People are sharing the job interview ‘red flags’ that said it wasn’t the role for them – 29 favourites
It started when the great Jim Felton shared a story about a rather unusual job interview he had, and asked people to share the ‘red flags’ they spotted in interviews which suggested it really wasn’t the role for them.
I once went for a job interview and there was no door handle on the interview room. To open it, they had to borrow “the spoon” from the boss and jam it in the mechanism.
What’s the biggest red flag you’ve had in an interview that a job wasn’t right for you?
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 21, 2019
And it prompted all sorts of responses, most of them very funny and some of them totally jaw-dropping.
Here are our 29 favourites.
1.
I went for an interview with a ‘charity fundraising company’. In his tiny office he said ‘have you read about me in the papers? They said I’m running a scam operation which is bollocks excuse my French’ The he gave me a tin and told me to stand and shake it in Farringdon station.
— Shappi Khorsandi (@ShappiKhorsandi) 21 July 2019
2.
Not during the interview, but two minutes after I’d arrived to start work at Jeremy Hunt’s Hotcourses my manager said, “Now you’re gonna hear a lot of bad stuff about the company. I want you to ignore that.”
— Jonn Elledge (@JonnElledge) 21 July 2019
3.
Spent an hour in their open plan office and not a single phone rang.
— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) 21 July 2019
James that sounds like my ideal job
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) 21 July 2019
Not as a newsroom though.
🙂— James Doleman (@jamesdoleman) 21 July 2019
4.
I interviewed for a counselling position attached to a local church. The priest who interviewed me opened his study wearing aviator sunglasses. He chain smoked throughout, with a huge overflowing ashtray. And as I left I noticed a machete on top of the photo copier.
— Winnie (@WCullmac) 21 July 2019
5.
I was being interviewed once facing 4 people across a table , one asked ” why do you want to join us “, I heard ” why dont you come and join us”, picked up my chair and sat at the end of their line……didnt get the job
— Tigertim (@asmallteaser) 21 July 2019
6.
I once did an interview for Pets At Home for their head office, and being terrible at remembering good questions to ask them, when they said “do you have any questions for us?” I said “yes, what’s your favourite pet?” They stared looking really disappointed in me.
— Bethany Black (@BeffernieBlack) 21 July 2019
7.
Huff Post explaining that, whilst they valued my expertise, wit and writing skills, they didn’t actually have a budget for salary… but think of the exposure I’d get!
I pointed out Arianna Huffington is worth $50m, so they could take my salary out of hers.
Didn’t get the gig.
— Russ (@RussInCheshire) 21 July 2019
8.
I went for a job at an advertising agency and was taken through to a room with bizarre low, deep leather chairs. Throughout the interview, the leather creaked fart noises and as we finished, the interviewer had to hoist me up as I literally couldn’t by myself. Hideous.
— Ms Hatie Kopkins (@Hatie_Kopkins__) 21 July 2019
9.
As she hoisted me up, she fell back into her chair, taking me with her. Her chair tipped backwards, also taking me too. The both of us were left with our legs in the air, unable to manoeuvre ourselves until the receptionist heard our yelps to be rescued.
— Ms Hatie Kopkins (@Hatie_Kopkins__) 21 July 2019
10.
I once worked as a secretary for an independent financial advisor who worked from a home office. He locked the door behind me when I arrived and showed me to my office which jad a 6ft oak crucifix with an ivory Christ.
— Bethany Black (@BeffernieBlack) 21 July 2019
11.
Went for a publishing gig and the owner of the company spent ten minutes telling me his Gucci shoes were more comfortable than mine. There then followed two years of a five-hour round trip commute until he drove the company into administration. Redundancy was bliss.
— David (@PermaConfused) 21 July 2019
12.
Intvw at a round table; panel of two men and a woman. Notice a sensation on my leg. Move my leg. Look at man closest to me. Give him ‘Please stop’ vibes while continuing to answer questions. Leg touches continue.
*No one* had mentioned the woman’s Alsatian was under the table.
— Ruth Goldsmith (@ru_goldsmith) 22 July 2019
13.
Email with an interview time/date was addressed to Brian.
— stEwasaurus (@EwaSR) 21 July 2019
14.
The one where the manager told me I’d have to wear skirts above the knee if I wanted the job and I replied ‘only if you do too’ because I thought he was joking.
— Maggie May Not (@MightMaggie) 21 July 2019
