Have you ever had a bad interview, but still got the job? | INFJ Forum

Have you ever had a bad interview, but still got the job?

Chalti

Chalti

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Sep 8, 2014
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I recently had an interview with an office in South Korea, and I did so poorly. I blanked out a lot, and laughed nervously, and sometimes my answers were poorly made. I regret answering things one way rather than the other. There was one time, he asked me what I was doing while I was looking for a job, and I laughed and said "learning" because there was obviously nothing I could offer (I've been doing nothing for the last few months after graduation, admittedly).

Another time, he asked me how I would get along with the South Korean teacher, and my microphone kept on buzzing out, and I kept on saying," do all I can to provide them what they need?"

My answers were incredibly short and foolish, but I got an email saying I received the job?!

Do you guys have something similar to this???

What do employers even see in people while interviewing others?
 
yes.
My first ever interview was a group interview, there was three of us there. Like yours, my answers were short. All of my energy was used up to keep myself calm, I wasn't calm at all. That's why I couldn't get the answers in my head. The other girl was totally composed, and the other guy was so comfortable he made the employer laughed.
The employer was reassuring me it's horrible.

But can I just say, the guy didn't last in the industry, the girl was too pressured with all the job description and didn't end up showing; while i became an assistant manager..

+"What do employers even see in people while interviewing others?" I don't know what you're asking, I guess it depends on the job description if they can handle it. Honesty is one big one.

and also, i'm terrible at describing myself and what I can do to others--- it's highly uncomfortable.
 
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I would not think too mucb about it. You got the job! Congrats!

Much of it has to do with things like how quickly they need the person, how much they are willing to accept as salary, do they think that person will be happy, do they think they can work with you, do you seem at least somewhat normal and then of course the type of job you are applying for.

So perhaps they had many interviews and you were the best or perhaps they had few and needed someone like you quickly. Just do your best.
 
I've had a number of interviews at which I knew the result was a foregone conclusion, one I didnt get the job, two others I did, I was aware that politics were operative and it wasnt cool, it definitely happens though.
 
I interviewed for a job in a field that highly values experience when I had no experience and while I was also suffering from pneumonia, so I guess, yes.

Congrats on the offer. Teaching is an incredibly challenging while at the same time incredibly rewarding field.
 
Yes. There were a lot of technical questions that I either didn't know or couldn't remember the answer to. I was sure I had no chance, but I got it.

Then there was an interview where I did incredibly well, so well that the interviewer even suggested that I was a shoe in for the job, but didn't get it.
 
Don't take this the wrong way, but are there low entry requirements? Or maybe they're ramping up for a large project. Or maybe you just did a lot better than you thought.

I thought I fucked up an interview back in 2005 when I worked at a beer distributorship for a year. The man who owned the company was arguably a bi-polar psycho and treated everyone like they were pieces of shit (I didn't know this at the time but my friend, who got me the job there, warned in a more general sense). He was just this hard-ass old man who constantly belittled people and kept them off guard.

I met him towards the end of the interview and when we shook hands, this odd but palpable dislike came between us. I don't know what I was. I squeezed his hand hard and he said something like "are you trying to break my fucking arm?!" so I let go. How in the name of Christ I still got that job is beyond me, but (let's call the old man Nate...) Nate and I never got along. He didn't want anyone around him who he couldn't treat like shit and I don't let anyone treat me like shit, so it was animosity and fights from the start.
 
I'm an incredibly bad interviewee. I don't think I've ever had a good interview, but I'm employed right now so I guess I have had the same experience.

I'm also an incredibly bad interviewer, and I've recently been interviewing candidates for a job opening on my team. I see a lot of people acting the same as you describe: blanking out, nervous laughter, awkward or poor answers. Knowing my own poor interviewee skills, I tend to be very understanding of that and I try really hard to get on a personal level with the interviewee and just try to get a feel for their personality and willingness to work. I barely ask about their skills or accomplishments unless it is just to get them talking about something so I can see if they are jerks or not.

Oh, and for the record I've green-lighted people who turned out to be jerks, and I've red-lighted people who turn out to be awesome. So, yeah: horrible interviewer. <shrugs>
 
Hm. Perhaps the first interview at 17 when I dropped off my application and the manager said, "You got time to meet now?" There was no prep time and I had no experience. I ended up working there for 4 years, until I got out of college.

There was one "bad" interview where the guy said his kid could do my job. The single most hilarious interview. I think I laughed before I thanked him for his time and walked out.

Interviews are great. You suss out the company vibe and whether it'll work out.
 
Jacobi said:
Yes. There were a lot of technical questions that I either didn't know or couldn't remember the answer to. I was sure I had no chance, but I got it.

Then there was an interview where I did incredibly well, so well that the interviewer even suggested that I was a shoe in for the job, but didn't get it.
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The same thing here. I had prepared a lot and did really well during one interview I had, and some of the things that the main interviewer said made it seem like I was going to get the job, but I didn't. The more I think about it, though, I might have came off as a "try-hard" or somewhat "robotic", since I was trying too hard to be professional, and I felt pretty dumb doing so.

The next interview I had after that, I was already down on myself from not getting previous one and I didn't think I was even remotely qualified, since the type of job was much more of a big deal than the previous one, so I had already partially given up and felt that I did really poorly in it. Yet I ended up getting it. But, I think maybe they could tell that I was just really nervous. There were times where I knew the answer but had a lot of trouble trying to remember or get an explanation organized in my head, so the interviewer would ask another related question in case it might help me explain the one I was trying to answer. I was also really honest about what I knew and didn't know. If I didn't know something, I'd just say so. The interviewers seemed to be very understanding and nice in general, too.
 
Yes, recently. Kind of wish I hadn't gotten the job due to issue with discriminatory attitudes in the workplace. I also kind of blanked out nervously and didn't say very much but they thought I was an excellent candidate nonetheless. I think most hiring managers understand that people get nervous at interviews and give you a chance if they have good credentials regardless.
 
Yes. Only had one interview where I didn't get an offer. The worst interview was done by a creepy guy who asked illegal questions and afterwards tried to link in with me. Gotta love those!
 
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Yup! I recently interviewed for a company that required a very specific skillset and was horribly nervous and inhibited at first. I relaxed and warmed up to the process when my interviewer started asking about hypothetical clinical situations; her questions were casual, direct, and clearly trying to determine how well I understood the principles of the work, which worked out wonderfully for me. Still, I wasn't sure what their response would be when I walked out, but I got a call back two days later. Because the position revolves around the clinical application of psychology, I think the interviewer was less concerned about my professional presentation and more about my actual ability.
 
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