Tips for job interviews: 15 women share their worst job interview stories.

Job interviews can be a truly nerve-wracking and – at times – mildly terrifying experience.

No matter how hard you try to play it cool, the pressure to impress your prospective future boss can you make you do, or worse, say some pretty awkward things.

Plus, sometimes things happen during a job interview that are completely out of your control, like accidentally rocking up wearing the same outfit as the interviewer or being on the receiving end of a very sweaty handshake.

Alas, job interview blunders are much more common than you might think.

And to prove it, writer and mental health activist Harriet Williamson asked her Twitter followers to share their worst job interview stories. Here are their best answers:

Twitter, what’s the worst job interview you’ve ever had?

— Harriet Williamson (@harriepw) January 16, 2020

Here are just a few of the most cringe-worthy interview horror stories people have shared.

I walked up the stairs to the very top and met the woman. I thought she was gesturing to the door ahead of her so I walked over, opening it and went inside. It was a storage cupboard. She stood there and watched.

— Milly Thomas ???? (@missmillythomas) January 16, 2020

Me: “So why has this position opened up now?”

Him: “Well after my dad gave me the job I decided to get rid of all former staff”

I’M NOT EVEN KIDDING

— Katie Beech (@KatieBeech) 16 January 2020

..decided to study interview tips: I’d read a firm handshake & not looking away from the interviewer showed enthusiasm. Guy walks in, I walk over to him shake his hand firmly & (walking back to seat) NEVER DROP MY INTENSE GAZE FROM HIS EYES till he sat down.
He was terrified.

— Dr Hilary Murray (@artboxhill) January 16, 2020

I went to an interview at a shoe shop after dropping out of uni and moving home. Wasn’t feeling great so thought I’d spice things up by speaking in a Scottish accent (I’m not Scottish). Ended up getting given the job and had to pretend to be Scottish for 8 months.

— Helia Phoenix (@HeliaPhoenix) 17 January 2020

I went for a job at a gaming company where I was interviewed by the manager AND HIS DOG!! He said if the dog liked me, I’d get the job. ????

— Evie Gaughan (@evgaughan) 16 January 2020

Library assistant for Saturdays. I bought a new skirt that I thought looked sufficiently ‘librariany’. My interviewer (the boss) was wearing exactly the same skirt. There was no hiding. ????

— Emma Prior Writes (@emmavprior) 16 January 2020

At the end of a full day of interviews I thought went pretty well, it turned out they thought they were interviewing my (more accomplished) sister. They never contacted me again even to tell me I wasn’t right for the job.

— Nell Minow (@nminow) January 18, 2020

Interview at Vogue and the ‘holding pen’ for interviewees was in a room panelled in v nice mahogany-type wood. When I was called for my interview for the life of me could not find the door. Was all the same wood. No handle. I pushed on 5 walls until I got out. No one laughed.

— Katy (@ldnkatyarcher) 17 January 2020

went to interview 8 months pregnant as job wasn’t starting for 6 months. I didn’t fit in the room it was so small – they had to keep the door open and I sat half in/half out the room so my stomach could fit in. They basically interviewed my bump.

— Carole McCartney (@ctmccartney) 16 January 2020

With everyone clearly having experienced at least one awful job interview in their lifetime, we asked the Mamamia staff to share their worst interview stories.

“I had a guy ask me to define the word ‘pragmatic’ and to this day I find that word very hard to define. I just… couldn’t. I knew what it meant and could use it in a sentence. But I’m not a f***ing dictionary. I don’t know how to define it,” Jessie explained.

“My friend once had to answer a question about ‘what animals would you be and why?’ It was for a designer job and there was no relevance,” added Melody.

“The job interview went south quickly when the male manager asked me about my marital status etc and my plans for the weekend and asked if I was a party girl… then when he called to say I didn’t get the job he asked me out,” said Deborah.

“I went to shake the woman’s hand at the end, but accidentally scratched/cut her with my nail and she started bleeding,” explained Polly.

In another instance, Polly said “I had a job interview at a tiny little media company. Their office consisted of a single room so I literally sat and waited on a couch opposite while the guy finished up interviewing another girl. When it was my turn, he said ‘To be honest, I think you’re going to find it really hard to top that’.”

But as awkward as some job interviews are, sometimes they’re just painful for the people on the other side of the desk. Our Talent Acquisition Specialist, Deborah, has seen a few things in her time.

“I’ve had people disclose crimes in interviews.”

“Someone once farted really loudly and then wouldn’t stop talking about it.”

“I had someone try to invite me to the gym after I interviewed them for a job.”

She’s also been on the receiving end of an “extremely sweaty handshake… like wet.”

*Shudder.*

What’s the worst job interview you’ve ever had? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Getty. Social image: The Devil Wears Prada.

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"She started bleeding." 15 women on their most cringe-worthy, sweat-inducing job interviews.

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