Interview stuff ups....

Meysha · Sep 18, 2005

Stuff ups, dummy spits, blunders, blonde moments... we've all done them in an interview. And some people may have even given a really great interview if they're lucky!!

I'd love to hear any of your stories, interview related, because I'm going for my Air Traffic Control interview in 2 weeks time and I'm trying to get myself as ready as possible for the horrible panel interview! :shock:

So have you got any hints for a great interview, or horror stories of past interviews???

tmpadmin · Sep 19, 2005

One of my blunders: I was asked "If you were considered a professional in your field (nationally known) and the printers needed toner what would you do?"

I said "hopefully there would be someone who could do it since I'd hope at that point I would be more valuable doing other thing" - Something like that.

Duh! "Change the toner" Correct answer! Basically nothing is below anyone.

bace · Sep 19, 2005

When I was around 19-20 I went on my first "real" interview. Meaning, I'd been working in crappy fast food/serving jobs for about 5 years. At the beginning of the interview he asked.

"So...tell me about yourself Paul.."

"well....uhh...well.....i'm....nice?...I'm....honest?.....reliable?....buh......."

Needless to say I wasn't his first choice for the position. I did get a call a month later because the other hire didn't work out. HA!! Bet they wasn't as nice as me. I didn't take the position because i'd obviously found another job.

terri · Sep 19, 2005

Funny, but I am a great interview-ee. I think the reason for this is the psyche-out game I play in my head while driving en route to an interview. I note the area, the time it takes to get there, imagine myself sitting in godawful traffic, and tell myself: "I don't even want this job. Why am I bothering with this?" So by the time I sasahy into there I've already talked myself out of it. I have a completely different mindset while I sit there. I get offers virtually every single time after an interview. otoh, people I've interviewed never fail to entertain. I've had 'em stoned as bats, dressed like sluts, or interrupt me to ask, "What about the benefits? That's what *I* need to know."

I love 'em. I love smiling at them pleasantly while I usher them out the door. :mrgreen:

Artemis · Sep 19, 2005

Go Terri, Go Terri, Go Terri

Me? hmm...im dreadfully honest...
I ticked the bit that said mental problems, and wrote Dyspraxia....do'h!
And I also ticked the bit that said counselling...I had a wee bit of councelling at school, not proper councelling...

How did I still get the job?

loopy · Sep 19, 2005

I had an interview the other week....

However I forgot to bring along the name of the woman who was interviewing me. The receptionist took care of me, showed me to her office. I had the interview and was feeling pretty good about it, even though the job wasn't completely what I had expected.

I got outside the building when I got a call on my cell phone telling me that I went for the wrong interview..... a woman in her office was also interviewing for a completely different position.

Needless to say I went back, had the right interview and got the job on the spot.

photogoddess · Sep 19, 2005

I haven't had any really bad interviews except when I was doing the interviewing. This is the worst interview ever...

This guy had an appointment for an interview at 2:30. He confirmed via email by saying "WELL OK GIRL, SEE YOU AT 2:30 THIS AFTERNOON". He showed up at 3:40, staggered in the door (possibly drunk) and with great difficulty announced in very slurred speech that he had arrived for his interview. I brought him in my office and he flopped down into my couch. Almost laying back with his hands in his mouth, (like he wasn't hard enough to understand already) he announced that he wanted an "honest days work for an honest days pay". Since I was hiring mechanics, I asked him my usual interview questions. First - what he did he think was his greatest strength as a mechanic. He said "Electric repairs because when I get shocked, I know it all". Not missing a beat, I asked him what his weakness as a mechanic was. He said "Electric repairs because I got my dumb ass shocked in the first place". I thanked him for his time and sent him on his way. Needless to say, he didn't get the job. :biglaugh:

terri · Sep 19, 2005

photogoddess said:
I haven't had any really bad interviews except when I was doing the interviewing. This is the worst interview ever...

