Have you ever walked out of a job interview?

I did turn down a job once and am still rather embarrassed by it. I interviewed for a Senior Social work position in the team I was already in. There were 300 applicants that were whittled down to something like twelve interviews. I did very well in the interview, but when I came out I had a sudden lightbulb moment; on the domestic front we’d had two house moves in two years and I had young children who were still needing stability, at work there were a couple of excellent people in the team, but some (most) were jobsworths at best and dodgy at worst, the work itself was nothing like as onerous as I’d experienced in previous jobs, but still was emotionally draining without the support of a good team - and I realised that if I got the job I wouldn’t want to do it.

Unfortunately I was offered the job and mortifyingly I had to explain that although I appreciated their confidence in me I was afraid that I had to turn the job down as I had decided to resign altogether. I never regretted my decision leave and it gave me precious time with my children as I got a school based job instead.

Wish I had so much. Applied for a MA course, has been up since 5am to get there etc and the course leader was late, unprepared, was heavily hungover and stank of booze. She was so rude. So applied somewhere else, other end of the country (specialist subject only handful of places) and had driven up 8pm after work the night before the interview, stayed in a motorway hotel, liked the place but was told by the course leader toward the end, I think I am going to have trouble with you. I was too shocked to say anything, I couldn't decide if to ask why, or whether to walk out, that I did nothing. 5 years ago now. Never did the masters. When I was in early 20s I was asked if I was going to get pregnant/married and leave half way through the summer season for a seasonal hotel job😮 again was way too shocked. So, nope. Dislike interviews. 😬 Roll on retirement. You practice answers to possible questions...but didn't predict. Don't know if was offered a place on either masters. Didn't open the envelope. Wish I'd reported them both, and followed the drunk to her car.

I can think of 2 I've walked out of. First one was about in the 90's when I was changing career & had to do an IT test prior to the interview. I got really stuck using a ruler (on Excel??) to do a task & I was so fed-up with myself that I didn't stay for the actual interview. They practically begged me to stay, so maybe all the candidates had struggled with that.The second was for a full-time post & I had rung the contact on the application paperwork to see if they would consider 4 days per week as I was caring for an elderly relative at the time. On the phone they were very enthusiastic & said that wouldn't be a problem, but as soon as the interview began, I was told it had to be 5 days a week, so I thanked them and left.

When interviewing we had to decide the questions in advance and score the responses made by each interviewee. We also had to make notes on each response. At the end these scores could be added up. All this paperwork was made available to all unsuccessful applicants. Made me very cautious about what notes I made.
I didn't like interviewing. If I'd been allowed to 'go with my gut' I think we'd have chosen different people but at least this process was transparent.

Can't contribute to the thread but have thoroughly enjoyed reading the replies.

I had an interview for 12 midday for a Voluntary Action organisation in a town 30 miles from home. I left early, was too on edge for breakfast, arrived in good time and was kept waiting for two and a half hours with no explanation or apology I was starving. ! I just walked out in the end.

Mid '90's, the interview was in a brand spanking new hospital building (not yet in operation) with lots of energy saving and 'high' tech features.

The room was cavernous with the interview panel at one end and the overhead projector (remember those...?!), for the presentation part of the interview, at the other end: it seemed at least 30/40 feet away. That unsettled me to start with. I couldn't understand why the panel hadn't just moved their chairs/tables etc closer.

The candidates chair was situated very isolated in the middle of the room. Apart from the aforementioned there was no other furniture in this huge room.

The interview started with the usual introductions and an apology about why the window blinds where down on such a lovely sunny day. Apparently they were integral to the windows (sandwiched between the pains of glass), electronically operated and not yet working. Consequently all the lights were on.

The interview proceeded well enough but during the question part, where I was seated in the middle of the room the lights suddenly went off, plunging the whole room into darkness. A voice advised me to not worry and stay where I was.

When the lights came back after a few minutes there was a member of the interview panel standing close beside me frantically waving her arms around above her head. The lights were motion activated, and because no activity had been detected for a period of time the lights went off!

The whole interview had seemed farcical from start to finish and I did not think I had done particularly well. However I was offered the job which I initially accepted but later declined as my current employer offered me the same promotion if I stayed.

Ever since, if I'm interviewing, I've always been acutely aware of creating a welcoming and appropriate interview space, even if, to my colleagues bemusement, it involves rearranging all the furniture.

I was on an interviewing panel where we were told which questions we were allowed to ask and no others.
The guy who got the job has proved useless at it, but in my view he was not asked the right questions. The powers that be had decided he would be offered the job. Nothing that he was asked revealed his true capabilities or rather lack of them. A total stitch up but the “ bosses” don’t actually have to work with him.

