Ever blow an interview?

[BelemNole]

Pretty sure I did yesterday.
Call from their recruiter came out of the blue, but I was interested. Phone interview went well. Had lunch last week with the guy who would be my boss if hired and that went well.
Then the interview. I can't recall one going that poorly since I was right out of school. Think the job was mine until I stepped foot in there.
Not sure if I was too confident or if I wanted it too badly. Need out of this current gig in a bad way.

 

[NDallasRuss]

I'm pretty sure that the right answer is that no one in here has ever had to "interview" for a "job" before.

That being said... Kind of. I interviewed for a job at AOL. Part of the interview was around their local "Patch" websites in which local writers contribute local-specific content to their local site. I was familiar with the concept and the sites, but made the mistake of describing it as a content "aggregator". since I'm not a web developer, this description seemed accurate to me - they collected local content that they put on the local site. Apparently it means something else to web people - taking unoriginal content and then providing descriptions and links to other peoples' work. Still not a big difference to me, but to them, that pretty well sealed my fate. Anyway, that's the closes I've come. In retrospect, I'm not disappointed that I didn't get the gig - I've heard it's a pretty rough place to work.

 

[seminoledq]

What make you think you blew it? Not know any answers to their questions? Didn't brush up on their company before you went?

 

[BelemNole]

Just a feeling. Some of the questions that should have been easy sort of got off the rails. Questions about why I'm leaving my current job and why I won't have the same dissatisfaction at the new place. It really should have been a slam dunk but some-how just seems to go pear-shaped. It's difficult for me to describe what a shit-show my current company is without getting some of the shit on me I guess.

I've not gotten offers before, but most of the time it was for jobs that I didn't want and perhaps even expressed that at the end of the interview after discussing what they were really looking for. And the weirdness that was the Apple interviews a few years back didn't bother me either when it didn't end in an offer. But I need out of this place and this was a good job. I'll be disappointed if it turns out I tripped over my dick.

 

[Fijimn]

Yep; big law firm interview at school It was clear that the d-heads were just interested in the top 1 of our class and the rest of us were just fillers. One particular d-head asked me the most ridiculous questions bs (if you were a mammal, what mammal would you be....what part of a burger would you be). I was not amused. Came to the part of the interview where I'm supposed to ask a question and, to this day, I recall it like it was yesterday:

Me: No, no question, just a little pissed off.
Douche No. 1: [smirking] why is that, we were nice enough to grant you an interview.
Me: Yeah, but now I owe my buddy $50
Douche No.2: why is that?
Me: Well, he said that everyone in XYZ firm are assholes and I bet him $50 that he was wrong.

With that, picked up my stuff and walked out.

 

[DanC78]

Yes...had job in the bag. All I had to do is act like I wanted it. And I did want it, but was interviewing for another job that I really wanted but was an arms length out of my league, but I had hope.

Long story short, I didn't get the job that I really wanted and ended up not getting the job that I had in the bag and also wanted.

They went with a candidate who was less qualified but had more "want". They said he was persistent with follow up etc...I acted entitled.

Any how...made a big mistake. Should have been enthusiastic worh better follow up.

I didn't get either one of the jobs.

 

[BelemNole]

Fiji, that's not blowing it, that's doing it right.
I had an interview years back with a geology firm that was going well until they called in the head honcho. Guy looked like he slept in his car - for a month.
He looked at my resume, looked bored, then asked me one question - "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
I was 30, had 2 degrees, little experience, and was applying for a very junior position so I told him the truth. I said "I'm not sure, but I'd like to find out if this is it. I'll bust my ass doing all the dirty work no one else wants to do and learn everything there is to learn." He tosses my resume back on the table says "come back when you decide what you want to be" and leaves the room. That was it.

He ended up getting fired later and working at a company I was at and they wanted me to work with his group since my background fit. I approached him about it and he asked me again "what do you want to be when you grow up?" I told him not an asshole and we didn't team up lol.

