15+ Job Interviews That Took an Unexpected Turn

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking, not only because you are being judged by other people, but also because there’s a lot riding on it — like your future career and income. And the unexpected questions or twists only add to the jitters. Sometimes, these meetings end really well or really bad, and at other times, they can feel like a scene from a comedy movie.

Now I’ve Seen Everything gathered 17 stories about job interviews, that could easily remind you of your own memorable work applications.

• In the middle of my interview, the manager asked me if my current workplace (the one that I was trying to leave) was hiring. When I said I didn’t know, he asked if I’d be willing to drop off a resumé for him anyway. © Errorboros / Reddit
• At an interview for a tech startup, they asked me, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?” I answered with “otter” because, you know, they’re fun, active, work well with their hands, and are cute. They really debated whether or not to hire me because of that answer because, and I quote, “We only hire predators, never prey.” © rileysweeney / Reddit

• Applied for a job selling cars at a dealership. “No experience required. Will train.” It all seemed to be going well and the guy actually said I would be a really good candidate, but he would not hire me because I was a woman and he had married men working as salesmen and I might have affairs with them. I was angry because he was never going to give me the job in the first place. © Donna Currie / Quora
• I was pawned off unsuspectingly to the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of a company five minutes into my interview with the CEO (Chief Executive Officer). The CFO had no idea what to ask, so he went the “Tell me your biggest flaws” way. I was so dejected that I said “You’ll have to hire me to find out.” The interview ended five minutes later. I spent 30 minutes crying at the parking lot. But I got the job. © Cleverpseudonym4 / Reddit
• I was interviewed at a fast-food restaurant and didn’t get the job because “Your hands are too big to use gloves.” © aKawaiiLizard / Reddit

• Once I went to a job interview and the guy interviewing me answered a call and talked on the phone for exactly 28 minutes while I sat there across the desk, waiting. Didn’t even ask me to step out. I know this because I looked at my watch a few times trying to look annoyed. I actually got the job and I’ve been in this company for 10 years. © silk_mitts_top_****s / Reddit
• In a group interview, the interviewer crossed a line through my name on the list he had after I told him what I graduated in. And this was within the first 5 minutes of a 40-minute meeting.
  © Testosteroxin / Reddit
• I was about 22 and very unsure of myself, so... The accountant who was looking for an assistant took me to the company cafeteria for coffee. We filled our styrofoam cups, sat down, and he asked questions, very kindly, while I did my best to answer with confidence. Then my cup began to leak. Coffee just started quietly seeping out the sides. I had no idea what to do. I tried to hide it. Tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. There were no nearby napkins. The leak leaked faster. I froze. Bless his heart, he finally noticed, got up, found some napkins, and I figured out what to do with them. © Kathryn Berck / Quora
• When I was being interviewed at a car factory, I was asked questions to check my qualifications. After a couple of standard questions, I heard an unusual one: “How much horsepower does one horse have?” Surprisingly, I knew the answer because a couple of months ago, I couldn’t sleep and I was watching a show where they said that 1 average horse can have up to 15 horsepower. I don’t know why I remembered it. But even useless facts might actually be useful. © force / Pikabu

• I was invited to an interview but the guard wouldn’t let me in. I told him where I was going, I told him my name, asked him to call and check. I called the number myself and they told me they didn’t know who I was. I left. Then they called me and asked me why I didn’t come. © TheTavrist / AdMe
• I had a job interview in a cozy office and there was a big mirror next to the door. Everything seemed to be fine. I said goodbye and walked through the mirror instead of the door. Everyone was shocked. The mirror was okay but I felt embarrassed. © Podslushano / VK
• Applied to work at a vet clinic. The veterinarian did the interview while spaying a cat, apparently one of the cleanest and quickest surgeries they do. I fainted. Was not offered the job. © Remembers_that_time / Reddit

• I was in a taxi with my future boss and she suddenly asked me, “How old do you think I am? It’s okay, tell me.” She looked 45 but I decided to say 35. She got offended and said, “How did you guess?” The rest of the way was spent in silence. © misakorol / Pikabu
• I was at a job interview and I didn’t like the fact that 5 HR people were asking me questions. They spent an hour asking me about my management style, what I would do if my employees had a conflict, how I would control them. After each answer I gave, they looked at each other mysteriously and smiled. At the end of the interview, I asked them, “How many subordinates will I even have?” They said, “None.” © St***none / Pikabu
• The weirdest question I’ve ever heard was, “What will you do if your colleague’s socks smell bad in the office.” They were trying to make me say that I would fight the colleague. © krambabulya / Pikabu
• It was my first “professional” law firm interview. I was SO nervous. I had applied for a legal secretary position. The attorney whose name was on the door would be interviewing me so I was a nervous wreck. When he walked into the room, I stood up, introduced myself, and shook his hand. He looked me up and down and said “Yeah, you’ll do.” I turned around and walked out without saying another word. © PaisleyPuff / Reddit

• Interviewer: Has a previous employer ever asked you to do anything illegal? (He had a smug look on his face, thinking I would be flustered.)
  Me: Yes, they asked me to take a copyrighted image and tweak it so we wouldn’t get caught.
  Interviewer: Wow... what did you do?
  Me: I said no, and I am now trying to determine if you are going to ask me to do something illegal in this prospective job.
  He spent the next 20 minutes apologizing and swearing he just thought it was a fun interview question. © tidblgr10 / Reddit

Have you ever had any awkward job interviews in your life?