Your worst job interviews revealed: From late interviewers to strange questions

Job interviews can often be stressful encounters, especially when things go wrong from the very beginning. For Tiara Allen, arriving on time for a retail job interview did not mean the process started promptly. Her interviewer failed to show up on schedule, leaving her waiting for around 40 minutes in a shopping centre while a co-worker tried calling them multiple times. When the interviewer finally arrived, they reportedly blamed a scheduling oversight. Although Tiara accepted the job because she needed the work at the time, she noted that she would handle the situation differently now and refused to take a role where a company disrespects applicants' time in such a manner.

Tiara's experience is far from isolated. Many individuals shared their troubling job interview encounters, highlighting how these stressful events can reveal a great deal about the broader world of work and employer expectations.

Unexpected questions are another common hurdle. Chas Edwards recalled interviewing for an assistant position at a book publisher in New York when he was asked if he cried. Believing the interviewer was joking, he said he did not cry, only to find out later that this exact response secured him the job. The previous assistant had cried too often, prompting the boss to seek someone who would not. Chas soon discovered the reality of the role, enduring 13 months with a miserable boss while feeling like he was crying inside. Despite the difficult environment, he noted that every job since then feels manageable by comparison.

Similarly, Corinne Card faced an abrupt end to an administrative interview when the very first question asked was whether she liked working with people. When she answered affirmatively, she was told the position was not for her and the meeting concluded immediately, leaving her to wonder if it was a deliberate trap.

Experts suggest that candidates can sometimes clarify unusual questions by repeating them back to the interviewer. However, Corinne Mills of Personal Career Management points out that off-putting lines of questioning often serve as an indicator of what working at the company will actually be like, emphasizing that interviews allow candidates to judge prospective employers as much as employers judge applicants.

Beyond awkward or strange queries, some interview behaviors cross the line into illegal territory. Employment lawyer Roy Magara highlighted that discrimination against protected characteristics remains an issue, noting that women are frequently asked about plans to have children, and older candidates have been rejected for failing to fit a younger team's vibe. Job seekers who suspect bias may use subject access requests to review internal company communications about their applications.

Bad job interviews teach valuable lessons about workplace culture, employer behavior, and candidate rights.

Why it matters

Bad job interviews can feel overwhelming in the moment due to the power imbalance between employers and candidates. Understanding these worst-case scenarios helps applicants recognize red flags regarding company culture and potential discrimination, reminding job seekers that interviews are a two-way street for evaluating a workplace.