The Pongo Blog
What Was Your Weirdest Interview Experience?
September 08, 2009 (11:00AM) by Rick Saia, CPRW
Most of us have experienced something weird in a job interview, either a question that came out of the interviewer's backside or some personality quirk that was just odd. Or maybe the whole interview was bizarre.
Hiring managers have more than enough stories about weird behavior from job candidates, but sometimes they're just as guilty themselves. Here are four weird interview scenarios I've either read about, heard about, or experienced:
- The 'I Can't Seem to Grab His Attention' Syndrome. The interviewer makes eye contact with you only about 10% of the time because he's too busy picking lint off his jacket, playing with his tie, or tapping away on his laptop.
- The Multi-Tasking Interviewer. You're there because you're interested in a job. She's eating lunch and checking her email while trying to determine whether you're a good fit for the job.
- The Idiotic Interrogation. After reviewing your resume and highlighting a few points, the hiring manager questions your judgment with something like "Why did you take such an awful job with an equally awful company?" Or, "You were at this place for a year and at that place for two years. Do you have a problem with commitment?"
- The Question That Comes out of Left Field. Something like "How many blades of grass are in left field at Fenway Park?" (pun intended), or "Why are manhole covers round?"
How about you? What was your strangest job interview experience? Tell us about it below.
RELATED LINKS
How to Handle 6 Dumb Things Interviewers Do
Dumb Question: Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?
Job Interview Basics: Prepare Well to Present Well
Weirdest job interview that I had was the HR director that was interviewing me had noticed that another girl that she just hired worked with my at the company we had been laid off from. She spent about 15 minutes going on and on about her and her interview and her skills. When she finally got around to asking me questions she stopped mid sentence and said "I think I'll give the position to her, but thanks for coming in". OUCH!
Posted by: cybercat411 | September 08, 2009 at 12:02 PM | Quote This Comment
@ cybercat411 - That's BEYOND bizarre! Not to mention completely disrespectful and completely devoid of class. Thanks for sharing it!
Posted by: Rick | September 08, 2009 at 4:42 PM | Quote This Comment
I was once asked in an interview with a Municipal Office, what I would do if I was the only one in the office and someone showed up at the door with a load of garbage and threatened to dump it on the steps of the office if I didn't open the Transfer Station (dump) for him. I thought about it for a minute and said: I would tell my husband to get back in the truck and head on back to the farm with his load, and next time check the *%(@! schedule that I posted to the door, at eye level, for his convenience!
I didn't get the job.... I wonder why....
Posted by: Ardelle Holden | September 12, 2009 at 12:42 PM | Quote This Comment
I once had a panel interview with four people. One of the interviewers fell asleep during the 'interview' ... she was so 'out' that I could actuall hear her snoring .. I didn't get the job -- most likely because she couldn't even remember me being there! Talk about rude! I sure didn't want to be there either!
Posted by: Andrea Lewis | September 12, 2009 at 10:56 PM | Quote This Comment
I just had an interview with a Branch Administrator for a Branch Manager's position at a local Credit Union. When I walked into the office filled with paperwork scattered over the desk, and everywhere else in the office. I noticed a pack of cigarettes, lighter and large cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee sitting on top of a pile of paperwork on the desk. She didn't even ask me any questions, she went right into the benefits and incentive program. After I had asked her questions, she said, "Oh, I'm dying for a cigarette, come on, let's go outside and talk!" I stood outside of the building while she smoked and we talked about everything but the job. Needless to say it was not the atmosphere that I was looking for and 2 weeks later received a letter stating that they hired someone else. I really don't even think she remembered who I was never mind my qualifications. I am a smoker myself but the lack of professionalism blew me away!!! I even had to hold her cup of D & D so she could shake my hand!!!!!!
Posted by: Paula Ouellette | September 13, 2009 at 9:42 AM | Quote This Comment
@ Ardelle - While you were clearly being funny in your response (and I would have laughed heartily), it seems that they were asking a serious "situational behavior" question, maybe in response to something that actually happened.
@ Andrea - I wonder how the other three reacted. If they said or did nothing, I couldn't find a flag with a brighter shade of red.
@ Paula - What?!? She didn't have a flask of liquor as well?
Posted by: Rick | September 14, 2009 at 1:51 PM | Quote This Comment
Ardelle, Yeah, that's exactly what I thought was in her large D&D iced coffee!
Posted by: paula | September 14, 2009 at 7:08 PM | Quote This Comment