Young Professionals Share Tips On How Not Immediately To Tank A Job Interview

Young Professionals Share Tips On How Not Immediately To Tank A Job Interview
[rebelmouse-image 18362209 is_animated_gif=With more and more people entering the labor force, it's important to have great interview skills. Let's be honest, though, a lot of articles about how to give a good interview are kind of boring. This article ain't that.
One user gave Reddit a challenge:
Your task is to ruin a job interview in the first 30 seconds. What do you do?
Reddit responded like they do to pretty much all challenges - and stepped up to the plate in a big way. We've got some suggestions that made us cringe and laugh, and some stories that convinced us some people shouldn't be allowed in public without a chaperone. Have fun!
Tough Guy
[rebelmouse-image 18362210 is_animated_gif=Keep referring to the interviewer as "tough guy." Works equally well for both genders, works even better if the interviewer happens to be younger than you.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich - No Cheese
[rebelmouse-image 18362211 is_animated_gif=I can tell you what one young woman did when I was a hiring manager. She had a perfectly positive phone interview for a business casual, sit-down sales type job with our non-profit, so we scheduled a time for her to come in.
I arrive in the lobby to find this young woman wearing a stained, oversized wifebeater t-shirt, a pair of yoga pants in what I can best describe as an Arizona iced-tea can fake desert pattern, and crocs.
And literally the first words that came out of her mouth were, "I bet I don't look anything like I sound on the phone, do I?"
I was so stunned, I just took her in for her interview with me and my boss. The interview lasted all of five minutes during which she displayed all the personality of a grilled cheese sandwich missing the cheese.
She was not hired.
Interviewer Qualifications
[rebelmouse-image 18362212 is_animated_gif=Ask the interviewer how qualified they are to be taking your interview, and as a bonus, ask for their salary.
I work in a call center as a supervisor. I had this rep who could have been amazing but she just was a miserable person and didn't want to be coached or told what to do.
A few months go by, she had stopped talking to me or even looking at me by this point (literally would not look at me as she walked by and I said "good morning").
Her performance continues to suck and I finally put her on a performance plan. As I'm administering I have my team lead present because at this point I refused to be alone with her with concerns of allegations (for the record....I'm gay, so not that kind of allegations). As I'm administering the plan I'm stating how my team lead will be helping her through the process. The rep interrupted me and starts asking my lead what qualifications she has to be a part of this. My lead being taken aback started to answer. I quickly shut that down and moved on.
She essentially failed on day 1 because she said "I have worked in call centers for many years and I know what I'm doing to take a good call. I'm not going to change my actions just because you think otherwise."
She didn't make it past 30 days after that meeting.
"I Don't Have A Boat"
[rebelmouse-image 18362213 is_animated_gif=I once interviewed a guy who was unbelievably high. A few minutes in, he stops and stare out the window and says "Hey is that my car? I think someone is stealing my car. Oh wait, no, there's a boat on that one. I don't have a boat." Job offers are contingent on passing a drug test.
Key Questions
[rebelmouse-image 18362214 is_animated_gif="Hi, I do not want to work with black people, do you have any of those?"
In For The Hug
[rebelmouse-image 18362215 is_animated_gif=When he goes for the handshake, step in for the hug. Refuse to move until he reciprocates, and throw in a "mmm," in his ear.
They might go ahead with the interview anyway as a professional courtesy, but you're not getting that job.
The Briefcase
[rebelmouse-image 18362216 is_animated_gif=I used to be a hiring manager and was having a hard time finding a decent employee for the office. I had a phone interview with a guy that seemed really legit. At the end of the phone interview I set up an in person interview with him and ask him to please bring a copy of his resume to the interview. After hanging up I send him an email confirmation of the interview and state "also, please remember to bring a paper copy of your resume."
Day of the interview, he shows up with a briefcase and in a full suit. A little overdressed, but whatever, I'd rather someone over impress than under impress. We go in to the meeting room, he puts the briefcase on the table in front of him and opens it so that he can see in and I can't. He doesn't close it....