You think its awful being asked about childcare aresngements. 1967 applying for a nursing position in a large hospital I was asked what kind of contraception I used as they wanted soneone reliable! I just told them "the best". I was offered the job.

Absolutely:
1. Civil service promotion interview while on mat leave. Went well. Afterward, I was told by one of the panel that another panel member had put me through with the following comment" yes we will put her through, it will cover us for quota if we offer - she is not coming back to work, so we wont have any more women in senior positions"
The woman who followed me in was given the 3rd degree on her plans for children - she walked out and appealed on discrimination grounds, backed by the "good" panel member.

2. Went for interview for which I was well qualified ( it was closer to home), interviewer had clearly only skimmed my CV, as my age was very clear - and about the same as his. Questions centred round my ability to "get down with the kids" - ageism is still present in some IT communities - after some further hostile questioning in the same vein, I pointed out that he clearly had not read my CV, and pointed to my Scout and Guiding activities, and mentoring of young leaders, wished the other interviewer good luck, and walked out.

Dee1012

I had a job interview in Edinburgh... just as the introductions finished, the person involved said to me "You aren't Scottish?", I confirmed that I wasn't, he then said "your name is Scottish". As he was speaking the utter dismay on his face was very apparent.
I decided at that point it was a waste of time so left and no, being Scottish wasn't an occupational qualification!

When my insurance employer hwas shedding, the Scottish ones were looking for IT folks and I was head hunted, along with 2 others. Our Scottish colleague who was looking to return home was not. I noticed that it might well be something to do with our names (mine is Scottish, his was not). I advised him to phone to apply - broad Glaswegian accent got him an immediate interview.

I once was on an interview panel and had a row with nearly all my other interviewers, they wanted to ask a question which would have adversely impacted women candidates more than men.

Well, kind of… Back in the 1970s, interview for a secretarial position…. The guy was smoking, I did too at the time, so when he lit up, so did I. After a few pleasant moments, he asked to test me shorthand, so I chucked the cigarette into the waste paper bin, and he began to dictate. I was doing really well as he was spouting on about profit margins and sales figures, when we both smelled… smoke…. The bin was alight, the orange polyester curtains were alight, the interview scenario was ablaze. I grabbed my handbag and legged it!

I was interviewed for a job advertised in the local paper by a large company which is still a household name. The interview went well and then he told me it was a 9 to 5 position. I said that I had thought it was a part time job given the salary they were offering. He looked a bit taken aback and said that I would have beautiful grounds surrounding the offices!!!! I left.

Not walked out but have moved my chair on a couple of occasions. I think they do it to unsettle you actually. Once I was asked to sit next to an open window with a strong breeze blowing in and the metal blinds all blowing about. Another time right opposite the interviewer with blinding sunshine right in my eyes.

Interviewers aren’t all good at it and often don’t reflect the values and mission of the company/org.

I was angling for a position with a regional but well known and popular airline. The woman was so condescending and the types of questions she put forth threw me completely off track. Not sure that she was towing the company line either. She was bad. I made a quick exit.

She actually did me favor - six months later the airline went out of business!
USA Gundy

Not walked out, but turned one down. Working on Supply in a school just after we’d moved, I applied for one of the jobs the job I was covering, but wasn’t even offered an interview.
When I asked why, the head said I was too valuable as a supply who could teach any age group.
When another post came up, I was offered an interview based on my previous application letter.
I said no thanks, to be met by the information that I was almost certain to get it.
I was happy to turn it down. . . explaining that I’d just got a job at another school -and I’m still there.

I did. I was very young and when I went to the interview I was shown around the offices and noticed everyone looked really stuck up and dressed in super-sophisticated clothes. Not my type of look at all. So when we got back in the interview room I told them what I thought and walked out.

grannyactivist

I once had a row with my interviewers; it was 1994 and I was applying for a social work job.

Long story short, I was asked about my childcare arrangements and refused to answer, citing that my domestic situation was none of their business. After much argy bargy I told them that I would answer their question if they could assure me it had been asked of the previous male candidates. Of course it had not and so I maintained my refusal.

I got a phone call later, offering me the job along with a rather fulsome apology, but my husband was initially perplexed that I didn’t just tell them we had an au-pair.

Thank you for sharing.

Many Human Resource Directors ask some very personal questions regarding marriage and pregnancy possibilities depending on age of course. And delve into, what if the child gets sick, how would you handle this ?

In some countries it is discriminatory and illegal and in others, it is key to obtaining the position ..