This guy had an appointment for an interview at 2:30. He confirmed via email by saying "WELL OK GIRL, SEE YOU AT 2:30 THIS AFTERNOON". He showed up at 3:40, staggered in the door (possibly drunk) and with great difficulty announced in very slurred speech that he had arrived for his interview. I brought him in my office and he flopped down into my couch. Almost laying back with his hands in his mouth, (like he wasn't hard enough to understand already) he announced that he wanted an "honest days work for an honest days pay". Since I was hiring mechanics, I asked him my usual interview questions. First - what he did he think was his greatest strength as a mechanic. He said "Electric repairs because when I get shocked, I know it all". Not missing a beat, I asked him what his weakness as a mechanic was. He said "Electric repairs because I got my dumb ass shocked in the first place". I thanked him for his time and sent him on his way. Needless to say, he didn't get the job.

You knew it when he sent the email. You just did it for the entertainment value. Admit it. :lol:

Artemis · Sep 19, 2005

Heck, I would have stayd an extra hour for that interview

Big Mike · Sep 19, 2005

I was going to an interview and wanted to make sure my breath was fresh, so I was chewing some gum.

I forgot to spit it out, before I got there so when he wasn't looking, I took it out and stuck it to the bottom of the chair...as if I was in grade school. :lol:

ferny · Sep 19, 2005

I've never actually had an interview. For the job I've got now I was told from someone my boss spoke to to get my arse up there and fill in a form because they needed someone. I did so (not really knowing what I was doing), got my disclosure and started the job ahead of a few other people. :shock:

Meysha · Sep 19, 2005

hahaha those stories are hilarious.
Loopy yours made me laugh out loud!! That must've been so strange.

My interviews generally go ok... but this one is going to be my first 'real' interview too as well for a 'real' job (even though I did the interview 2 years ago, I'm trying again). And I don't get another chance at trying out for this job. :-( But hey, if the interview starts going badly, at least I've now got some good ideas to make the lost interview more fun! hehehe

The part where I get fired from a job is always the strange part for me. Once I was fired for absolutely no reason, and my boss from the bakery rang me up while she was stoned and fired me on valentine's day while I was working in another shop doing deliveries for valentine's day. hahaha - that was fun.
Or another time, I just stopped getting hours... so technically I'm still employed there... I still have the uniform and everything... but I just don't get hours. (or pay.. :-( )

clarinetJWD · Sep 19, 2005

There aren't a whole lot of interviews in my line of work...You're lucky if you get to speak at all. Mostly it's just "play from measure 126." "Thank you."

hobbes28 · Sep 19, 2005

I usually do about five to seven interviews a week lately so I've seen my fair share of funny ones. The one that sticks out in my mind the most is this one guy...

We bring a standard list of questions to ask for all of our interviews so we can give a fair assesment of our interviewees and it keeps us in check for questions to ask. We walk up to the receptionist's desk and the person is already there waiting. My boss introduces herself and I, myself. He does the same and I say, "Let's go to this table area upstairs." He says okay and starts telling us a little about himself. We sit down and he's still chatting, like most nervous people do. Five minutes into the interview, we haven't asked one question yet and can't get a word in edgewise. He is babbling and will not stop! He didn't even know what department he was interviewing for but was sure that he could do a good job. My boss finally gets one question in about ten minutes into the interview and that set him in motion for a whole new line of babble. It was like being assaulted by words. It was horrible. Now, we always give at least 45 minutes for an interview in case it runs a little long and, this time, we had meetings to go to at minute number 46. Funny thing was, this time was quickly approaching. At 35 minutes, we started trying to let this guy know that we had a meeting to go to each and appreciated him coming in. 42 minutes and we're getting up from the table. 48 minutes and he's back at the desk. 55 minutes and I just walked away from this walking bag of wind. It was horrible and the only time I've left a message to let someone know they didn't get a job. I just didn't have an extra hour to be on the phone.