I start by asking him if he has a copy of his resume, he responds with a quick "I'm sorry I forgot!". I tell him it's no problem, I'm thinking as long as there are no other red flags it doesn't matter too much. And I proceed with the interview.
Literally every single question I ask him he responds with "well if you look at my resume you will see..." Or something along those lines. I reminded him about 4 times I didn't have a copy because he didn't bring one (ya I had one on the computer but he forgot it and should be able to answer basic questions without referencing it). When he continues referencing it, I give up, finish the interview, thank him, and say goodbye.
One thing still really bothers me... If he forgot his resume... WHAT THE HECK WAS IN THE BRIEFCASE?!
The Birthday Present
[rebelmouse-image 18353298 is_animated_gif=you can do what my brother did and have a hip flask of whisky in your jacket pocket and let it fall on the floor as you take your jacket off
BTW he is not an alcoholic, i had given him the hip flask as a birthday present two weeks before
Passing On A Question
[rebelmouse-image 18362217 is_animated_gif=Most mind blowing interview I ever note took went something like this
introductory nonsense
Interviewer: Right well we're going to start with 6 standardised questions. Take your time and think about your answer. Tell us about a time when you exceeded in the workplace, what results did you get and how did you achieve them?
Our Hero: thinks for about 5 seconds and then says ... pass
Attendance Not Required
[rebelmouse-image 18362218 is_animated_gif=I actually once got a job that I ditched the interview for.
I was in my early 20s, submitting a ton of applications because why not? Got a call for an interview, said I'd be there, went out partying the night before and slept through the interview time.
I figured that job prospect was shot, so I just gave up on it. The next day, though, I get a call from another manager saying they found my application and it said my interview date was yesterday so they'd like me to come in to fill out all the new hire paperwork. It must've been a miscommunication between all the staff, or something. Either way, I thought it was amusing.
Turning The Tables
[rebelmouse-image 18362219 is_animated_gif=Bring a starter kit from each of my five MLMs in, and "answer" every question by weakly tying the content to at least 3 of the "great opportunities" I have. If called out, admit cheerily that I never wanted the job, I just want to help the interviewer quit theirs, or would they like to host a party for free product??
That's The Stuff
[rebelmouse-image 18362220 is_animated_gif="Got any pictures of your kids?.... Yeah, that's the stuff."
Establish Dominance Early
[rebelmouse-image 18355390 is_animated_gif=Walk in and go straight for the handshake while making direct eye contact. The second the handshake is engaged let out a nice long fart while maintaining eye contact and don't let go of their hand until your done.
Screaming At The Hiring Panel
[rebelmouse-image 18362221 is_animated_gif=Was on a hiring panel, called a candidate in, the boss asked him, "so, why do you want this job?" Candidate screams "YOU CALLED ME" we all looked at each other, went around the table, questions? no, no, no. Okay, we will contact you, if there is ANY interest.
Ask That Guy
[rebelmouse-image 18346555 is_animated_gif=After going thru the high level interview process , as hiring manager I was brought in to interview someone
I like to break the ice and get a feel for someone's comfort and how they conduct themselves by asking "tell me about what you do now"
Now I have their resume n in front of me so it's not like I can't read it , it's just an easy question that usually gets people talking
So I lob my softball to this candidate ..
And his reply ...
"Man why don't you ask that guy !? " (the hr person who first interviewed him)
"I already told him everything..."
It was at that point I looked at my phone and said "oh no I have an emergency"
And walked out of the room
Blow It Before You Even Show Up
[rebelmouse-image 18362222 is_animated_gif=I've seen 2 situations where someone blew an interview before they even came in for the interview.
-One person got called about an interview for a job they applied for where I was working. They asked what the starting pay was because they didn't want to waste the gas driving across town (10-15 minutes) if the pay wasn't high enough.
-A guy got offered and interview and asked if he was offered the job if they would allow him to wait 1-2 months before taking his drug test.
Both people were told not to bother showing up for the interview.
How to blow one in 30 seconds when you're there? Ask if they test for marijuana because that's not really a drug right?
