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Worst Interview Experiences
7

Worst Interview Experiences

Worst Interview Experiences

(OP)
Reading a thread today, I was reminded of one of my worst interviews that I ever had....

I was contacted by an agent who said he had a position he thought I might be interested in. He forwarded my CV to th eclient who got back the next day to arrange an interview for the following Monday morning. So far so good.

I arrived at the interview (nice posh reception area, always puts me in the mode for an interview), met the interviewer and was brought into the interview room. Both of us sat down, he placed my CV on the desk in front of both of us and started the interview with the following...

'Mr. Hammond, I see you are a Mechanical Design Engineer, I think we may have a problem. The position I am interviewing for is for an Electrical Engineer'. Immortal words that have stuck with me to this day....(Immortal words that went through my head are censored by this website).

He apologised for not having read my CV and thanked me for taking the time to attend the interview.

I had a very nice conversation with the agent who set it all up later that day.

I'm really curious to see what others have come up against that they think is either funny/annoying or whatever else

Cheers

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

1. You have learned that that agent had HUA disease. So has the interviewing company.

2. My worst interview experience had to do with a technical position that I was qualified for yet lacked experience in the actual field. The position called for a structural engineer, though the actual job would focus on dams exclusively. I have a little experience with dam engineering - and I can learn - but I honestly couldn't answer the interview questions without making it obvious that I had only the minimum experience. I didn't get the job, but I did make a friend - and it was good practice.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

A friends experience:  He was interviewing out of town and was flying in the night before the big day.  Turns out the airline lost his luggage.  All he had was a pair of sweats and t-shirt that he had on for the flight.  He spent the night waiting to see if his clothes turned up. By the time he got to hotel without luggage it was pretty late. Unfortunatley, his interview was real early.  He actually showed up to interview with sweats and all.  He spent 1/2 hour explaining to secretary that he really was interviewing and what had happened.  After few laughs the interviewer took friend out to brunch to make up for ordeal. To make matters worse my friend decides to order beer to calm his nerves.  Needless to say he spent the rest of the morning trying to convince interviewer that he wasn't an alcoholic.  

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Beer on an interview?  Oh how I miss the days of the 2 martini lunch.

My worst interview was an 8 hour interview that was supposed to be 2-4 hours.  I sat around waiting for the next person to interview me for most of the time.  At least they brought me out to the lunch.

But, they didn't help with any of the travel arrangements.  I had to find my own airfare, my own hotel room, my own car rental.  During the interview, I was introduced to their check request system because I had to turn in all my receipts in order to get reimbursed for the trip.  You don't get the receipt for the car until AFTER you return it.  So I had to take the form home, get the car receipt, mail it all in, and then wait for my check.  Instead, I got phone calls from the engineering manager why I spent so much money on the car rental and the hotel room.  Why didn't I choose hotel X that is cheaper, or find a better auto rate?

Uhm, because the facility is located up near the PTC in Scottsdale, AZ, and it was during the Open (now called FBR Open) so finding a vacant hotel room and available car was hard enough, much less a CHEAP one.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

In my final year at university I interviewed for then British Waste of Space (sorry I mean British Aerospace, now part of Airbus I believe) at Bristol.

I turned up for the interview with about 5 other students.  It was a large complex on the airport with numerous separate buildings.

At the front gate we were told to go to a certain building and wait.

We went to the building and waited about 15 – 20 minutes.  A few people who walked by asked if we were OK.  Each time we’d explain we were waiting for person X from HR.  Eventually one of them said something like, “you know I’ll try and find out what’s going on” if I remember correctly they came back and said, “seems like your were sent to the wrong building, go up to building Y for HR”.

We duly walk to that building and report to the front desk.  They don’t know what’s going on and make some calls.  Eventually they decide to send us back to the original building.  We start walking back but before we get there are confronted by an irate person X from HR who starts lambasting us for wondering off, wasting her and other people involved in the interviews time etc.

She eventually calms down enough to give us the aptitude test, which being dyslexic I was given a little extra time on but that just meant I got singled out from the crowd which in this case wasn’t a good thing.

I then go into the interview and they start asking me about NDT techniques, about which I knew almost nothing.  I managed to make some comments about X ray, Ultrasonic and Dye Penetrant (thought at the time I couldn’t remember its proper name) and about how my final year project which had involved fuzzy logic and neural networks might allow computers to be trained to recognize problems in the data etc.

At the end if I recall correctly person X from HR half heartedly apologized for going off on one but it was clear she didn’t really mean it.

A few weeks later I got a letter saying I’d passed the interview (much to my surprise) and aptitude test however, they felt I would be better suited to their Military division and they’d forwarded my results.  

I never heard back from them!

This was just one of several, maybe I’ll post again later!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I was interviewing for a company which would place me in a project management role. I probably shouldn't have been there in the first place, but I was desperate for work, so there I was. The first in the series of interviews went well. Then I was subjected to a tag-team high-stress role-playing interview with a pair of high-level managers. Confronted with a situation involving a problem I know nothing about, with the goal of motivating these two managers to overcome this problem. Any discussion of the details was met with hard resistence, which was their goal, naturally. Eventually, I ran out of ways I would motivate someone, and faltered.

So by that point, it was probably clear to them I wasn't cut out for that role. And it's probably for the best anyway. Lord knows I'd rather be where I am now than stuck messing with train-cars in North Platte, Nebraska.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I worked for a year prior to going to university and then returned to the same company after graduation. When it came time to move on, I went for an interview with the company that had taken most of the work and half the staff from my first employer while I was a student.

