Job seekers share VERY awkward interview experiences

From fretting over tricky questions to worrying about what outfit to wear, job interviews can be emotionally exhausting – and there’s always a curveball, it seems. 

Job-seekers and bosses have been sharing their most awkward interview experiences in a Twitter thread sparked by journalist Harriet Williamson, from London, which makes for hilarious reading.

There’s the fist-in-mouth moment when an interviewee tried to leave the room via a cupboard that looked like a door, and the hungover candidate who accidentally clung onto the hand of their potential boss all the way to the interview room.

Williamson posted the question: ‘Twitter, what’s the worst job interview you’ve ever had?’ and soon found a rich seam of cringe-worthy content.

Dr Hilary Murray, from Dublin, shared: ‘Decided to study interview tips: I’d read a firm handshake and not looking away from the interviewer showed enthusiasm. 

‘Guy walks in, I walk over to him shake his hand firmly and (walking back to seat) NEVER DROP MY INTENSE GAZE FROM HIS EYES till he sat down. He was terrified.’ 

Milly Thomas, from London, shared her drama, saying: ‘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.’ 

Sam from the UK, shared his very awkward experiences as a boss, revealing that one potential employee started crying after they loudly farted 

One man told in great detail how he killed a snake when asked if he had overcome any obstacles. Pictured, stock image. 

Laura, from London, chimed in: ‘I had a trial shift (unpaid, of course) at a bar once where the first thing I did was cut myself while slicing a lemon and later on broke an entire tray of glasses including one falling over a man’s head. Midway through the shift they started to call the other candidates’. 

More disgruntled Twitter users shared their embarrassing experiences, with one saying that he ran into his current boss, who was competing for the same role. 

Mark, from London, wrote: ‘Once called in sick in order to go for an interview only to find my current boss had done exactly the same and was sitting in the waiting area. Neither of us got the gig’. 

Sam, from Sheffield added: ‘I went to an interview really hungover, when the interviewer came to meet me and show me to the room, she held out her hand guiding the way. In my hungover state, I stood up and held her hand! 

‘Both of us were too embarrassed to let go so walked to the interview room hand-in-hand.’

Simon, from London, penned: ‘Got invited for an interview just so the company owner could have a go at me in person for 1 typo on my CV. 

‘Told me that with that lackadaisical attitude I’d be hard pressed getting employed anywhere.’ 

Levi, from South Dakota, threw in: ‘Interview at Old Navy when I was fresh out of high school. They asked to provide an example of a time when I had to think on my feet in a tough situation. 

‘I then described in detail how I had to kill a snake with a wead-eater once. Don’t think that’s what they were looking for.’ 

More disgruntled users shared their horrendous experiences, with one telling that he was brought into the interview just so the interviewer could call him out on his typo 

And Sam from the UK, shared his very awkward experiences as a boss, writing: ‘1. As an interviewer: 1. For a children’s charity, candidate was banned from contact with children. 2. Candidate found out their friend died in the Zimbabwe mall terrorist attack mid-interview. 3. Candidate farted loudly then burst into tears from embarrassment.’