The Honest Answer
[rebelmouse-image 18362223 is_animated_gif=I did this one time lol. I don't think was quite 30 seconds. Their first question was "so do you think you have any skills that will help you with this job?" I said "I don't think so." That was pretty much it lol
Don't Wait To Be Offered An Interview
[rebelmouse-image 18362224 is_animated_gif=Do what my favorite interviewee story did and show up without being offered an interview.
2 hours later he left (usually a 30 min interview) shouting that he's a team player and that he'd be back.
Resident Advisor
[rebelmouse-image 18362227 is_animated_gif=I had the pleasure of being in the interview process for other resident advisors in college in year 3. A guy sat down and said "Gotta be honest here. I really don't like black people." Quickest interview ever.
Failing A Drug Test
[rebelmouse-image 18362228 is_animated_gif=I had to tell a guy his application was unsuccessful because he failed a drug screen. he test positive to marijuana.
Conversation was like
Me:"Hey Mate, just wanted to let you know that unfortunately you were unsuccessful with your application due to failing the drug and alcohol test"
him: "Oh really ? but i don't understand, i only had like one or two puffs of a joint the day before the test, surely only a few puffs doesn't show up"
Spent the next 20 minutes explaining to him that if you smoke weed, you will fail a drug test.
He just didn't understand
H/T: Reddit
*Content warning: suicide*
The concept of an open relationship is nothing new.
It's just that nobody really spoke of it so openly in the past.
Now people are openly discussing whether monogamy suits them in modern times.
Redditor Jakubeu101 was wondering how people really felt about relationships with more than one lover, so they asked:
"What do you think about open relationships?"
It's certainly not for everyone, especially those who have a tendency to get jealous.
Yuck
"Tried it for a year. Didn't work. It's perpetual dating which is the worst. Then they get jealous."
chewie8291
Avoidance
"All the hassle of 2 (or more) relationships needs to be something everyone involved needs to be okay with. It can be done correctly by couples that really know how to communicate and are strong in conflict resolution. (Usually this also means starting in an open relationship and not opening up later on) Unfortunately many couples use 'opening up the relationship' as a solution to avoid the need to communicate better. Those are doomed from the beginning."
CaelTyr
Shenanigans...
"My parents have been together for 40 years, married for 36. A couple weeks ago we went and stayed with one of my dad's childhood friends. As the wine got flowing, she regaled the rest of us with various stories of the shenanigans they got up to with their other friends. My mom was having the time of her life hearing all these stories she'd never heard before. (this was northern Wisconsin in the early 80s, lots of teenage drunken shenanigans)."
mstarrbrannigan
Consent
"Not for me, but I don't care if everyone's a consenting adult and no one is taken advantage of. The issue IMHO is that if you go from monogamous to open it is shifting the relationship in ways that rarely work, but if you come at it from the start there's decent chances of making it work."
Bi_Aint_Shi
All of It
"I think the idea that you've learned everything and there's nothing else new to know about a person is the first problem. I was in a polyamorous relationship for about a year and even to the end of it was constantly learning things about my partners, their SOs etc."
"I'm now monogamous and married, and years down the road I'm still learning things about my partner. They've lived a whole life before me, it will be many many years before I know 'everything' about them."
Dfnstr8r
Consequences
"I think it’s one of those things where both partners have to be 100% on board with what it means. There can’t be jealousy and you have to be ok with the idea of your partner sleeping with more people than you possibly. I think most people who consider an open relationship don’t really think about it means so it inevitably fails."
RaijinQ
It's not for everybody. Emotions in check first.
Stronger
"I'm in one. Going strong almost 8 years. Requires a ton of communication. Also, what counts as an open relationship varies wildly and the boundaries/rules are determined by the people within the relationship. There is no one size fits all."
nkorper
Bad Ideas
"I met a guy on tinder that was in an open marriage. We went on a few dates, one of which I was surprised to meet his wife and kids."
"They seemed like a happy family, very content with their arrangement. I enjoyed getting to know the guy, but he started to get impatient with how slowly I was moving. I wasn’t comfortable moving forward physically, so we decided to end it. Fast forward a year later, and he ended up committing suicide."