 

[weagle98]

Once while in college we had group interviews and went to Lithonia Lighting in Lithonia, GA. It was round robin where you met with 5 different people. The first four rocked and I did really well I felt. The last one was with this mid-level manager who stayed on the phone the entire time. We only had about 20 min with each person and he wouldn't get off the phone. I didn't have the confidence that I have now in these type of situations. I didn't get an offer. Now days I would have given him a speech about needing his attention, I wouldn't care if it was the CEO. Live and learn.

Back when it was a lot easier to get IT jobs I had an interview at Sprint's call center in Orlando. They were conducting interviews in a conference room right out of the entry way to the call center. The call center people would walk by the receptionist which was right next to us to go to the bathroom or break room. One of the call center people stopped by the receptionist and asked her if she was coming back to the call center and she replied "Not a chance in hell" and then said some other negative stuff. I sat there for a minute, got up and told her "I don't think this job is right for me" and walked out.

I also had a panic attack once on a phone interview where I just started kind of freaking out, could hardly say anything, and told them I had to go. It was the first and only time that has ever happened to me.

 

[Fijimn]

Fiji, that's not blowing it, that's doing it right.
I had an interview years back with a geology firm that was going well until they called in the head honcho. Guy looked like he slept in his car - for a month.
He looked at my resume, looked bored, then asked me one question - "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
I was 30, had 2 degrees, little experience, and was applying for a very junior position so I told him the truth. I said "I'm not sure, but I'd like to find out if this is it. I'll bust my ass doing all the dirty work no one else wants to do and learn everything there is to learn." He tosses my resume back on the table says "come back when you decide what you want to be" and leaves the room. That was it.

He ended up getting fired later and working at a company I was at and they wanted me to work with his group since my background fit. I approached him about it and he asked me again "what do you want to be when you grow up?" I told him not an asshole and we didn't team up lol.

Yeah - hindsight it wasn't too smart and our Dean of Students and Director of Recruiting were not amused. I didn't exactly go to Harvard, so ticking of big firms that are recruiting at your school does not go over well. They wanted me to write a letter of apology. I told them that wasn't going to happen--it ended up where the Dean called over to the firm and apologized for me (probably lied and said that I was very apologetic, under a lot of stress, yadada). Funny thing - the firm imploded a few years later.

I did blow my interview at the Houston D.A.'s office. A Nole alumnus called me in for an interview. I was pretty excited, thought it would be great opportunity. About three questions into the interview, I realized that I was not cut-out to be a D.A. You have to have a mentality that they are guilty and need to go to jail - no excuses. Come from al bad family, f-you go to jail, Mom's on crack and daddy is in jail, f-you go to jail; stealing to feed you baby, f-you go to jail. We ended up have a 20 philosophical discussion and the criminal system - and she ended it with "I do not believe that you belong here."

 

[BelemNole]

lol, at the end of the Apple interview they asked me if I had any questions and I said "yes, plenty, but you won't answer any of them." They replied that that was a fair comment - as they had refused to tell me what the project was or what I would be doing or anything really. Every question was a very general hypothetical - for 8 hours. I wasn't surprised when my interview process ended after that day.

 

[Gonolz]

Yeah, I blew one with a big law firm. I was interviewing mostly with DC firms and a few NYC firms for a summer position, but decided to take a flyer on a firm out of Columbus, OH with which one of my section student mentors had done a summer gig and accepted a permanent offer. He was cool and said it was a totally laid back place that I wouldn't be able to find in DC or NYC.

I had the last interview slot on a Thursday afternoon at 4:30. I went to a pretty cool school where the Student Bar Association had free kegs for happy hour in the quad every Thursday at 4. I figured that the interviewer had a long day and being from a cool firm would enjoy a cold one at the end of the day, so I stopped by and picked up a couple beers on the way to the interview. I walked in the room with the beers and explained to him about happy hour Thursdays. The look I got let me know that, instead of being laid back and the interview just being a couple of guys kicking back over some brews, he had a stick up his ass and was appalled. He went through the motions with a lot of tension. I decided, oh well, and enjoyed my beer while casually answering and asking questions.