The interviewer (sitting behind his big desk, in front of the window, with the sun streaming through and bouncing off his shiny bald head into my eyes) opened the interview with "I see you were at company X at the same time as me. I don't remember you". My first thoughts were "no, but I remember you and you were a **** then and you're still a **** now."

I had to be 100 miles down the road that afternoon and if the interview ended early enough I could catch a lift with a friend - needless to say I made every effort to get out of there quickly! The bit that made me smile most was there reason for not offering me the job "she doesn't seem interested in what she's working on". Of course I wasn't interested - there was no work to do which is why I was looking elsewhere!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I was off for the summer during one of my years of college and I went to a temp agency to see if I could get a 3rd part time job, just for the summer.  I only wanted office work, no-brainer stuff on my days off from my other jobs.

I went in with a terrible head cold and took their "placement" tests, including Word and Excel tests.  I had so much Vicks Formula 44 in me that I aced those tests and I honestly am no Office expert.  I also did 55 wpm on a typing exam with no errors.  I swear, I was high on cough medicine - I have no recollection of even taking the tests.

I went home and about an hour later I got a call that they wanted me to interview at one of the big office furniture makers here in town (you are probably sitting in one of their chairs right now).  I said, no, can't possibly, have a bad cold, feel terrible, and oh yeah, I'm babysitting my two little nephews right now...ages 3 and 5.

Darned if she didn't call me back 15 minutes later and said, the VP wants to see you right away, and you can bring your nephews.  By this time it was after 5 p.m.  I had to put on a dress and go to the interview with my nephews in tow.

They sat at a huge swimming-pool sized glass conference table in a huge room, coloring with dry-erase markers (they still talk about that and they are 14 and 16 now!) while I interviewed.  I kept blowing my nose the entire time and snuffing up snot so it wouldn't run out of my nose.

I don't even remember what I said.

I got the job, worked about 4 months there total.  They ended up putting me on 4 days instead of 3.  I did the daily work they gave me in the first hour of the day (I wonder what the regular lady did to fill the other 7 hours each day?) and I'd spend the rest of the time filing and stuff.  Got them all caught up.  They offered me full time work at the end of the summer but I told them I was so sorry, but I had to return to college for engineering...

It was all so surreal.  I did find a paper in the lady's desk that I was filling in for - she had the VP's notes from the interview.  I remember it said something like "she can learn anything and isn't afraid to try new skills" or something like that.

Moral of the story...don't lie (thank god I really had nephews I could bring!) and don't o.d. on cough syrup before an interview!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

michfan's post reminded me of another interview I had while I was at university. The alumni office were recruiting students to call graduates to try to raise funds for various projects at the university.

I was in the bar after lectures, on my second pint of beer, when one of my course mates came back from his interview for the job. that was when I remembered I'd also applied and had an interview in 10 minutes. So I downed the rest of my beer, trotted across campus, talked non-stop to the interviewer (I'm a chatty drunk!) and got myself the job.

And then discovered that I'm absolutely petrified when it comes to talking to strangers on the telephone. I had to have a beer before work every night to get the dutch courage to dial the first number!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

On one interview, I was waiting outside the bosses office for a few minutes. I heard him talking to someone over the phone rather aggressively. I noticed the spelling of his name and concluded that he was Israeli. When he walked out to call me in, I saw that he had no right arm (he turned out to be a former Israeli commando). He had me sit down and opened with "So what can I do for you?". I explained that I was in the market for a new job. He asked me if I was serious about work or whether I was wasting his time, because he planned to send me to the factory in Israel for training (the Palestinian intifada had begun only a couple of weeks earlier). He asked me for my references. He immediately called up my former boss and told him: "Never mind whats right with him, I only want to hear whats wrong.". After the phone conversation, he stood up and said: "Anyway its all bull____. Even when you are a murderer, the Priest still says that you were a good man as they are burying you.". He then offered me a job. I accepted and worked there for a week, after which he fired me. Interesting, right?

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

One HR person kept me waiting for an hour in the lobby. I told the receptionist that we would do it some other time. The HR person came running after me to my car, and I had to decline.

Some time later I interviewed another party, and he asked me about that same incident. That gave me the clue that HR people are networking. I told him that there was something I saw that I did not like.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I had an interview during my last semester of grad school (november 2001).  2 months after 9/11 was not a good time to find a structural job.  So the interview lasted most of the day, with me interviewing with each of the 4 principals.  During my interview with the last (and most senior) principal, he said to me, "we've already decided we're not going to hire anyone.  You'd be better off opening a hot dog stand."

Well, I haven't opened that hot dog stand (yet), and I eventually did find a job.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Now a personal experience: I was doing an internship and spent some time in the lab (my dream job). Got along with everyone and loved it so i was surprised to see an opening. Before I could contact anyone, I was ASKED if I was interested in position and didn't need to bother applying online. An interview would be set up as soon as possible.  The interview consisted of me being informed about the weather, traffic, best area to live, restarurants, schools, etc.  I was not asked about education or anything else seeing as how they already knew all my information.  Since I had already spent time there, the following day I observed and helped with ongoing projects (nothing major).  I was told where my desk would be, where to put stuff, and that they couldn't wait for me to start.  Talk about being led on. After weeks of not hearing anything I called and was told that I was still a top candidate.  I never got the job and from now on only get excited when I get official offers.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I worked as a tutor at same school for 6 years. By the fourth year I was doing more administration and teacher work than just tutoring.  Tutors aren't normally hired for summers so when I heard that a few would be I let my boss know I was interested.  To be on safe side I re-applied online, did a mission statement, and anything else my boss thought might be required.  A few weeks before summer I talked to vice principal in charge of hiring and was informed that I was not chosen.  When I asked why not, she told me that I didn't complete necessary steps (which I had).  I brought in records and was then finally given an interview date.  To my surprise none of the tutors already chosen had even done a single thing or had to interview.  
At the interview she has the nerve to ask me why I thought I was qualified. I had had enough. I simply told her that I had 6 years experience at this school, twice more than all the others hired COMBINED and was semester away from completing engineering degree. Not only would I not be taking the summer job but would not be returning at all.  Good luck trying to finish projects I had been doing for her.  Two weeks later I had my boss begging me to come back and that I would have full time status and be supervisor.  They couldn't figure out how to finish what I had started and would take too long to train someone else.  I told them that maybe one of the tutors they hired could figure it out.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

My best interview ever!