"His wife wasted no time posting online about how awful he was to her. It seems their 20-year open relationship was his game of control. He was a cheater and an abusive husband. I carry some guilt knowing he used me to upset her, and I sat there with a stupid smile on my face."
blahblah-user
Proven False
"Tried it, she screwed some dudes and when I picked up started getting jealous. Most open couples aren't really open. Usually someone wants it (or just wants to cheat without guilt) and someone's getting dragged into, pretending it's okay. Very few true open relationships, it's proven by how many last more than a year."
F33dR
Doing It All
"My husband and I did it...very enthusiastically... For about 6 years. We made the decision to try it after 24 years of marriage and because neither of us had had any other partners before we met. For us it was a fantastic experience. We never had issues with jealousy but we had a very strong relationship with a high degree of trust. We definitely saw a lot of marriages fail due to those issues."
"Eventually we sort of... faded out of it tho. It is just a lot of work. Finding people with the right chemistry-the on line dating scenes, going to the clubs, the meet up's that don't always work: it's exhausting. But for us it was definitely worth it. And if my hubby came to me tomorrow saying that he'd met someone he'd like to screw, I'd still be cool with it."
sabertoothbunni
"guilt free"
"I personally hate them because of an ex. I was pressured to make our relationship open for months, and I really didn't want to. That wasn't the kind of relationship I wanted to have. I later then found out that she was pushing so hard because she was already sleeping with other guys and wanted a 'guilt free' way to cheat on me, and ended up sleeping with three other people that I am aware of."
"Generally I don't mind them if that's what you want and all parties are okay with that situation. I have a friend who does that and he's never been happier in terms of a relationship with someone. But I will refuse to ever do an open relationship with anyone."
A_GuyThatDoesStuff
Not Me
"I'm genuinely not a fan, i prefer monogamy as I feel a much closer bond can be created between two people rather than a group. however that is not how it is for everyone."
thra888
Life lesson?
You do you.
Just be honest and really communicate how you're feeling and the boundaries you feel comfortable with.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
Things People Will Never Understand No Matter How Many Times Someone Explains Them
We can have some things explained something over and over and over, and the details may never stick.
It doesn't mean we're dumb, not everything is meant to click.
Maybe you're more inclined to English and history, so science and math elude you. Or vice versa.
Redditor CodeBlackGoonit wanted to know what aspects of life will probably forever drive us crazy, so they asked:
"What's something you still don't understand even after many different people explain it to you?"
Math, science, love. I give up trying to figure it out.
The Fit
"How to properly fold a fitted sheet."
crystalsaladsandwich
"It’s pretty straight forward. Pretend to fold it up for 20 minutes, then just shove it somewhere."
dunnodudes
Beyond
"Fourth dimension."
Ceyram
"Think about describing something's location. 3d world is X, Y, and Z. So you could say 'My keys are on the table, 10 ft in from the front door, 5 ft to the left, and 3ft off the ground.'"
"But you go look, and they're not there. So, add a 4th dimension to your description, when were they there? Things move about in space over a period of time; time is that fourth dimension."
thinkofanamelater
Confusing Concepts
"The Krebs Cycle."
kair93
"In 8 years of higher education, I had to regurgitate and draw the Kreb's cycle on tests probably 15 times or so. I had to temporarily re-learn it every time. I still couldn't draw it today. You need to understand the concept, but the individual steps of the process are something most people will never need to remember."
GiggityDPT
Mash
"Math. Just anything more than the basics and my brain turns to mash."
gardenomette
"If it's a problem for you, look into getting tested for dyscalculia. I was diagnosed with it a few years ago and it was such a relief finding out that I'm not less intelligent, I'm not stupid or slow. That there's actually a reason. I wish they were aware of it all the years I was struggling in school. But I'm happy for the kids growing up now that they might have better access to proper help in those classes."
gardenomette
Bad Hype
"NFT’s."
LeroyJr847
"There's nothing to understand. They're just another Ponzi scheme, but this time each token has a URL attached to it. They are made of hype."
Great-Contest-1928
These NFTs. Who thought this was a good idea?
