It seems like even in the best job interview scenario, anything can go wrong at any time. This is because we’re at our most vulnerable, desperate to make a good first impression, and even more desperate to get that job.
No wonder job interviews are also the subject of some of the most entertaining and painfully funny (to look back at after many years) stories. So when someone asked “What’s the biggest mistake you made on your first job interview?” people delivered honest responses, and it turned out to be one hell of a read.
Scroll down, upvote your favorite entries, and hopefully after you’re done with this post, you’ll feel slightly better if your interview just went sour. After all, it can always be much worse!
#1
Not exactly a mistake, but I went to the counter of the store and asked if they were hiring. They said they were and gave me an on the spot interview right there in the middle of the store with my mom standing right with me (I was 16 and she had given me a ride to the store). My mom proceeded to answer every question for me and kept talking me up. I ended up getting the job and worked there for over 2 years, so thanks mom lol
Image source: pinkyoshi1989, Fikri Rasyid
#2
“What position are you interested in taking in our school?”
“Defence against Dark Arts”
Image source: podian, Bryan McDonald
#3
Interviewed at a bank. Was going perfectly despite how nervous I was, and I was probably in with a great chance. Then as a final question, the panel asked me “why should we hire you?” And I word-vomit replied “Because I probably won’t steal your money!”
I was not hired.
Image source: Isthatyourhair, Brock Wegner
#4
The interviewer asked if I had any convictions.
I sat there and thought for a moment and said, “Well I guess I’m passionate about saving the environment.”
He was very confused and said, “What are your talking about? I’m asking if you have been convicted of any crimes…”
I did not get that job.
Image source: Nik_Tesla, Michael
#5
At the end of my job interview, I asked a few questions about the position, the people involved, and other general questions. For my last question I decided to switch it up and I asked something along the lines of “if you could have any job and make any amount of money you want, what would it be?”
Interviewer A answers. Interviewer B answers. Interviewer C answers. Interviewer D answers and uses something very similar to what I was prepared to say. Interviewer E answers.
I finally answer and since Interviewer D used what I was prepared to say I decided to wing it. I said “Well since I love pizza, I’d travel the world, and eat pizza in different countries.” I wanted to smack myself.
Image source: sometimesimretarded, Brett Jordan
#6
Showed up in person to a phone interview.
Image source: NotCleverNamesTaken, Polina Zimmerman
#7
I was interviewing to be a dishwasher at a restaurant. The chef, who was the interviewer, asked me why I wanted this job. The real reason was the reason any high-school kid wants a job: money. I panicked though. I thought that was an inappropriate answer. So instead I started spewing all of this nonsense about dishes being my favourite household chore. He laughed in my face. I got the job, though :)!
Image source: clvde, cottonbro
#8
“Why should we hire you instead of anyone else?”
“I don’t even know who else you are interviewing with, how could I know that I’m better than them?”
Led to a really awkward silence.
Image source: geeses, Sora Shimazaki
#9
The interviewer asked if I had any “salary requirements.”
I said, “I do. But it doesn’t matter, because I understand from employees I know who work here that your pay standards are much lower than most workers’ expectations.”
Image source: Back2Bach, Karolina Grabowska
#10
Asked about my hobbies talked about sewing and reading. Guy pushed a little more,asked if there was anything else. I was confused why he would push at this question and said no. I was interviewing at a [freaking] video store, the correct answer is watching Movies dumbass. I will never let myself live that one down.
Image source: [deleted], Sean Benesh
#11
Oh god, I still cringe at this.
Interviewer: “We expect our employees to be punctual.”
Me: “Well, I am somewhat of a grammar Nazi.”
Interviewer: wtf look
In my defense, I was 17 and stupid.
Image source: dakeyjake, Sora Shimazaki
#12
Said “Well, thanks for coming in.” I was the one who had come in.
Image source: morat11, fauxels
#13
My first ever internship interview.
Me: Hi, how are you?
Him: Good, and you?
Me: I’m doing well, how are you?
It still keeps me up at night.
Image source: [deleted], cottonbro
#14
Asked about a time I had to make a compromise and, not drawing on any past experiences beyond an hour ago, I cited the time I had to give the last blue Jolly Rancher to my girlfriend even though it’s my favorite flavor. Still got the job but wow
Image source: Kaiy0te, Thatsmuggamer
#15
Okay, this is embarrassing but when I was a teenager I was able to get an interview to work at a major coffee chain that offered good benefits and I really wanted the job. I had one job until this point and didn’t have a lot of experience with job interviews so I googled up some tips to help me with that. One of the things that I read was the importance of maintaining very good eye contact lest the interviewer thought that you were disinterested or bored. I maintained very good eye contact. It was too good. That guy must have thought that I was some sort of psychopath because I would not break eye contact at all. It was as if we were having a staring contest that he lost several times but that I would not let up on. I had to wait a few more years before I was able to get a job with that company.
Image source: hombre8, Viktoria Alipatova
#16
Interviewing for a part time job at Kmart as a summer gig in college.
HR Director: “So everything looks good. If you ever need a job reference or a letter of recommendation, come see me at the end of your employment here and we’all see what we can do!”