I got a letter in mail with a starting offer and a reporting date.  I showed up to the front gate on that date, and security didn't have my name on file to be able to let me in.  I showed them my letter.  They gave me a temporary badge and pointed me to the right direction.

I walked into the department area and knocked on the door of the lead.  He had no idea anyone was hired for his area.  He took me over to the manager of the area.  He didn't know who I was or even that the position had been filled.  But the paperwork was in order so they sat me at a desk.  Two weeks later, I finally got a phone and a computer and started working.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I always seem to have clothes trouble before interviews too.  I'm not a "fashionista" by any sense of the imagination.  I try for cold weather interviews because all my jackets are wool.  Most of my interviews have come spur of the moment, so I'm usually out trying to find something at the mall the night before.  

My biggest interview ever (and my first "business formalwear" position after college) and I'm at the mall the night before, trying to find a suit.  Ended up with black wool a size too big - you take what you can get in this town - and a blouse that really didn't fit right and, of course, the next day was one of those gorgeous sweltering October days that you get in the fall where the sun comes out and you bake like a chicken, one foolishly wearing a heavy black wool skirt and jacket.  

Then, the interviewer tells you you are going to lunch with some of the other managers so you have to crawl into his pickup truck trying to keep the skirt where it's supposed to be cause it's too big.  Luckily, you are already puffing up like a balloon because it's now 80 degrees out when it should be 40... purpleface

Lately I've just opted for pants and a lightweight jacket and nobody has seemed to notice I've skipped the whole skirt thing.

Guys have it too easy...  

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I intervied for a quality engineering position at an automotive supplier. When I arrived the office was in total chaos and I was asked to wait a litte while due to an urgent problem. Over an hour later the interview finally began. The room was filled with exhausted looking individuals who all looked like they had just ran a marathon.

Once the formal part of the sit down interview was over the Quality Manager asked the Senior Quality Engineer to give me a tour of the plant. As soon as we got onto the production floor the senior engineer said; I'm a Christian and I have to be honest with you about this place. Its not a good place to be and the company provides three emblemed shirts to wear. If you want more you will have to purchase them. I've never purchased anymore because I never know if I will be here from one day until the next. If that wasn't bad enough about 10 minutes later a representative from their customer showed up and started cursing this poor guy right in front of me.

Why is my handle 65Roses?
Please visit http://www.cff.org/aboutCFFoundation/About65Roses/ to learn why!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I only WISH someone would have warned me away from my last job!

My last job (I got fired from it after 89 days...) was partly owned by the first husband of the lady that owns the ladies' fitness place next to my store.  He passed away and the business went 100% to the son of the other co-owner, an older guy who would stop in once a week on his way to the golf course.  

After getting fired, and telling my neighbor about some of the awful things that had happened, she said, "oh, now I'm sorry I didn't tell you the way things really are there...my son hates it and doesn't want to go back next summer..." (he was a cad tech during the summers, it was his dad that passed away).  And I said, "next time I interview at one of your family's companies, warn me if it is that bad!"  And she said, "I thought I was biased, knowing the family that owns it, and I didn't want to say anything in case you liked it there".

At least we got a laugh out of it all!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Since college I've always want to be in the automotive industry but at that time didn't want to move to the midwest.  

My last semester I scored an interview with Honda R&D in Ohio.  I think it was our results from the Mini Baja competition that got me that interview.  Honda set up all flight, hotel and rental car arrangements.  The interview was a panel interview with HR, American Engineers and Japanese Engineers.  I had brought along some parts I had designed and manufactured from my motorcycle racing.  I also had a portfolio of my senior project with lots of pictures.  This was a perfect talking point for the Japanese engineers because they seemed to really like the pictures.  The interview went really well up until the point I open my big phat mouth and said I didn't want to sit in front of a computer the entire day.  Needless to say, I didn't get the job and 13 years later I sit in front of a computer most days.

In contrast, a year into my first job I decided to apply to an automotive assembly plant on the west coast.  I had a six person panel interview consisting of all engineers and one HR rep.  That was the most disorganized interview I have ever experienced.  I felt like a duck on opening day....pelted with questions.  On a couple of questions, I was not allowed to finish my answer before being hit with another question.  I'm not sure if it was a test to see how I handled the pressure or if they were really that disorganized.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 2.0 & Pro/E 2001
XP Pro SP2.0 P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

(In reference to David Beckham) "He can't kick with his left foot, he can't tackle, he can't head the ball and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that, he's all right."  -- George Best

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

The interview for my first job out of college was mundane - it was the travel that was interesting.  My car was in the shop and I asked around and finally secured a friend's motorcycle for the 70 mile trip.  Naturally, the day of the interview, it's pouring down rain.  So, I put on my dress shirt with a pair of shorts, packed my pants, dress shoes, socks, tie, jacket and a towel into a backpack, and cover that with a borrowed, waterproof ski jacket.  When I got to the building, I went into the bathroom in the main lobby, dried off and changed.  Of course the neon colors on the jacket had bled through the zipper and onto my crisp white shirt.  I covered the nice multi-colored stripe down the center of my shirt with my tie and made a mental note to keep it straight.  The interview went off without a hitch and I reversed the process and went home.

