no' when I was asked if I was still interested in the position at the end of the interview. They didn't bother to ask for feedback, they knew why lol.

Minkybips Report

Add photo comments
POST
boopiedew avatar
Boopie Dew
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats something to always look at when interviewing, the employees and general tone of the place. Tells a lot.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#35

I had a guy applying while completely stoned. He was like "don’t worry, I only smoke in the evening. Well sometimes before breakfast too"

barbara84live Report

Add photo comments
POST
meyowmix avatar
Colin L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a student once tell me "I'm really not getting this, but I'm really high right now."

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Note: this post originally had 45 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.