World's Worst Job Interview--Can You Top This?

2007-08-29T09:46:00.002-07:00

When you think of going on a job interview, what comes to mind? Some apprehension is normal because the process -- and the outcome -- is uncertain. With an abundance of information available to help you prepare (and some great advice in my newest book, How to Get a Job and Keep It), it is impossible to predict how an interview will turn out. Every interview is different; don't be surprised if you are taken aback by an unanticipated question or surprising interviewing techniques.

Hopefully you will never encounter one of the world's worst interviews, but you might want to think about how you would react and recover if you did. Watch what I consider to be one of the worst interviews EVER. What would you do if you found yourself in an interview like this? Would you know how to respond?

A good interview rarely is the result of only one person doing his or her job well;
both of the people in the video could use some help with their interviewing skills. And, both can learn something from an experience like this.

If you find yourself in a bad interview situation, it might be best to acknowledge what's happening and try to recover while you still have the chance. The biggest problems with the interviewee in this video are that he:

Wasn't prepared -- he said he knew the company's mission statement, but he really did not. He was in effect lying to the interviewer.
He seemed to be intimidated by the interviewer, and it showed. Even his body language seemed to lack confidence.
He wasn't authentic; he was eager to give the answers that he thought the interviewer would like to hear. In fact, at times it was evident he was questioning himself, such as when he said, "I like salad?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.
Once he lost control (and his composure) he never gained it back. Even when interviews go sour or are awkward, it is important to end it on a professional note. If you've burned bridges with the interview, then you're actually taking a step backward.

Have you ever had an interview go bad or take you by surprise? What would YOU do if you met an interviewer similar to the one in the video? Can you top this interview with a bad experience of your own? If you have questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you. There is a lot to be learned from watching other people--and it's much easier to learn from their (instead of our own) mistakes!

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World's Worst Job Interview--Can You Top This?