I think we can all agree that job interviews are one of the most nerve-wracking parts of adulting. And even though they often end much better than we expect, I am sure there are times we’ve all come across strange questions that have left us slightly speechless.
Which is why this Reddit thread where people have discussed inappropriate questions they’ve been asked at job interviews is so, so interesting (and even a bit entertaining) to read!
So take a look if you’re curious to know more:
1. Her: Are you married?
Me: Yes, have been for X years.
Her: Do you like it?
Me: Yeah, it’s alright, I guess.
Her: Quiet stare
– Anonymous
2. I was asked if I ever watch pornography, which didn’t seem like such a big deal to me at first. Trying to be honest, I answered “Yes.” I was then asked “What kind of stuff, I need specifics”. For context I am a male and the interviewer was female and this was for a government job.
– ACM1899
3. The interviewer said that I looked very youthful, then asked how I expected to keep a class in line if I looked almost as young as the students. He, word-for word, asked, “What if they rebel?” This was for a biochemistry teaching position at a college…
– whoduhhelru
4. I was interviewing with a school district for a HS English teaching job. They said that I looked really young and then said, “How will you respond to male students who ask if they can date you?” My response? “I tell them no.” I thought that was good enough, because WTF else would I do, take them to dinner?
Edit: Two years later, I know now that the correct answer is to tell them (the students) “No,” document it, and report it to the administration.
– cloudeighteen
5. Not so much a question, but a warning. I was told that the size of my breasts might be an issue since children would want to grab them. (Teacher)
Edit: I teach all ages, from children to adolescents in Japan. They not only grab my breasts, but they also grab/spank my ass. Older students tend to just comment on them. I wear t-shirts but that doesn’t hide the size.
– EtherealGrrl
5. I was being interviewed for a job at a small law firm. I was being interviewed by the office manager and the associate attorney was also sitting in. After all the skill questions the office manager goes, “So are you married? Do you have kids? We are very family oriented.” The attorney jumped in and said, “You can’t ask those types of questions!!!” After a few more get-to-know-you questions she said, “So are you a Christian?” The attorney jumped in again, “JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!! YOU CAN’T ASK THAT EITHER!” I did get the job. It was a fun place to work at.
– tang81
6. I was asked by one gentleman if I liked to “party”. I was then informed by the interviewer that he liked to regularly snort coke. He then followed that up with “If you are hired, you should come hang out with us, a bunch of the guys in management like to hit up [Some random strip club in town] during lunch and get plastered”. And, “Hey, life tip? Marry a stripper, they stay hot as fuck for a long time, most are bisexual and some will bring home their coworkers for you to fuck, the only shitty part is the warts, just get them burned off.” I was expecting Ashton Kutcher to bust through a door at any moment and say I was punked. Never happened, I was hired, he wasn’t trolling. He was dead serious about everything he told me.
– b4dkarm4
7. I was once asked if I would be willing to change my name because the owner of the company had the same name and “We absolutely have to know who it is when she calls.” I suggested a nickname and was told I couldn’t use that either – the department head had that name. Noped my way out of there.
– potatoisafruit
8. There’s a series of “new” interview standards the company I work for has put out, the interview questions are good, but inappropriate for the jobs they’re asking them in. Some of the questions are like, “Who do you follow on LinkedIn?” – which is a good question…however…if you’re applying to be a bar tender or a housekeeper…You think they really give a fuck about LinkedIn? I wish I had the template in front of me…the questions really don’t fit the roles. It’d be like asking a 15 year old McDonalds candidate what he thinks of the current state of the economy and what his action plan would be in the role to accommodate the changing environment.
– n0remack
9. I was applying for a job at a well-known Middle East news agency. I’m a journalist with 10 years experience in the field. Lived two years in the West Bank. Have reported from Nairobi, Mogadishu etc. Interviewed with a guy in London, and after the phone interview and written exam, the question was: “So, when did you become radicalised?”
– jimiffondu
10. When I was interviewing for my first major game development job, I got lobbed the question, “What’s the biggest animal you’ve ever killed?” Evidently it was a pretty common interview question there, I guess it was intended to throw you off. I answered honestly, and told them that I worked at an animal shelter and held a dog while my superior administered a lethal injection. My friend had the best response, though – He told them that while he was in the womb, he had a twin that he absorbed. So in a way, he killed his own brother. I don’t know if they still ask that question, but man was it weird.
– JoystickMonkey
11. So once I had a job interview at a frozen yogurt place in 2011, it was conveniently scheduled about 2 days after I got my wisdom teeth pulled out. I was in a lot of pain, so I ended up showing up to the interview high on painkillers. All I really remember is him asking me the question, “If I shrunk you down to 2 inches tall and put you inside a blender, how would you escape?” And I believe my answer was something along the lines of, “What the fuck kind of question was that?” and the weirdest part is I ended up getting a second interview.
– Zamus514
12. “Would you like to increase your chances at this job by having dinner with me?”
– paleperson
13. They asked me to name my favorite Muppet and I was totally not prepared for it.
– warncoy
14. I sat in an interview with my boss who is always inappropriate… We were interviewing someone from India and this genius asked if he knew this other person who also happens to be Indian… Yeah dude… Over 1 billion people from India and they all know each other.
– HanSoloz
15. I was interviewing for a federal government spot. Prior to the interview, we were chatting in the entry way and the interviewer notices my wedding band, it’s black titanium. He asked what it was and I told him. The interview was being recorded. And the 8th question he asked was, “Since you’re married, are you and your wife planning to have kids in the next 2-3 years?” I just stared at him and the HR guy in there reached over, clicked off the recorder stood up and took the guy out of the room. I sat in there for about 5 minutes trying to figure out what to do. The HR guy came back in with a new person. They restarted the recorder and started the interview again.
– excusemefucker
Have you ever been asked an inappropriate question at a job interview? Tell us in the comments section.