Complicated.

In Liverpool in around 1970 at an interview for a bank. I was asked what I thought of men with longer haircuts like the Beatles!

A colleague of mine conducted an interview for an admin assistant in the NHS, she relayed to me afterwards that this strange looking little man came in, sat down, answered a few questions and then informed her that he had his own 3 inch floppy and was used to using it......I really don't know how she kept her face straight.......

I have three that I wished I'd walked out of!

1 - Shy teenager being interviewed for office job and it was going well (I thought); an obviously senior man walked in mid-interview and asked the guy interviewing me if "she" (me) can take shorthand (it wasn't mentioned in the job ad). "Um ... ", the guy stuttered .. "Well, the other one can, so stop wasting your time" said senior man. Actually, I could take shorthand, but there was no thought to the wasting MY time, and I left, furious. Utter waste of my time.
2. Admin job at a school. Three of us were expected for a short skills test then interview, but one didn't turn up so it was me and another woman. Test was simple enough but the other woman was clearly struggling (we were overseen by a staff member). The other woman asked how to do something and like a twit I told here (overseeing staff member didn't say anything). Then we had a wait for to be interviewed - outside the admin office - where the other woman stuck her head inside the door and shouted out to her friends inside "I'm here now - ha, ha, ha" and they were all delighted to see her. I should have left then. Utter waste of my time.
3. Admin job at a college. Six of us for skills test, cut down to three for interview after a coffee break in staff canteen. One of the other two candidates joined a table of friends - found out she'd been doing the job for 6 months as a temp and was applying for full-time. Utter waste of my time.

I know it could be argued that I (or other candidates) could have brought something else to the jobs. But I'm shy and find interviews extremely difficult (I would never take a job where I'd need to speak in public, for instance). Finding out before the interview on the 2nd and 3rd instances above really knocked my confidence.

I went to one interview a few years ago for a position on a council helpdesk and was taken to the fifth floor, the staff member taking me through various doors with a security card.
I was put into an office on my own and told to read the instructions and when the phone rang, to answer it and deal with the complaint from a staff member posing as a member of the public, then write up a report on the complaint. When completed, I would be taken in for my interview. I realised quite quickly that this wasn't the job for me, and would've left there and then, but I couldn't as I had no security pass and didn't know where everyone was! So when I was collected for the interview and was asked how I thought the task went, I just said I'd not done very well, and pointed out my mistakes and what I should've said, or not, feeling very relaxed as it just didn't matter if they didn't offer me the job as I didn't want it! I'd never been so relaxed in an interview before! Before I even arrived home, they rang (I knew I was the last person being interviewed), and I thought 'Gosh, I was so bad, they can't wait to tell me!' Not at all! They said they were very impressed and would like to offer me the job! I was so shocked, I just blurted out 'You've got to be kidding!' to which I was asked whether I would like to accept!! And I must've been in shock, as I said 'yes please'! But I really didn't want it! However, I stayed there for 18 months and I did hate it, but through that job, I ended up working in another department in a job I loved!! I asked my boss later why they'd offered me the job, and she said it was because I was aware I could make improvements, and I would therefore be easy to train on the job, and they get too many interviewees 'bigging themselves up' and being overly confident about their capabilities!
Another time, I went for an interview as a school secretary in the school where my husband taught. The post was filled by a long-term supply person (months at this point), but I didn't get the job because they didn't know that it was a good idea to work in the same school as my husband (!!!!!). The long-term supply person had also applied to take the post on a permanent contract, but she didn't get it either! In fact, no one did, none of us were good enough (despite me already being an experienced school secretary!), yet the supply person was obviously good enough to be kept on for a further long-term spell, before they re-advertised the post again. No idea if she applied again! Glad I didn't get that job! Though my husband taught there for years!"

Yes I have. They were rude and dismissive , I also told them what I thought of the set up they had and various improvements they needed to make before they were taken to court.
I left thinking " I wouldn't work for that bunch at any price".
Several weeks later I received a job offer! Not for the post I went for originally but another. I ended up there for 25 years.

I’ve never walked out of a job interview, but did make one manager squirm in his seat as he wasn’t expecting anyone to challenge his working practices. His face was picture when after asking if I had any questions, I pulled out a small note pad and proceeded to ask several questions, which he struggled to answer. I came out the interview smiling and my husband who was waiting to take me out to lunch asked me what had I done, we had a laugh over lunch and when we arrived home I received a phone call from the HR manager offering me the job, she told me later on the manager had felt I was interviewing him not the other way about. During my time with company I got a good few working practices improved.