I got the job and about a year later recounted the story to the company owner that had interviewed me.  He laughed and said he had no idea...

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

My shortest interview, on campus:

him (Bell Labs): "Oh, I'm sorry, we're only interviewing people with GPA's above 3.5"

me (GPA:3.2): "Oh, well, thanks for talking to me."


Speaking of clothes; for a different interview, I wound up buying my interview suit on the way to the airport, because I had forgotten to pack it.

Someone else at work did something similar for an oral proposal.  We arrived at in a smallish town around 9pm, and someone had forgotten to pack their business suit, and wound up buying an off-the-rack at the local Kmart, just before they closed for the night, so we could do our presentation the next morning.

TTFN

Eng-Tips Policies FAQ731-376


RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I interviewed with an up-and-coming company that right off the bat asked if I knew anything about product X.  Nope.  Turns out, that's all they were interested in- looking for people familiar with it because they weren't.  Why they didn't just mention that on the phone and save me a day of my life, I don't know.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

To get into Frod Munter co, it went like this:

I was made redundant from a little aerospace company. I had been an industrial engineer (process planning, methods, work study, tool design, all that). This happened about 3 months before I was due to get married, so I needed work.

Frod was looking for line workers at the time, so I went along to their recruitment office and was promptly rejected, because I had QUALIFICATIONS.
However, the nice chap I saw said he would pass my details on to someone else in the company.

True to his word, he did. I eventually had an interview with a surly body-in-white foreman for a job as an hourly-paid inspector. Again, the fact that I had a qualification (albeit 'just' an HNC) seemed to be a negative for him.

He gave me some BIW drawings to read and asked some questions about them. I managed to answer his questions OK - the drawings were in some ways similar to other stuff I'd seen, but not worked with.
They offered me a job and I took it.

My pay went up by 21% compared to the staff engineering job that I'd been made redundant from. Hey ho.

After about 9 months of this, I was getting pretty bored and started looking around for another, more interestng, job and I was interviewed for a staff engineering job within Frod.
I was directed to a large building I had no familiarity with and arrived late because I couldn't find the interview location.
I entered and found myself in a room with about 11 people (supervisors and managers) - I thought I was in the wrong place.
Interview was not exactly sparkling. I answered their questions, which weren't very technically demandng, and left. I wasn't too worried, because I already had a job offer with another company that was quite interesting.

The same afternoon, while situate in the 'mens room', concentrating on a certain task, another of the inspection team came in and shouted 'is (WGJ) in here?'.
I told him 'Yep' through the locked door and was told that I was wanted in the manager's office to answer a phone call.

Thinking that the house had caught fire, wife been run over, etc., etc., I hurriedly got finfished and went to the manager's office where he handed me the phone.
It was the head of the interviewing team from the morning and he offered me a job in an engine design group. I accepted. On the day I started I asked him why he offered me the job and he said....' I thought you had a sense of humour'.

It's worn off a bit in the ensuing years.

Bill

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

A certain manufacturer of large diesel engines often used in railway engines and ships advertised for an FEA engineer.

I wrote back, and said that although I was experienced in FEA in general (and a whole lot of other relevant stuff) I had never used a modern pre or post processor.

So, I wandered up to the interview.

"Have you used package Z?"

"No, as I said in the letter, I have written pre and post processing software, and done a lot of FEA, but have never used a canned solution before"

"Oh, we seem to have been wasting your time"

Idiots.

The funniest one was rather like one of the above, I travelled by train and stayed in a hotel (booked by them). My friends later told me I got the job because my supervisor-to-be couldn't face putting in an expenses claim that was so large for an unsuccessful applicant.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I gave EddyC a star. Great story.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Off theme but worth recounting.

I was one day off moving 400 miles up to Scotland. I had quit my job and had no replacement, no career, had sold my house etc (there was a woman involved, you know the kind of thing). Anyway my mate phoned me up and told me that he might have a job for me. He had been in the pub the previous day and had happenened to talk to a friend who recruited into the automotive industry.

"How things ?" said my mate. "Really bad" was the reply "I'm trying to place someone who can do non-linear FEA up in Scotland - not a hope !". My mate said he knew my background and that I was moving to Scotland and would pass on details.

To cut a long story short, I went for an interview for a permanent job but as I just relocated and was 2 hours drive away they put me on a contract rate, provided me with IT and I worked from home for almost 3 years. When I went for my current position I had a reference for homeworking and so got offerred it again !

