Interview horror stories

FRS Recruitment • March 5, 2021

Halloween is the scariest time of the year! Or is it?

Have you ever been to an interview where you’re just thinking ‘Please let me leave.’ Now that’s scary!

Most people have had at least one interview horror story, even our very own Recruiters have had their fair share of ‘get me out of here’ moments.


Here are our top 6 Interview horror stories:

1) "I once attended an interview for an office role. I arrived at reception and the receptionist told me to go straight up to the CEO’s office on the 6th floor. The lift was out of order and I was in heels. I arrived at the interview sweaty, tired and out of breath, the CEO turned to me and said ‘tell me about yourself’. I said ‘well obviously I am not into fitness but I am really good at sales!’ I got the job but 15 years later and it still makes me blush to think about it!"

2) “I once did an interview during which I developed a little tickle in the back of my throat. I coughed once or twice to clear it. No Joy. The interviewers offered water- “No, I’m fine thanks, Ahem ahem. Fast forward 10 minutes... I now have tears streaming down my face as I cough uncontrollably, while still trying to answer the questions. I have accepted the glass of water, but at this stage it would only be of use to drown me quietly. I am unable to breath effectively. Sadly, I was unsuccessful.”

3) "I once sent a candidate to an interview in Cavan, he then rang looking for directions.. turns out he ended up in Navan!" 


4) “I had an interview for an admin job and the manager asked me “if you were a car, what car would you be?” He was looking for me to say a VW Golf but I answered that I would be a Porsche (thinking he wanted a fast professional administrator) He then asked “if you were an animal, what animal would you be?” I was a bit stumped after the car choice and said I would be a lion, but he was looking for me to be a dog! Needless to say, I didn’t get the job!”


5) "I was walking to an interview, head down thinking of everything I was going to say and not paying attention to my surroundings when a car came out of nowhere and HIT ME!! Ok slight exaggeration… I was pushed by the car! But I still looked an awful fright arriving to my interview!" 

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6) “I was once interviewing someone for a senior role who swallowed a fly mid interview! Just when he went to answer a question, in goes the fly never to be seen again. We were all able to laugh about it and he went onto complete the rest of his interview as if nothing had happened.”

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