After our half hour was up, he gave a handshake and a half-hearted "nice to meet you". As he was walking out, I said "hey, do you want to take your beer?", which he had not touched. He said a quick "no thanks" put his head down and headed for his rental car as fast as he could.

Somehow, I didn't receive an offer. I was talking with one of my section mates the next year who had taken an offer and worked there for the summer. I said, oh, I interviewed there and told her about the interview. She said "OH, that was YOU!?" Apparently, word got around the firm about what is inappropriate in a big firm interview. I ended up going with a DC firm where during one of our summer outings, the good ole boy partner in charge of my group wound up buying rounds of shots of Wild Turkey until he drank me under the table.

 

[BelemNole]

Ha, I had a guy offer me a beer during an interview once - I accepted. He told me it was his drug test, if you declined you failed the test. I got the job.

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

Yes, I did. He was quite happy, and needless to say I got the job.





Oh, wait! I read that wrong.

 

[itsjustme0770]

Yeah, I blew one with a big law firm. I was interviewing mostly with DC firms and a few NYC firms for a summer position, but decided to take a flyer on a firm out of Columbus, OH with which one of my section student mentors had done a summer gig and accepted a permanent offer. He was cool and said it was a totally laid back place that I wouldn't be able to find in DC or NYC.

I had the last interview slot on a Thursday afternoon at 4:30. I went to a pretty cool school where the Student Bar Association had free kegs for happy hour in the quad every Thursday at 4. I figured that the interviewer had a long day and being from a cool firm would enjoy a cold one at the end of the day, so I stopped by and picked up a couple beers on the way to the interview. I walked in the room with the beers and explained to him about happy hour Thursdays. The look I got let me know that, instead of being laid back and the interview just being a couple of guys kicking back over some brews, he had a stick up his ass and was appalled. He went through the motions with a lot of tension. I decided, oh well, and enjoyed my beer while casually answering and asking questions.

After our half hour was up, he gave a handshake and a half-hearted "nice to meet you". As he was walking out, I said "hey, do you want to take your beer?", which he had not touched. He said a quick "no thanks" put his head down and headed for his rental car as fast as he could.

Somehow, I didn't receive an offer. I was talking with one of my section mates the next year who had taken an offer and worked there for the summer. I said, oh, I interviewed there and told her about the interview. She said "OH, that was YOU!?" Apparently, word got around the firm about what is inappropriate in a big firm interview. I ended up going with a DC firm where during one of our summer outings, the good ole boy partner in charge of my group wound up buying rounds of shots of Wild Turkey until he drank me under the table.

The wild turkey partner sounds just like my mentor partner at big law in Dallas. Good times. Things have changed.

 

[Nolomite]

To answer the original question - hells yes! For a variety of reasons: the one I regret most is losing my temper with a veep that kept belittling my experience, which was absolutely perfect for the position in question.

 

[dchamberlai]

Happens to the best of us Belem. To be honest, I've always found it much easier to interview for positions I'm "under-qualified" for. It's a lot easier to be relaxed, honest, and confident when you feel like you have nothing to lose. (for me anyway) I've found those have worked out much better than interviews I was really nervous for.

 

[Jake Blank]

Yes, I did. He was quite happy, and needless to say I got the job.





Oh, wait! I read that wrong.

Was this interview on a black couch and did the job pay $1000-$5000 a day? If so, I might have seen that one

 

[semifan1]

Yes, right after I got out the military I went for my first civilian job Interview never prepared or researched anything about the company. I was thinking would just walk in and get the job with my qualifications like I was still in the Army. Big mistake that was really blew that interview. I learned really quick you're not in the Army anymore.

 

[osceola63]

Reading these stories is why I've been self employed most of my life......

 

[vevois23]

Yep, one was for a job I wanted in Orlando pretty much right out of college. One of my first real job interviews. I blew it when it came to the whole "Where do you see yourself?" portion.