So in conclusion, I got a job as a results of a couple of drunks talking in a pup. Still dine out on that story.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

(OP)
Jordan,

Good story, but not sure why your friends had to do 'things' to a dog, can only assume that they must have been very drunk to have a conversation there

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Ah the bad interview stories.  These bring back memories from the days of college.  I think my most memorable one came from one of the largest companies in the US, lets just call them P. H. …

    I received a phone call from the university interview services about 3 months before graduation stating that P. H. was interested in interviewing me.  I was told that I had 2 interviews scheduled, each with a different division.  Well the evening before my first interview I went out got a hair cut, picked up my suit at the dry cleaners and got to bed nice and early.  The next morning I show up to the interview in a very formal suit (Jacket, Shirt, Tie, Vest, Pocket Square).  I thought the interview went well.  Two days later I had my other interview with a different division.  This interview was much more rigorous than the previous, but again I thought it went well.  I was able to answer every question with flying colors and never stumbled.  After a few weeks a bunch of my friends started getting their rejection letters in the mail, strangely enough I had not received anything yet.  I started to get exited thinking that I had made it though.  Sure enough three days later I got a letter telling me I had passed round 1 of the interviews and further directions would later follow.  This is where things took a strange turn…  A month later I received a letter in the mail from the first interviewer saying that the position had been filled and had a list of reasons I had not gotten the job.  The first thing on the list was in bold and it said my appearance was dirty and un-kempt with no professionalism.  I was dumbfounded… I mean I was clean cut, nails short, in a formal suit… what did they want me to wear a tux.  They even went on to say that next time I should consider wearing a suit and tie.  This told me they had no idea who I was, nor cared.  The second letter was from my other interviewer and it as well said the position had been filled.  It also went on to state that before I went into any more interviews I should make sure I know what the company does and prepare my self better to answer questions.  At this point I fell down laughing because I knew exactly what they did and was able to answer each question flawlessly.  Oh well, it was for the best… I promptly tacked the letters outside my door on the wall of rejection for all to read.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

My worst interview was with Rolls Royce Industrial Power Group at the Parsons works on Tyneside (since sold to Siemens) not long after graduation. The previous evening my mother had been rushed in to hospital and we had spent the entire night there. I was desperately looking for a job so I went to the interview at my father's insistence.

Knowing that I wasn't going to be at my best I tried to explain to the interviewer that I hadn't slept in the past 24 hours but I was so interested in the job that I didn't want to cancel the interview and miss out. He growled something like "he wasn't interested in sob stories" and the interview started on the wrong foot. It went downhill pretty quickly from there: my mind wasn't properly focussed - my mother was still in hospital - and he accused me of wasting his time and said I would never get a job with his company. I had even less diplomacy then than I have now, but I remember thinking that I couldn't afford a new suit if I ruined the one I was wearing slugging it out with the interviewer so I informed him that I would never work for a moron like him and would rather sweep the streets, said a cheery 'thanks! goodbye' to the receptionist on the way out and sat fuming in the car for about half an hour. I didn't even get a letter telling me I hadn't got the job.
 

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  Sometimes I only open my mouth to swap feet...

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

My worst interview was for a summer internship after my junior year. The company needed someone to help out with their mechanically separated chicken line. They offered $6/hr but the plant was an hour away from the city where my school was, so they told me I had to find an apartment to live in (and pay for myself) during the summer or ride with one of of the higher up guys an hour each way every day.

I remember thinking they had to be freakin' kidding and I ended up working at a power plant for $15/hr.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I interviewed with a company in 1999 that was located approximately 2 hours drive from my house.  After I arrived, I met with HR, did the usual yada, yada, yada.  Then I met with the hiring manager.  I'll call him  Richard. (Name has been changed to protect the guilty.  The nickname is quite appropriate! )  We started off cordially, but over the next few minutes it became VERY obvious that the guy was a total jerk, and was a "my-way-or-the-highway kind of person".  Having previously left a similar type of situation, I wanted none of it.  The hiring manager started into another diatribe on how he wanted things done, and I said " Pardon me, but how long was the previous person in this role?".  He sort of mumbled something then finally said "About a year."  I politely informed him that I was done, and that I had no further interest.  I got up and returned to the HR generalists office.  She asked me how it went, and I told her that I had wrapped it up early and I was leaving.  She said, "OH MY!  You are the third candidate to walk out early on Richard, this week!  I couldn't get out of there fast enough!  I thoroughly enjoyed the drive home knowing I wasn't going to be his next miserable serf!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Ok I thought of another good story.  This one did not happen to me, but rather my good friend from across the hall in school.

It was our senior year and we were both looking for jobs.  He is kind of a home town type of guy and wanted a job back up in Michigan near where he grew up.  Well he found a company near his home town that was looking for an engineer, he thought it sounded perfect.  The company was a family owned business still run by the original founder, he must have been in his low to mid 90's because his son's and 1 grand son had already retired from the company.

Well my friend walked in for his interview and waited for about a half an hour for the guy to show up.  Apparantely he was having some sort of problems in the bathroom and was not ashamed to admit it to my friend.  Right away the guy started by telling my friend that he had to shave his mustache and goate if he even wanted to be considered.  This guy was very old fashioned and wanted everyone to look a certain way.  He even said he mandated that everyone get a hair cut every 2-3 weeks, and you could be fired for having long hair.  Still my friend sat and tried to continue on with the interview.  Then it happened...  The older gentleman out of no where started saying how he would never hire a person of color (fill in the racism here) or a woman.  He then went on to question my friends views on the subject and started questioning his religon.  Apparantely this guy would have been better off on an old slave ship rather than running a company.  Well my friend had enough and stood up, said thanks but no thanks and walked out.

When he got back I about fell out of my chair hearing the story.  It is amazing how some people can be still to this day.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I was in the local pub with my previous boss once when he announced that he shouldn't really have had the third pint because he was interviewing someone that afternoon.  He had to excuse himself twice during that interview.  The interviewee didn't take the job.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

When I applied for my current job, I drank 2 beers and a full bottle of wine together with the interviewer during the interview. (I guess it must be a French thing smile ). One thing is sure, the closer you get to the bottom of the bottle, the closer you get to the contract.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

(OP)
SomptingGuy

I like that one...I'd love to see that become the normal. I think it would make the interviewee much more at ease to know beforehand that the the interviewer was already driven to drink before the interviewee has even started.