Value Craziness
"The stock market."
Tinydustbunnies
"Owning very small slices of a company. As the company's value goes up or down, so does the value of the individual slices. Some slices also pay out a share of the profits to the 'owners' (dividends)."
SomeHSomeE
WHICH DOOR?
"The Monty Hall Problem."
foxtrot419
"Do this experiment with a friend. Have them shuffle a full deck of cards, and then have you draw one face down."
"Then, have them look through every single card in the deck for the ace of spades. If they find the ace of spades, select it and place it face down. If they don’t find the ace of spades, instead select a random card and put it face down. Put the rest of the deck aside."
"Now, one of you has the ace of spades. Who is more likely to have it: you, who picked blindly from the full deck, or your friend, who got to see every single card in the deck except yours? I think after a few trials, you will very quickly see why the odds are not 50/50."
MoobyTheGoldenSock
Signs
"The greater than/less than signs, <>. I can't read them and am always confused as to which is what. Honestly don't care anymore, I made it this far this long without understanding them so I don't want to know now. But a lot of people still try to explain it to me, the alligator mouth really confuses me even more."
llcucf80
Magic Watching
"How a dvd works. Or how a record player works, for that matter. Like how does it transfer the little grooves to make… sound and light? Black magic."
lilgato443
"DVDs are pits and hills, and it's all 1s and 0s. So it's just reading a file off of the disc, which is usually a video format, similar to an MP4."
"Vinyls have the sound waveform melted into them, the needle vibrates to recreate the sound. That's the gist of it. One complication is that highs are over emphasized and lows are deemphasized, and the turntable runs the sound through an RIAA filter to get the correct sound."
skaterrj
Educational Issues
"Monopoly."
Heavy_Permission5704
"It was supposed to be an educational tool about how capitalism and private property ownership funnel wealth into the hands of a wealthy few, at the expense of the working class. Then a corporation copied it, rebranded that as a good thing and sold it as entertainment."
HandsomeHeathen
$$$ Issues
"People who don't make a lot who blow all of their money on stupid things that make it look like they have money, rather than actually getting themselves ahead."
"Can explain. Grew up poor. When the basics are (barely) covered, anything else left is seen as extra or feel good money so it is spent accordingly."
Mike7676
I will never get Monopoly. And I no longer care to.
Do you have anything to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
It's hard to imagine for someone who didn't live it, but not everyone grew up with a kind and loving childhood home.
So much so, Redditors were able to fill a whole Reddit thread with examples of bad parenting, some of which are startling.
Redditor FiForYourAttention asked:
"What screams 'I'm a bad parent'?"
Confidentiality Who?
"I don't know if this really screams it, but I absolutely hate when adults tell other adults their children’s shameful secrets for no reason. Even strangers! It tells me those children probably don’t feel like they can trust their parents."
- 50637
Trust Issues
"I had a pretty horrible thing happen to me during my senior year of high school. I called my mom sobbing, and the next day I found out she told her two best friends and multiple teacher friends of hers. I also found out she and my older sister were laughing about it with each other."
"I never tell her anything anymore. At least anything important."
- Training-Ad171
What Kid?
"Zero interest in the kid. Doesn’t care what they do or what happens to them as long as they don’t inconvenience them."
- JustinChristoph
Lack of Accountability
"Never saying sorry to the kid when the parents make a mistake."
- SuvenPan
Break into Teams
"Triangulation. After the divorce, one of our parents immediately weaponized our relationship against the other. I’m 32 and still unweaving all of the details in my brain."
- BugzFromZpace
Breaking Decibels
"My mother used to get up in my face and yell at me for trivial things. She would also spit on me while yelling."
"Yelling at a kid is traumatic for the kid. Don’t do it. There are better ways to communicate than yelling."
- rainbowblack79
Physically Abusive
"I volunteer at and have had student placements at a children’s hospital and we’ve had patients with serious brain injuries due to abuse (shaking, attempted drowning, etc.). So yeah I’d say those parents are pretty bad."
- Tapestry-of-Life
Desiring Fear
"Your own children being afraid of you, no child should be afraid of the person that looks after them nearly 24/7."