The other was for a job for a law firm in Atlanta. I actually nailed the interview, but found out later from a friend that worked there that I asked for too much money. It wasn't a lawyer position, it was a processor of some sort. I was at a point of "Please get me the hell out of here" with the job I was in at the time, was kinda bummed that I didn't get the offer, b/c I would have been living up there near a good friend, but the flip side is now I am in a position that I love and I actually enjoy my coworkers.

 

[kc78]

Blowing the interview assumes you have a shot at the job to begin with. I don't think I've ever blown an interview of that sort, however my worst interview was about 8 years ago. I was teaching at a small University that had become progressively worse and looking to move on. We really wanted to live in Jacksonville at the time and I applied for a Junior Database Administrator that had a decent salary and was supposed to be intro for that. I had tons of experience with network admin but wanted to learn more about Database Administration. My cover letter explained that I had never managed a DB but was easily taught and could learn anything with some proper guidance, etc... I received a phone interview which went well. I explained that I knew nothing about that system, if they were needing someone who knew how to manage it on day 1 that I wasn't that guy. I also explained that I was driving from out of town if I received a follow-up interview and didn't want to waste their time or mine if they needed someone who wasn't going to have to be trained for a few months. They said that was absolutely fine, that they understood that, etc.. and that they were ok with that. They said the interview would be more to get to know me as a person and were looking forward to the interview.

I drove all the way over, set through the entire interview getting more and more frustrated as it went on as it was one question after another on how to do very specific items within that system. I finally said, "I told you on the phone that I didn't know any of this. I'm going to keep having to say I don't know to any further questions like this. If they wanted to talk about me as a person and how I learn then I'd be more than happy." They continued on with about 5 more questions on how to do specific items and then cut off the interview. I was ridiculously frustrated as I felt I had been taken advantage of just to reach a quota of people to interview.

 

[Banditking]

Yes. Many. For a long time, I was terrible at interviewing. I even blew an interview for an unpaid position for which I was the only candidate. Too introverted and a bit socially awkward with people I didn't know. Wasn't good at small talk. Feedback I got hit with several times was "arrogant and aloof." This is not an uncommon issue for us introverts. It becomes a sort of personality test for the interviewer, which you don't want. I evolved from that to producing very bimodal evaluations where only higher end types evaluated me positively (i.e., those confident in their own skills) to now, where I am pretty good with everyone. Game was to learn to fake extraversion. Everything is sales. Hard lesson.

 

[BornANole]

I've blown several interviews, but the most cringe worthy for me was when I first got out of college. It was with Lexmark (printer company) in Lexington, KY. I did the whole day interview thing where I got passed off from one person to the next. Each interview was going better than the last. The interview with the person that would be manager went so well that he stopped half way and said "hey, we are good .. look forward to working with you soon".

I was psyched and was then handed off to the plant manager who asked several questions that went ok. Then he asked what I thought of his facility which I said was "low tech" (it really was for a place that made printers and printer cartridges). It was supposed to be a compliment. He didn't take it that way and proceeded to take me away to a special part of the plant where they inject ink into the cartridges which was a clean room. I had to put on that stupid astronaut looking suit over my interview suit and walk in there so he could show me (from the outside btw) how cool his facility was. Once I was out, covered in sweat and completely humiliated, he asked if I still thought his facility was "low tech". Interview was over.

 

[HilltopperNole]

Two head coaching interviews this past off season. First was a job at a school in Tampa I didn't think I had any shot at. Went in relaxed, candidate pool of about 16 and a 10 person interview committee. Went into the first interview and absolutely nailed the first interview was confident, had done research on the school and asked all the right questions. Walked out thinking I was now the front runner. Got a call back after 3 hours for a second interview. Went back for the second and bombed. It was just the Principal and the Athletic Director. I didn't get a good nights sleep and got asked a lot of different questions I wasn't prepared for. Found out via Twitter I didn't get the job.