Of course it could all escalate and turn in to a competition to see who couls be the most drunk before they both start

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I was fourteen years old after graduating with my BS. I went for an interview to be the lead engineer at Los Alamos. When I arrived the personnel lady seemed to take an unusual interest in me. Because of my super-human intelligence and extreme good looks, several personal questions were asked about everything from my religion to political leanings to blood type and finally my feelings regarding in-vitro fertilization. I was told that I would need to submit to a thorough physical examination which would include submitting to anesthesia. When I awoke I was laying in a bathtub filled with ice-water. My kidney had been removed, and I think I may have fathered our 43rd president.

Have a nice weekend!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I interviewed a company in Texas a while ago.  

They took me to a German restaurant for lunch.  Eveyone else ordered iced tea.  I had a beer.  I couldn't bring myself to drink iced tea with sauerbraten.  



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

"I interviewed a company in Texas a while ago. "

Interesting choice of words - maybe I should look at it as me interviewing them, not the other way around, next time...

"Eveyone else ordered iced tea.  I had a beer."

Did you get that job?  Because I'll try the beer thing, too, on my next interview...

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I was sponsored at university by a company; in return I worked for them during vacations and undertook to work for them for a set period after I had graduated. This was the first time that the company had done this kind of thing and there were two of us involved although we were from different departments within the company.
Some months after graduation, all was going smoothly when the company decided that it would interview the two of us (for evaluating our future prospects within the company) but we would be interviewed by our opposite directors (vice presidents to you US guys). Anyway, since I worked in the design department I was to be interviewed by the Works (Operations) Director who was known to be a bit of a ba…..rd with his underlings.
The interview didn’t go too well as I was standing up to his attitude.
Eventually he said words to the effect that “ have you ever been in an interview when the interviewer says that the interview is over and that you can go; but just as you place your hand on the door handle he calls you back and gives you the biggest rifting of your life?” I replied that I hadn’t, to which he replied that the interview was over and I could go.
As I got up and approached the door and went to place my hand on the door handle I was shaking, convinced that he was going to call me back and let me have both barrels. Much to my relief he didn’t and I left the room. It was quite the most nerve-racking interview I have ever had.


On another occasion, I was interviewed for a job (different company) where candidates were interviewed two at a time (i.e. simultaneously) by one interviewer but for different jobs – bizarre or what?
 

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

You should always consider an interview as a two-way exchange of information.  Even just thinking that way affects your demeanor, and you are perceived as dealing from a position of strength.

I didn't get that job.  It wasn't the beer.  More, below.


I didn't particularly want it, either.  

Everyone on salary in that company was white, and they all lived in the same neighborhood, comprising identical brick houses and manicured lawns.  The gates at the edges of the development were not physically closed or guarded, but it was walled off in every other possible way.

I'd have much preferred to live in the shady ramshackle town where the local blacks lived, or the salty village where the Hispanic fishermen lived.  Given the state of, well, apartheid, that existed there, not so very long ago, it probably wouldn't have been a good idea to try.


<below>
Information was transferred in other channels, too.  He never said so outright, but the next week, The Chairman of my then employer  made a wisecrack that strongly suggested they had spoken to him about me.  I was not real impressed with their ethics.


I'd go ahead and have the beer if it complements the food.

I'd be cautious about befriending The Chairman.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

"I interviewed a company in Texas a while ago...They took me to a German restaurant for lunch.  Eveyone else ordered iced tea.  I had a beer.  I couldn't bring myself to drink iced tea with sauerbraten."

I'm not sure how that counts as a bad interview experience.  Being in Texas myself, I can tell you that I've never been to a German restaurant and would probably get soda pop myself.  But there seems to be plenty of beer consumed in the area, so I don't think you'd stand out one way or the other.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

MikeH
I inerviewed in a state very near Texas.  While two of the interviewers driving me around we passed a park where there were several little league baseball games going on. I made a comment on the uniforms the kids were wearing.  They had everything the same and it was all part of the uniform, shirts, soxs, shoes etc.  I though it was kind of spendy just to play ball.  The interviewer expalined that by requiring full uniforms they kept a lot of "undesirable people" out of the league.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I had the engineering manager walk in and the first words out of his mouth (besides cordial greetings) was "so... what's wrong" (as in why are you looking to change jobs).  Needless to say that was a check mark in the negative column and I squealed the tires on the car as I left the parking lot of that place!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I interviewed for a manufacturing engineer position several years ago and was given a standard aptitude test.  There were several questions like:  Would you like to sort library books?  I answered NO, I would not like to sort library books.  The output of that aptitude test showed that I was weak with math.  How could I have made it through BS and MS courses in engineering and be weak on math?  The test was intended for general population, not engineers!  I would like to build an automated system for sorting library books, now that would be cool.  By the way, I totally aced the spatial manipulation portion of the test!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Sounds like a rediculously stupid IQ test.  We could all do that too and compare genitallia while we're at it.  Is that what companies are looking for in an engineer today?

FYI:  I just applied for a job online.  OK, pretty standard stuff, copy-n-paste your resume/CV here.  Then, there were a serious of multiple choice questions.  These questions were developed by the hiring manager and this website to screen potential candidates.  You must answer these questions accurately in order to have you application forwarded to the hiring manager.  I passed those 10 questions and quite frankly, if those represent the level of difficulty in the position, they best not be advertising a Senior Mechancial Engineering position and go find a high school or AA-degree graduate.  By the way, the website stated "Congratulations!  You passed this portion of the screening process, you may not proceed to the open ended questions."