Me: “Oh that won’t be necessary, I have references from real jobs already.”
I still got the job but holy s**t.
Image source: [deleted], Mike Kalasnik
#17
I freaked out and forgot how old I was. Turns out I was fourteen. Fourteen and absolutely terrified. And no, I didn’t get the job.
Image source: TheRabidFangirl, Sora Shimazaki
#18
The interviewer asked if I smoked and I replied “Smoke what?” Immediately lost my chances at getting the job.
Image source: Doomfacetrapstar420, Andrea Piacquadio
#19
I wore a rival companies shirt to the interview without realizing…oops.
Image source: freeloader11, Charles Deluvio
#20
My first big-boy interview at a financial advisory firm couldn’t have been worse. To start, I had hair down to the middle of my back which I had just put up in a bun, and a patchy beard. I walk into the office to meet with the well-groomed, cologne-wearing, every-fashion-accessory-available-wearing salesman who would interview me. He asked me, “How would you describe a sunset to someone who was born blind?” My response was, “Yellow… Wait a minute…..orange. [Damn]. They’re blind.”
After the interview was over, he said that I looked like a drug dealer.
Image source: CrakAndJaxter, tima-miroshnichenko
#21
when asked why I wanted to work for McDonald’s, I said that I wanted money mainly
I didn’t get the job
Image source: roostar9000, Mike Mozart
#22
This wasn’t at the interview, but in my email applying for the job. It was right after college and I really didn’t know what I was doing, so I just had my resume saved on my desktop under “resume.”
I finished writing my cover letter, I attached my resume…or so I thought. I had accidentally misclicked when attaching and I attached this gif instead.
I had already clicked send before I realized my mistake, but luckily I was using gmail and was quick enough to be able to unsend it and attach the right file.
Image source: -eDgAR-
#23
First time I was honest about why I was leaving my old job and the reason was negative. Next time I had a story about how -while I loved my current job- the new job gave an additional positive push to my career path. You have to bend the truth for sure.
Image source: _freethinker_, Scott Graham
#24
Dominos Manager: “why do you want a job here”
Me: “It’s close to my house, and I like pizza”
…I got the job.
Image source: ieatpandas42, TAKA@P.P.R.S
#25
I was offered the possibility to get an apprenticeship as a software engineer when I was 16. That was a pretty great chance and I wanted everything to be perfect. It was about 32°C (90°F) that day and their office was in middle of nowhere.
I planned to go there by bus but I missed it, so I had to take a really slow, weird train which stopped near there and had to walk to the office building.
Since I was really late already (I would’ve been 20 minutes early with the bus), I ran there. So I arrived there 10 minutes late and was sweaty. I was also dripping with sweat through the whole interview.
Still got the job, somehow.
Image source: Sig_Luna, cottonbro
#26
Was sexist. I was interviewed by two female engineers, who didn’t really introduce themselves beyond their name, so partway through the interview I asked them if they’re the HR reps.
They forgave me and I passed but it was dumb of me, I wouldn’t have asked a pair of men that.
Image source: Antrax-, Tim Gouw
#27
This one still haunts me.
It was for a job a trampoline jump house where you pay to jump. My gf and I both applied and both got interviews. I was about 17 or 18 at the time and I believe this was my first one on one interview, only one I’ve ever done was a group interview.
I felt, and still do, that I was doing so well throughout it all. But towards the end of it, the interviewer asked how would I describe myself in (or “with” can’t remember the word) 5 words. It took me a few seconds to think of something, and then I said it. “I am a good worker”. There was a weird look on her face and she said,” that’s it?” In a concerned and I’m waiting for more type of look. I said yes and we finished up the interview.
It wasn’t until on the ride home I started to realize my mistake and asked my gf what she said, and behold, she said 5 different adjectives instead of a 5 word sentence. I still felt confident about the interview, but later that week I was with her when she got the call about getting the job and I was excited to get mine soon after. No call :(
Image source: Fetusparties, Brian Wangenheim
#28
My first interview was a disaster!
Interviewer says: “I see you’ve put down that you can speak German on your CV, can you say something to me?”
I reply: “Oh, I can’t actually speak German, I just put that on there.”
Interviewer asks: “Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure.”
I say: “This one time I had an assignment for uni that was 50% of my grade, and I should have spent the last three months on it. I couldn’t be bothered and spent most of that time out drinking and did the whole thing in 3 hours the morning it was due.”
Interviewer asks: “Why do you want this job?”
I say: “If Im honest, its just because I’m broke and I need money.”
By some miracle I got the job though, so I guess I was the only guy to show up or something.
Image source: Wellness_Elephant, cottonbro
#29
Was honest and said I was using it as a temporary stepstone to a better job.
Image source: looks_at_lines, tima-miroshnichenko
#30
I had had several jobs before my first actual interview but my first interview was for a job selling hot dogs. I was asked what my biggest weaknesses were and stupid teenage me listed actual weaknesses like being lazy and not really caring about anything. I wasn’t very smart back then.
I didn’t get the job but found an article in some magazine(this was before the internet was used by regular people) shortly after that that gave me the right answers to that question.
Image source: bajsnoah, Thomas Bormans
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