#9

No, I haven’t, that’s a good point, although I suspect that there won’t be anything about them there yet.

#11

I had about four interviews for my current job one involved a 2 hour technical exam and the other involved being interviewed by the head of my department about theoretical task that involved a sorting algorithm.

I kind of took it as just good bants though because I didn’t think I’d get the job anyway.

#13

Flat out worst one was an “interview” for a reporting job on the Yorkshire Post. Had to travel to Leeds from south Wales, and it turned out the interview was actually an entire day spent on the news desk, rewriting press releases handed to me by a bored looking news editor, who was about the only person who actually deigned to speak to me all day. About 5pm I went for an actual interview with the editor, where he told me a couple of minutes in that they’d actually prefer a fully qualified senior reporter, a level I couldn’t reach for another 18 months, so the entire day had been an utter waste except for them to get a few sidebars of their pretentious rag filled.

Did I mention that all this took place on my birthday?

5 Likes
#14

The place itself is newish but not a start up and I don’t think it would be dodgy at all. It’s a new museum/art gallery. The people though do come across as a bit start up, if I could put it that way, as in technology seems to be their lives.

#15

Don’t know if this is just anecdotal fluff, but I’ve seen hypothetical questions happen in more and more interviews. I fucking hate them.

Got asked at a recent interview what I would do in a scenario where “two members of my team were arguing in a meeting about the best way forward on a project”. That was it, all the information they could give. Bear in mind I’ve got no management experience and the interviewers were well aware of it. Managed to get the job but I still resent this approach.

My partner had a worse one with the HMRC where they asked her what she would do if someone called asking for information she didn’t know. After giving her answer of speaking with colleagues/management, the interviewer said “well, yes, but couldn’t you also look at the staff intranet?” Except they didn’t say before the question started that there even was a fucking intranet.

#16

Not really an interview story:

I was interviewed for the job as an insolvency accountant.

The partner called me early evening to offer me the job as I waited at Paddington for my train home. I was unimpressed by the firm but, crucially, did not want to be an insolvency practitioner, even before the interview, so treated the interview as a bit for practise. Plus, it meant I got to visit Canary Wharf for the first time ever.

He spent a good twenty minutes trying to persuade me. He just about maintained his dignity although was close to swearing a couple of times. I have no idea what he thought his remonstrating would achieve.

“Yeh, sure, you seem like a reasonable guy. What time on Monday?”

#17

Group interviews too. Fuck them. Had one for Game where they had 15 of us sit cross legged on the shop floor with no air con during the hottest day of a summer. Three minutes in and people were visibly pouring with sweat. Going round in a circle they asked us their questions one by one, so it didn’t need to be a group interview but they wanted to save on the time. If I wasn’t desperate back then I would have walked out before the end of it.

#18

literally cut an interview short because it was going so badly. said something like ‘Yeah, I think this isn’t really for me - thanks for your time’ and got up and left leaving them looking completely bewildered. never have I felt more free. was a bit like Peep Show when Mark jumps out the window before the presentation ‘I COULD JOIN AL-QAEDA!’

#19

My brother once went to a group interview for a job at Urban Outfitters, he got asked what he thought was important about diversity and replied: “Diversity - an old, old wooden ship?” to absolute deafening silence from everyone.

He still got the job because he’s a handsome fuck.

1 Like
#20

this is kind of what I want to do but it won’t have the same impact via email

#21

you also have to hope that you’ll never bump into them again (difficult if you’re looking for jobs in the same industry I guess)

#22

not too likely, they’re absolutely miles away but then who knows, what with the internet and all these days

#23

I had an interview with Mumsnet of all places, for an internship doing press things. I thought it was going OK, they asked if I was happy to work in a predominantly female workplace, I said ‘well, I’ve got three sisters, I’m used to it’, which I thought was fairly charming.

Anyway, last question, one of them asked ‘If I had a magic wand, what would job could I magic you into in 10 years?’. I was 21 at the time, just graduated, was applying for any job which sounded vaguely interesting. I paused for a bit, said ‘oh that’s a good question’, paused a bit longer, and then when i realised that the thinking silence had gone on too long, said ‘probably a professional swimmer’. To this day, I have no idea where that answer came from.

Didn’t get the position.

10 Likes
#24

years ago i had an interview for a shit admin job at a local authority

the interview was scheduled for last thing on a friday afternoon which already set off alarm bells for how interested they were in speaking to me and how much the interview panel probably wanted to end their own life by that point on a friday

after they asked the first question i noticed that they weren’t even bothering to look at me as i was giving my answers, clearly not giving a shit what i was saying

after 15minutes or so of this excruciating back and forth they asked if i had any questions, i reached for a glass of water to buy a bit of time to think of literally anything to ask and proceeded to knock both the glass and the remaining jug of water all over the desk, their papers and into both their laps

i profusely apologised but they just kinda looked at me with silent simmering rage

they then tried to clean up the mess with those awful paper towels you used to get in primary schools that don’t actually absorb water but just kinda move it around. after 5 or so minutes of them trying to mop up in stoney-faced silence i just saw myself out

didn’t get the job obviously…

2 Likes
#25

Well there was this place: Have you ever had an interview and thought to yourself, I really can't be bothered with this at all?

But the third (!) interview for the job I had accepted was a weird one because there was a baby in it. The person interviewing me was on maternity leave but came in for the interview. So she’s bouncing a three week old baby on her knee while asking questions like “what would you do if the support staff were repeatedly incompetent?” (turns out this wasn’t a hypothetical question, but more of a warning).

I was convinced I wasn’t going to get my current job after the second interview, because they told me to schedule two and a half hours and I was out in thirty five minutes. I stress/misery ate a whole big bag of Tangfastics on the train home then got offered the job the next morning.

1 Like
#26

anytime i’m asked to work for free or to do a ‘test’ or whatever i just politely tell them no thank u

1 Like
#28

Been for 3 interviews recently and a semi kind of one.

1 - Asked about technical skills and what I had worked on. Gave me some hypothetical techincal scenarios and asked what I would do. Got an offer.

2 - Asked about skills. Just by the conversation they knew I wasn’t exactly what they wanted (skills wise). No offer.

3 - Before the interview I had to complete an online test. Write a piece of code in 1 hour. Did it but took too long, and then I realised afterwards that I didn’t do quite what the brief said. Didn’t even hear a ‘no’ from them.

4 - Two weeks ago. Interview for 1 hour, then given 90 minutes to write some code. Was presented with a brief and had to solve it with a program and talk people through what it was I was doing. Got offered the job.

I don’t mind the technical stuff to be honest. Recruitment is time consuming a little hit and miss, so I think people want to do everything to see what the person can do, not in answering questions that you can practise, but just real life.

With the technical stuff, you need to remember it is not about actually solving the problem or producing a working program some time. It’s how you go about it. Structure the code, good habits. And then about how you talk the people through it as well.

#29

I once got called at work (on the work landline) buy a competitor of the company I was working at asking if I wanted a job. I said “Er, yeah. OK”. They wanted to meet for a beer and said we could go anywhere that suited me. I suggested a pub near my work, they said “Err, actually the west end is better”. So I traipsed over to meet them and they discussed the job. Sounded OK. They then set me a project to do - redesign 3-4 pages of a website of some made up company. I was slightly affronted as they rang ME, but I did it anyway. Got offered the job a couple of days later and they asked me what I was earning currently. I answered honestly, and they said “OK. We’re happy to match that”.

I said I’d call them back, then just ignored their emails and calls until they stopped trying to contact me.

#30

Rookie mistake. Always add at least 30%.

2 Likes
#31

seriously lmao, you had nothing to lose!!!