Next came 4 open-ended questions.  Same notice applies that I must post an answer to each question or my app will not be sent to the hiring manager.  Of course, since these are open ended questions that a human must review, there is no right or wrong answer in order to my app to be sent on, I just had to place a character in the text box.

Answer #1.
"I would be more than willing to conduct an on-site or telephone interview to answer these questions.  A static, text-based answer via a website will not fully highlight the qualities, characteristics, and skills associated with a Senior Mechanical Engineer."

Answers #2-4.
"Please see above."

I filled out that application Saturday (today being Monday).  I'm curious to see if I get a response.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I have two interview "lovely" experiences;

1)  I was interviewing for a term job while in my sophomore year at school.  I interviewed with the systems manager.  It went so-so although I got the feeling the guy didn't like my "attitude", didn't get the job.  I interviewed again the next year, same guy, well he proceeds to grill me with hard question after harder question until I slip up and says "Ha, well if you can't answer that I don't know how you expect to do this job....."  The 2nd chair apologizes to me after the interview and doesn't understand why his boss has a mad on for me.  I interview with the design manager (director) of the same company less than a month later and get the job easy breezy.  I'm walking around the office and pass by Manager 1's office, he sees me and says "I thought I told you, you couldn't do this job?"  I turn to him and says, "Your boss thinks differently." and I walk along.

2)  I'm interviewing for a company, and after the "social event" I find I have no interest in it as they want you to be an automaton.  So I get my drink on at the event, show up to the aptitude test late....ace it, and go to the interview thinking I'm going to ignore that too.  Well I expected it to be the stuffed shirt manager at the event, turns out to be this bird just out of college.  So I straighten up and give a great interview.  Afterward she asks if I'd like to know how I did, I said sure, "She said she thought that it was great but that I wouldn't be getting the job", trying to look disappointed I said "Why?", she says the big stuffed shirt didn't think I was "P&G material". I shrugged my shoulders and then convinced her to have dinner with me that night before she left town.  I figure I traded up.

Frank "Grimey" Grimes
Rule 25. of Swanson's "Unwritten Rules of Management"
Have fun at what you do. It will reflect in your work. No one likes a grump except another grump.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Shortly after graduation I was interviewing at a company in Ft. Wayne Indiana.  Part of their interview process included a psychological evaluation test on a computer.  It asked me a bunch of questions that had nothing to do with my engineering ability, but I must admit they made me laugh.  Below are some examples...

1) Do you smoke crack?
   a. 5x+ a day
   b. 1-5x a day
   c. on ocassion
   d. never
2. Do you frequently wet your pants?
   a. often
   b. sometimes
   c. never
3. Do you have violent thoughts?
   a. Every day
   b. once a week
   c. once a month
   d. never
4. Have you ever deficated in your pants while on the job? (this was my favorite... lol)
   a. yes
   b. no

Needless to say, the results of this 3 hour long test of questions like the above showed that I had the tendancies of a hostile employee.  It also said that I had deep seeded issues with authority figures.  They actually based their hiring on this test.... They even reccomended I see a shrink...  Oh well.... At least I only wet my self once a day now! :)

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I also appleid for a job online (say position XYZ) in the end of the job description were 2 of the stupidiest questions that I  ever saw:

Q#1: Do you seek a job as XYZ?
Q#3: Are you ready to send your CV?

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Applying for a position in a defence (defense for americans) related company I was asked if I'd ever been a terrorist. Bet that catches a few out!

corus

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

(OP)
MedicineEng & sbozy25,

Both these posts remind me of a 'design intent understanding' test (whata name, before I started I was already wondering what HR guru had come up with that one) that I took during an interview a few years ago.

I was presented with a 'black box' and a set of tools and asked to describe the function of various parts in the box. I was given a sheet of paper with some questions that I had to answer, which started out like this...

1. What is lever A's main function?
2. Lever A controls the position of Plate C. When can Plate C be moved?
3.(At this point I was on the floor laughing) Once Plate C has been moved by indexing Lever A and Lever B, where will its final position be?

To be fair to the questionaire, each question was on a seperate page.....

HR....the answer to all of life's puzzling questions

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK
 

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

prohammy, was the alternative title of the test "how to clear paper from a jammed photocopier"? The questions look an awful lot like the instructions on our new Xerox!

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

corus, have you ever filled in the paperwork for a security clearance.  They have a list of questions like that.

Even better is the immigration paperwork to enter the US, be it the Visa waiver form or for a Visa.

Classics along the lines of:

"Are you, or have you ever been a member of the Nazi Party"

"Are you, or have you ever been, part of an organization committed to the overthrow of the government by force"

I think there's one about Moral Turpitude too.

Back on topic, I once got to an interview at a defence company and needed to use the toilet.  I asked the receptionist if it was OK to leave my brief case at reception while I went  and she said sure.  I went, came back a few minutes later and the receptionist I'd talked to was gone and her relief had decided my briefcase may be a bomb and was starting to take the appropriate action!  Didn't exactly calm my nerveswinky smile

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Plain and simple - Interviewers should get some sleep the night before too.  

Went into the interview with 3 interviewers who all had the same sheet of questions.  They went round and round the table, each asking the next question on the list.  The 3rd guy was interesting though, he fell asleep IMMEDIATELY after asking a question and then would wake up after a long pause when the 2nd guy was done with his Q/A and ask a question and go back to sleep.  And when I say go to sleep I don't mean he put his head down or just closed his eyes.  I mean he leaned way back in his chair, leaned his head WAY back, and started light snoring.  