Second one was at a school that had zero success in Football ever. Got to the school and was told the principal had been moved to a new school two days prior and the Athletic Director had been moved about 15 minutes before I walked in. The interview committee was the last head coach who was now a dean and a science teacher. Really awkward situation and awkward interview.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

Just a feeling. Some of the questions that should have been easy sort of got off the rails. Questions about why I'm leaving my current job and why I won't have the same dissatisfaction at the new place. It really should have been a slam dunk but some-how just seems to go pear-shaped. It's difficult for me to describe what a shit-show my current company is without getting some of the shit on me I guess.

I've not gotten offers before, but most of the time it was for jobs that I didn't want and perhaps even expressed that at the end of the interview after discussing what they were really looking for. And the weirdness that was the Apple interviews a few years back didn't bother me either when it didn't end in an offer. But I need out of this place and this was a good job. I'll be disappointed if it turns out I tripped over my dick.

People that ask you stuff like (what is going to keep you from wanting to leave the next place)....are either 1) stupid 2) trying to push your buttons and see how you respond to pressure 3) worried about how they will look if they hire you and you leave in a relatively short time.

I can totally relate to interviews going wrong, but if this is the case with the person to whom I would directly report...I think it is a good thing to find out ahead of time that your personalities aren't compatible.

Suggest you go with the George Castanza method and avoid confusion about whether or not you will mesh with the culture.

 

[dero316]

Yep probably 5-6yrs ago, guy I had a few classes with at FSU was one of the 6-7 person group interviewing me and we were joking before the interview while people were coming into the conference room. He asked a few obvious questions(What does the ".NET" in ASP.NET mean?) and I played them off and answered with jokes. Once everyone was in the room I thought I did well and answered all the serious questions completely but I keep thinking those light hearted answers is the reason I got the rejection letter a couple weeks later. Still the only interview I've done where I wasn't offered the job.

 

[runkpanole]

I interviewed for a job on Monday and I think it went pretty well, but this thread has me questioning everything I may or may not have said in the interview. I tend to do that anyways, but now I am nervous as hell. It would be a nice bump in pay and a promotion, both of which would be really nice at this point in my life.

 

[Fijimn]

How did the tuxedo go over?

 

[BornANole]

I interviewed for a job on Monday and I think it went pretty well, but this thread has me questioning everything I may or may not have said in the interview. I tend to do that anyways, but now I am nervous as hell. It would be a nice bump in pay and a promotion, both of which would be really nice at this point in my life.

I do a good amount of interviewing for my job and know that selections are done for a ton of reasons that have little to do with how the interview went. So, if you don't get it, just rest on the fact that something else was probably the reason.

 

[DanC78]

I got a job with Google after going through 5 interviews in one day with spinach in my teeth. On my first day I had people coming up to me saying congrats for getting the position even with spinach in your teeth...very impressive.

I couldn't believe it. I saw the spinach when I got in the car as well...it was not a small piece at all, looked like I was missing a tooth.

 

[BelemNole]

People that ask you stuff like (what is going to keep you from wanting to leave the next place)....are either 1) stupid 2) trying to push your buttons and see how you respond to pressure 3) worried about how they will look if they hire you and you leave in a relatively short time.

I can totally relate to interviews going wrong, but if this is the case with the person to whom I would directly report...I think it is a good thing to find out ahead of time that your personalities aren't compatible.

Suggest you go with the George Castanza method and avoid confusion about whether or not you will mesh with the culture.

It wasn't from the guy who would be my boss. We had lunch the previous week and that went well. In fact, part of the reason I was probably too confident was when I first sat down was he said "we just want to bring you in and introduce you around and let everyone see you don't' have two heads or anything weird." So it started off very relaxed. It was another PM in the room that started grilling me. But the tone in the room changed about an hour in after that. Then they told me that they will be interviewing someone else later in the week - never a good sign.
I sent a thank you email to the guy I've been talking with and no reply since. Figure that's a bad sign too.

