Have you ever attended a job interview? For some people they can be a painful and embarrassing experience, but for others, it can be a chance to shine – a platform to perform and show off their talents. But sometimes, even for the most confident candidates, things don't go to plan and the interviewee is left feeling they'd wish they had never stepped foot in the room!

 

The interview is a necessary part of the recruitment process, and if carried out fairly, can be a good way to select the ideal person to fill a position in a company. This can be done by just asking questions or by carrying out other tasks that test someone's competencies. It's also a chance for the interviewee to ask questions and get a feel for their potential new employer.

 

All this is to be expected when applying for a new job. But the BBC has found there are many examples of situations where inappropriate questions have been asked and irrelevant¹ things have been discussed. Olivia Bland² recently attended an interview at a technology company in the UK and claimed to have been subjected to a "brutal³" two-hour job interview. She said the company's CEO "tried his best to intimidate⁴" her and that in her feedback… "He told me everything I did was wrong, everything I said, the way I sat, my body language, everything that he could do to attack me." She actually got a job offer but turned it down. The CEO did apologise.

 

Other people have told the BBC about the grilling⁵ they received about their personal lives. For example, mature student Kevin Helton said "The interviewer asked, 'You used to be in the Army, how many people have you killed?'" Jo Foat was asked by an interviewer to wear a large straw hat and was told "In my experience, pretty girls like you rely too much on their looks."

 

There are, of course, laws against discrimination, and managers should only be asking questions that are relevant to a vacancy⁶. But sometimes, according to James Reed, chairman of employment agency Reed, what may appear to be an inappropriate question is said "…to provoke you, and there's nothing illegal about provoking someone, but they can be annoying."

 

Of course, some unconventional job interviews can be fun and are designed to put you at ease. A French marketing⁷ agency is inviting⁸ applicants⁹ for an internship¹⁰ to discuss the opportunity over a game of Fortnite! Now that sounds like a fun way to develop your career!

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