30 Painfully Funny Job Interview Fails

1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30

30 Painfully Funny Job Interview Fails

These are painfully funny.

Published 4 years ago in Funny

We all make mistakes. We're only human. But the way there's a wrong place and time for everything, there's always a wronger place and time for just such facepalms. Here we have some of the most painfully funny job interview fails in a long time.

1
Interviewed at a bank. Was going perfectly despite how nervous I was, and I was probably in with a great chance. Then as a final question, the panel asked me "why should we hire you?" And I word-vomit replied "Because I probably won't steal your money!" I was not hired.

2
"What position are you interested in taking in our school?" "Defense against Dark Arts"

3
Showed up in person to a phone interview.

4
Asked about my hobbies talked about sewing and reading. Guy pushed a little more,asked if there was anything else. I was confused why he would push at this question and said no. I was interviewing at a [freaking] video store, the correct answer is watching Movies dumbass. I will never let myself live that one down.

5
Not exactly a mistake, but I went to the counter of the store and asked if they were hiring. They said they were and gave me an on the spot interview right there in the middle of the store with my mom standing right with me (I was 16 and she had given me a ride to the store). My mom proceeded to answer every question for me and kept talking me up. I ended up getting the job and worked there for over 2 years, so thanks mom lol

6
The interviewer asked if I had any "salary requirements." I said, "I do. But it doesn't matter, because I understand from employees I know who work here that your pay standards are much lower than most workers' expectations."

7
Said “Well, thanks for coming in.” I was the one who had come in.

8
when asked why I wanted to work for McDonald's, I said that I wanted money mainly I didn't get the job

9
I freaked out and forgot how old I was. Turns out I was fourteen. Fourteen and absolutely terrified. And no, I didn't get the job.

10
Asked about a time I had to make a compromise and, not drawing on any past experiences beyond an hour ago, I cited the time I had to give the last blue Jolly Rancher to my girlfriend even though it's my favorite flavor. Still got the job but wow

11
Interviewing for a part time job at Kmart as a summer gig in college. HR Director: "So everything looks good. If you ever need a job reference or a letter of recommendation, come see me at the end of your employment here and we'all see what we can do!" Me: "Oh that won't be necessary, I have references from real jobs already." I still got the job but holy s**t.

12
The interviewer asked if I had any convictions. I sat there and thought for a moment and said, "Well I guess I'm passionate about saving the environment." He was very confused and said, "What are your talking about? I'm asking if you have been convicted of any crimes..." I did not get that job.

13
Oh god, I still cringe at this. Interviewer: "We expect our employees to be punctual." Me: "Well, I am somewhat of a grammar Nazi." Interviewer: wtf look In my defense, I was 17 and stupid.

14
My first ever internship interview. Me: Hi, how are you? Him: Good, and you? Me: I'm doing well, how are you? It still keeps me up at night.

15
I wore a rival companies shirt to the interview without realizing...oops.

16
"Why should we hire you instead of anyone else?" "I don't even know who else you are interviewing with, how could I know that I'm better than them?" Led to a really awkward silence.

17
Was honest and said I was using it as a temporary stepstone to a better job.

18
Falling asleep during a group activity thing I'd spent three weeks hiking in Nepal, got off the plane, changed in the car and went straight to the interview. It's annoying as I'd gotten through to the last 20 ish out of thousands that applied (nepotism, woohoo) but I couldn't for the life of me stay awake

19
I had had several jobs before my first actual interview but my first interview was for a job selling hot dogs. I was asked what my biggest weaknesses were and stupid teenage me listed actual weaknesses like being lazy and not really caring about anything. I wasn't very smart back then. I didn't get the job but found an article in some magazine(this was before the internet was used by regular people) shortly after that that gave me the right answers to that question.

20
This wasn't at the interview, but in my email applying for the job. It was right after college and I really didn't know what I was doing, so I just had my resume saved on my desktop under "resume." I finished writing my cover letter, I attached my resume...or so I thought. I had accidentally misclicked when attaching and I attached this gif instead. I had already clicked send before I realized my mistake, but luckily I was using gmail and was quick enough to be able to unsend it and attach the right file.

21
My first big-boy interview at a financial advisory firm couldn't have been worse. To start, I had hair down to the middle of my back which I had just put up in a bun, and a patchy beard. I walk into the office to meet with the well-groomed, cologne-wearing, every-fashion-accessory-available-wearing salesman who would interview me. He asked me, "How would you describe a sunset to someone who was born blind?" My response was, "Yellow... Wait a minute.....orange. [Damn]. They're blind." After the interview was over, he said that I looked like a drug dealer.

22
Was sexist. I was interviewed by two female engineers, who didn't really introduce themselves beyond their name, so partway through the interview I asked them if they're the HR reps. They forgave me and I passed but it was dumb of me, I wouldn't have asked a pair of men that.

23
My first interview was a disaster! Interviewer says: "I see you've put down that you can speak German on your CV, can you say something to me?" I reply: "Oh, I can't actually speak German, I just put that on there." Interviewer asks: "Tell me about a time you had to work under pressure." I say: "This one time I had an assignment for uni that was 50% of my grade, and I should have spent the last three months on it. I couldn't be bothered and spent most of that time out drinking and did the whole thing in 3 hours the morning it was due." Interviewer asks: "Why do you want this job?" I say: "If Im honest, its just because I'm broke and I need money." By some miracle I got the job though, so I guess I was the only guy to show up or something.

24
At the end of my job interview, I asked a few questions about the position, the people involved, and other general questions. For my last question I decided to switch it up and I asked something along the lines of "if you could have any job and make any amount of money you want, what would it be?" Interviewer A answers. Interviewer B answers. Interviewer C answers. Interviewer D answers and uses something very similar to what I was prepared to say. Interviewer E answers. I finally answer and since Interviewer D used what I was prepared to say I decided to wing it. I said "Well since I love pizza, I'd travel the world, and eat pizza in different countries." I wanted to smack myself.

25
I dropped my suit off at the dry cleaners and went back to get it the morning of the interview and they had lost it. With the interview only about twenty minutes away the owner gave me his suit to borrow. It was a tan suit,way too big, had a striped pattern, and reaked of mustard and sweat. Safe to say I did not make a good first impression at that interview.

26
I was applying for a fast food job. We went over my application and all that jazz. So far, so good. Then the manager says "Who's important?" Me (totally confused) "Excuse me?". Manager-" Who's important?" Me (still clueless) "Everyone is important". Manager (nearly weeping at my cluelessness) "The customer! The customer is important!". I didn't get the job.

27
Not my first interview, but this one always stands out to me. I was in the Army at the time, and was looking to get a part time job after work to help out with the bills. Little Ceaser's was doing open interviews so right after work I rush over for the interview. The hiring manager is looking my resume. Before joining the Army I was a manager at Dominos. So resume shows that I was a manager at Dominos, and then a month later I join the Army. He looks up at me wearing my uniform since I just came from work and asks why I left Dominos. I answered because it was time to get a real job... I didn't get the job

28
Interviewer: "So why do you want this job?" Me: "You took my CV..." Interviewer: ... Me: ...

29
Wasn't my first job interview, but it took me a few tries to realize that its a bad idea to NOT ask questions when prompted to at the end of the interview. It shows that you aren't interested in their company, and implies that you're just in this for the paycheck. I find that a lot of companies these days care just as much about your interest in them as they do your skills and background.

30
After not being able to answer one of my questions, I had an interviewee lay her head down on the conference table and announce "I'm failing!"... well, thank you for coming in.