You walk into a would-be employer's office, sit down, and try to think up good answers to typical interview questions, such as, "Where do you want to be in five years?" You'd expect that, and not be overly worried.
But not every interview runs that smoothly, and sometimes they can become train wrecks. If you faced some of these terrifying interviewers, what would you do? The following are all true stories, along with tips and advice, collected by the editors at Experience, Inc.
Sing It?
My interview was very lengthy and lasted about an hour
and a half. Towards the end of it all, the interviewer -- to my astonishment --
asked me to sing a song! At first I thought I did not hear him right and asked
him whether he actually wanted me to sing. It turned out he did. Fortunately, I
was able to maintain my composure and sang an inspirational one suitable for
the occasion. One never knows what to expect in an interview. It's up to you to
convert the situation to your advantage.
-- Ravi T., Syracuse University
Time Check
I had a phone interview a couple weeks ago, and I had it
scheduled for after my last class that day. In the middle of the class, I heard
my phone vibrate. The second I heard it, I realized my mistake. My phone
interview was coming from the East Coast, so it was set for 2:30 p.m. EASTERN
time, not CENTRAL. I freaked out, left class, spilled my drink all over myself
and the floor on the way out, and then ran to my room to call them back. I was
so frazzled that I thought the rest of the interview did not go well.
However, somehow I still got the internship.
-- Melinda, Vanderbilt
Animal Magnetism
On one interview for a small startup tech company, the
CEO's dog was present while I was interviewed. The dog became especially
interested in my leg. I kept shuffling and moving to protect myself from the
dog, but the dog just wouldn't quit. The interviewer took no notice of the dog
at all. I tried to maintain my composure, but inside I was silently panicking.
How could the interviewer not see this? Was this some sort of test of my
concentration? It was the strangest interview experience I've ever had.
-- Peter T.
The Date
I had survived my second round of grueling all-day
interviews with a high profile firm. Over the course of two days, I met with 10
different staffers and now I was in the home stretch. I felt confident I had
done well. As I was gearing up to leave, the hiring manager blushed and said he
had one more question: Would I be interested in going for pizza and a movie the
following Saturday night? In one inappropriate yet revealing moment my desire
to take that job evaporated.
-- Ann T.
Copyright 1996-2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
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