I honestly didn't think I would get the job or even a call/letter do to the obvious lack of interest on his part.  Fortunately he was just the HR guy and the other two were my future boss and my bosses boss.  Still at the company 2 years later and we have a good laugh now and then over the memeory.

EOIT

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

I remember wondering what on earth 'Acts of moral turpitude" were and remarked to one of the cabin crew that I had no idea what they were but that they sounded fun. To this day I don't know what they are, but I said 'no' on the form and they let me in.
 

----------------------------------
  Sometimes I only open my mouth to swap feet...

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

1.  I was interviewing with this guy who started to get a little upset about my resume.  I think at the time I was a designer for a company that produced electric torque wrenches, and his companies product was different but it was a design job nonetheless.  Anyways, he started getting angry for some reason.  I was telling him the products I have worked on in the past (from concept to production).  Then he asks: "But what have you 'Designed'?"  And he was pretty irrate at this point.  I was at a loss for words.  And this would of been the guy I would of worked for.  Then he starts telling me how I should word my resume.  This was the first time I almost walked out of an interview.  Must of been my tie.  Or I looked like the guy that bullied him in school.

2.  I had an interview that lasted all day.  I met with about 7 or 8 people (seperately).  Everone said it was the greatest company to work for and they would never leave even though they made less money (they were actually fortune 100).  But by the end of the day (after listening to them describe their typical week) all I heard was:  "We work 60-70 hours a week with no overtime.  Then go home eat dinner and log onto the network and spend an additional 2-3 hours a night" (in additon to the 60-70 hours already put in).  The last guy to interview me says to me "I just don't get the impression that you are excited about this opportunity" :)

3.  I was interviewing for a design position.  One of the guys I interviewed with was a sales engineer.  He asks me what I would do if I was fully loaded with work and some engineer needed me to work on something additional.  I started giving him all kinds of ideas (overtime...getting help from other departments or whatever...he made up excuses for not being able to do any of it).  Everything I said was wrong.  Apparently the answer he was looking for was "Tell him you are not going to do it!".  What??!! I was speachless.  I wish I worked for a compnay like that :)  Might as well tell someone that its not my job.

4. Had one of my pants leg tucked into my sock.  Not sure if they noticed ;)

5.  Lived in Pittsburgh at the time and got an interview in a small town in New York.  It was a 10 or 12 hour drive I think.  So I sprung for a plane ticket (130 bucks round trip i think).  One of their guys picks me up at the airport.  The interview goes well and a couple of days later they offered me the job.  Anyways, I had another offer that I new was a better opportunity and had accepted the day before.  I thanked the lady for the opportunity and she went off on me!  Telling me that they had wasted all this time and energy on me. Wasted?  All they did was pick me up at the airport.  Sure it was nice of them but I did buy my own ticket.  Would of taken a cab if I would of known that.  Everyone they hired was laid off after 3 months too.

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

Alright,  I have to put my two bits in.

Back in '91 I was going through the standard college placement service interview for an engineering job with a large US oil company.  Times were tough then for engineers with a recession on and of mass layoffs.   like any other prepared interviewee I was all dressed up, and well versed on this particular company.  I show up at the interview, sit down, and the interviewer starts the interview this way:  "Well, before we get to far into this interview, I must tell you that there are no positions available, I'm sure you have heard that we are currently in process of laying off 35,000 people."  He continues by telling me that he is getting canned and is only doing the interview as a requirement for him to obtain his severance package.  Then the weasel asks me if I know of anyone who is hiring and if I wouldn't mind taking a few of his resume’s to interviews that I go to if someone else I interview with is looking for experienced engineers.  I tell the guy that if he folds his resume' just right, he can shove it all the way up his bung hole. I thank him for wasting my time, and walk out.

Only later did I find out that to hold their position within the university placement office for subsequent semesters, the oil company had to conduct interviews regardless of whether or not there was any intent to hire.  What a bunch of crapola.

Thanks eng-tip.com, I've waited 16yrs to get that off my chest.  

RE: Worst Interview Experiences

As I have worked only for two companies in my 20+ professional life, I have no big experience in interviews, and luckily no bad one's at all. But I would like to tell about a funny interview from last year.
I have now consulting company together with a partner. The company is relatively new and at that time it was not widely known. I received a phone call (on my personal mobile!) from a guy from HR consulting company. He invited me on interview and I met him just for curiosity. The guy informed me that somebody (undisclosed person, who knows me very well) proposed me for a Division Manager position in local branch of some West European company. Name of the company cannot be disclosed to me before I pass several tests, i.e. before HR consultants decide that I am more or less suitable for the position. I was given  only a general explanation about the area of responsibilities for this position. Of course I informed him that I have now my business and the offer must be REALLY GOOD to allow to me leave it. But anyway I promised to think a bit and to give him an answer in a few days.
Four days later we met again and I said the guy: OK, in mean time I made my homework. The position you are looking person for is in company XXX, up to the last month YYY was on this position, but now he took a higher position in company ZZZ. The salary I can expect from you proposal is approximately AAAA Euro. You should see the HR guy at that moment blushing !!!
Of course I could simply refuse the position by telephone, but I needed to see his reaction, because of all these secrets from our first meeting.
And after that I told him that the position is not interesting for me, but if he needs I could suggest him another candidate. I gave him a telephone of a lady who works for another company and according to me has reached her maximum at this place. HR guy seemed quite enthusiastic, but I don't know if they really interviewed her at all. Anyway I know who finally took the position and I am sure the HR's customer lost a good professional. Sorry for the lady, if only she haven't refused the position too. I haven't seen her recently (and I never told her about this story, of course) - it would be very good and deserved chance for her.

------------------------
It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

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