"I really don't think it clicks till adolescence either when you look back and realize that you really were terrified of your father 24/7 as a child."
"Or it's weird when you realize that not all children hate their fathers."
- LimitlessTVShows
The Blame Game
"Blaming your own mistakes and regrets on your kids."
"Or living vicariously through your children because of your own mistakes and regrets."
- LilKaySigs
Broken Record
"Saying the same things over and over again like, 'You're such a disappointment' and 'I wish I had a daughter instead' and 'You ruined my and you're mother's sex life.' This is stuff I heard for years."
- FERRARI308GTSI
Disregarding Mental Health
"Saying 'You're too young to be depressed' and ignoring red flags from mental illnesses."
- EclecticMermaid
Invalidation Tactics
"Invalidating your child's feelings, struggles, and/or mental illness in favor of 'you don't know what struggling really is' or some form of 'back in my day' or 'you kids are so weak.'"
"You have just robbed your child of support, told them their feelings do not matter and informed them that you are not a safe person to confide in."
- Acetamnophen
Punishing Adult Children
"Punishing adult children when they don't do everything you say by silent treatment or nasty texts... and days later acting like nothing happened and saying , 'You never let go of things.'"
- kabive2044
Never Going Home Again
"Your kids never visiting once they move out or go to college."
- ashton_yaste123
Hindsight 0/20
"Ironically, never thinking you're a bad parent."
- RandomHeretic
These examples will bring back dark memories for some.
Hopefully there will be another Reddit post where people describe what positive parenting looks like.
As much as we think we can get along with everyone, that's not always the case.
There are certain types of people you gravitate toward and making a connection with them is easy. But there are also those with specific personality traits you know very well to steer clear from.
Try as we might, we can't be friends with everyone. The best we can do is be the best version of ourselves and stay within a community of people who you vibe with.
Curious to hear from the types of people strangers online prefer keeping a distance from, Redditor KnownNormie asked:
"What type of person could you never be friends with?"

Some people like in the following examples should be put in their place.
Too Many Theatrics
"Someone who constantly makes everything dramatic."
– Anxiety_Ridden_Camel
Space Hoggers
"Someone who obviously doesn't care about anyone's boundaries."
– Jay4025
Embracing The Dark
"Guilt Trippers"
"Those who think its cool and edgy to be negative about everything."
– Stormflier
How can people who think the world revolves around them expect to maintain or gain friendships?
All About Me
"Self centered people."
–needtofreemyself
The One-Upper
"Yeah, that gets old really fast. I am a reformed one upper. I would also interrupt people. I was hard to take when I was younger. I didn’t learn to STFU until I was forced to take a sales job and discovered just how crap I was socially. The last twenty years I’ve gotten a lot better and now enjoy listening to other people’s stories more than telling my own."
– MobileAccountBecause
Not My Problem
"The one who always blame others."
– Reasonable-mcArdles
We could all benefit from personal growth.
They Wait For Life To Happen
"Someone who doesn’t want to learn more about life and its intricacies. I only want friends who think deeply about things and can have varied conversations on religion, politics, the world, and all of life. This life is too vast and insane not to seek depth in it.
– Glass-Philosopher302
Don't Take Life Too Seriously
"Someone who is always serious and can't take a joke. As well as someone who gets offended on the behalf of others."
– HoarderOfPaper
These are hard "no's."
You Can Bet Your Life On It
"a serial killer."
– LongjumpingReturn555
All Creatures Great And Small
"Someone who doesn't like animals."
– InterestingMall8958
It's complicated to categorize exactly the kind of person I would prefer to not to be friends with, but I know that one of my biggest pet peeves that can jeopardize how much effort I put into all kinds of relationships is a person's lack of punctuality.
It says a lot about an individual who is perpetually late outside of an acceptable window between 5 and 15 mins–with a heads up about their tardiness.
If they're always punctual in regards to work obligations and business meetings but very late to meeting up with you for a coffee date, you're clearly not important enough for them to make an effort to avoid keeping you waiting.
And I got no time for that.