Funny you mention culture, when they asked me about building a team I told them that finding someone with the right resume is easy but finding someone who fit into the group is hard and that's what I always aim for. lol, might have bit me in the ass.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

I'm sure you'll get the next one -

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I always ignore the standard interview questions. My sole aim is to smoke out the oddballs, bureaucrats and antisocial types, and most importantly, the pain in the ass troublemakers who might think bringing HR into our team's business is ever a good idea.

 

[Manch.]

One particular d-head asked me the most ridiculous questions bs

I had an interview once where he asked me if I could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be? I was stunned and extremely unprepared for that question and my first response was "why would I want dinner with a dead guy".

Never heard back from them.

 

[NoleandDawg]

I have only blown one interview where I did not get an offer, and that was a good job. The commute would have been terrible but it was 4 days a week.

 

[FSU_Chris]

I didn't blow an interview but I had a lady once who berated my resume towards the end of the interview process and I took exception. This company sought me out while I lived in Chicago and wanted me to go join their smaller consulting firm. I was open, had great phone interviews and had really nice face-to-face interviews. The final lady just ripped apart my resume for no reason and wasn't interested in getting to know me. I stood there and took it and finally she said are you upset. I said no but didn't want to waste time with someone who wasn't interested in getting to know me and just critiquing my resume. Company never closed the loop on my interview process either but it was clear it wasn't going to be a good fit for both parties. Funny thing is they reached out about 11 years later and I told them I was surprised they were still in business and explained my recruiting experience. They assured me there have been leadership changes but I expressed I wasn't interested.

 

[Nole Lou]

I wouldn't consider them blown interviews, because I shouldn't have gotten the job anyway, but I had two really bad interviews.

One was set up by a headhunter that found me. It was four hours away (I was trying to relocate), so I had to travel there myself. I pretty much nailed it, including some computerized test they gave me which they said I scored the highest they could remember seeing. I got great feedback, but the headhunter told me that they didn't see me as the perfect fit for that position, but that they had a higher position that was more appropriate for me. She said I was the only candidate, it was a done deal, I just had to go in and meet another team. It was a substantially more money, and it was pretty excited. I was making plans to move. So I took another day off work, made the drive, and went to the interview. I don't know if I've ever been more disoriented in my life. They had no idea who I was, the job was way way off of anything I had done or could do (it was basically a systems IT job, when I was a people manager), I couldn't answer anything they asked in a positive manner, and the interview lasted about 20 minutes. Everything in the interview had a subtext of "Why are you here?" and "Why am I here?"

I don't know if the headhunter screwed me or what happened, but it was a pretty upsetting experience when I was expecting to walk out with an offer.

I had another one where I interviewed for a job that was very attractive but I wasn't really qualified for, it went as well as could be expected, but no better, and I was shocked to get a second interview. That second interview just reiterated and confirmed that I wasn't really a fit for the job, and seemed like a confusing waste of time. It was literally as if someone accidentally called me when they meant to call someone else.

I saw the job reposted a couple weeks later, so I assume they just got a bum group of candidates. It was a huge company, and I'm guessing company policy required x numbers of interviews and second interviews before they could claim failure and repost the job or something.

 

[kc78]

I assume people have, but I've never had success with the head hunter groups. It always feels like you're just being interviewed to feel a set quota as they already know who they want to hire. Maybe that's just the government process in Tallahassee interfering as I've never tried it anywhere else.

 

[fsusurfer]

Oh yeah. When I was living in Oklahoma I had a recruiter contact me about a job in Jacksonville. I wanted to get back to Florida and I was interested. I did web development and application management but the job was more database related which I had hardly any experience with. The recruiter paid for my flight and hotel. Went to the interview and talked with the guys and then they gave me a written test. I answered about 2 questions scanned through the rest and had no idea on the answers. I got up and walked out. Oh well, I didn't really want the job anyway - or to live in Jacksonville.

 

[BelemNole]

It's been confirmed, did not get the job.
Ah well, I can always get drunk.