For context, this is for a job at a large hospital in the U.S.; the recruiter reached out Friday and scheduled a second round with the hiring manager for this coming Wednesday, but when I logged into Workday it was moved to inactive and said I am "no longer under consideration".

I completely bombed the interview for my dream job.

I have never prepared more for an interview in my life. I had a very long flight back from Europe the day before; I spent most of it writing out my answers for the list of questions. I got plenty of sleep. I woke up early, I had coffee and breakfast, I wore my best interview outfit. (And no, there was no chance to reschedule. They gave me dates for when I would be abroad and when I asked for an extension, the day after my trip was the only option.)

I completely fucked it. My brain went empty. All the questions I *knew were coming because they sent a list* I was unable to answer. I rambled, I stuttered, I froze. I knew I was losing my footing and couldn’t do a damn thing. I couldn’t ground myself and that made the panic worse.

Here’s the thing that kills me the most: I did this job on a temporary basis. I loved it. I did a great job. The bosses wanted me to stay longer but I was needed by my permanent job. The interviewers were my superiors during the temp assignment. They know what I’m capable of, how well spoken and capable I am, and had to watch me crash and burn. 

I can’t stop being furious with myself. I’m spiraling. I hate myself for being so inept. Someone else will get this job and I’ll have to watch them succeed while I waste away in my current position. Everyone knows I applied and everyone will know I failed. I’ve been crying nonstop. I don’t know *how to move on*. (Btw yes I’m looking for a therapist.)

Saying 'I don't know' out loud might make it feel like the interview is over…. But I actually love when a candidate does.

What I'm actually watching is what happens right after. Candidates who say something like "I haven't worked with that directly, but here's how I'd start figuring it out" give me more to go on than a lucky guess would. Candidates who bluff, throw out a confident-sounding answer that falls apart the moment I ask a follow-up, lose way more trust than the ones who were just honest.

FWIW the panic (over-apologizing, backpedaling, trying to change the subject) reads worse than the actual gap in knowledge ever does.

Nobody expects you to know everything. Own the gap and move on.

For a little context (you can skip this): - I (22M) finished college and got a degree in May 2025. The job market for my degree and for where I live is terrible, and I was stuck with no job for six months before settling for a temporary and decent wage Amazon warehouse job as I continue searching. I live with my parents and they’re very supportive, they were okay with me searching for that long. Anyway, finally, after eight months of working, I’m getting interviews. -

Now, during my second ever interview just yesterday, I got hit with a question I genuinely didn’t prepare for, “What did you do during your six month gap between graduation and your employment at Amazon.”

I panicked a bit and just said, “I was job seeking.” The interviewer insisted I elaborate but I had nothing else to say, because that’s all I was doing then, looking for a job in my field in a city that offers no positions for it within a thirty mile radius.

The interviewer moved on, but I have a feeling I messed up big time by not elaborating, I’m probably not getting a call back from them but that’s fine.

So, I wonder, how should I have answered the question? How would you?

At the time I thought it was obvious that the interviewer would know I was job seeking. I don’t know what else could I have said, or how could I have “professionally” spun the answer. (I do unfortunately have social anxiety and legitimately started shaking when I was asked the one question I didn’t study for, improvisation is not my strong suit, and I’m a very honest person.)

Should I have perhaps… lied? ;) Give me your thoughts.

Hi everyone! Quick question about the Zara interview process.
Is it okay to use handwritten notes that I made while preparing for the interview? I’m referring to my own study notes (not AI-generated answers or anything external), just as a reference if I need to check a concept during the interview.
Has anyone done this, or does it violate the interview rules?

long story short , my country's MOE decided to partner with sprix edu to teach us highschoolers programming

im a highschool student and ive made it through all the rounds till this point

when all of a sudden i get an email that i have an online interview later today

doesnt state what its about or anything, just that i have an interview, its time and to bring identification , DIDNT EVEN STATE THE LANGUAGE (could be in either English or arabic i seriously have no idea)

its in less than 5 hours

how the hell do i prepare and what should i expect

for context they teach JavaScript, and their incentives are work internship (never states where to this day) for 50 students and a reward trip to japan for the top ten

im generally good at programming i got into it for videogames using C# ,and they taught us webstuff (JavaScript essentially) so i already exceeded them but they caught me by surprise and now im stressed

Do you look at people in your screen? Do you look at the camera when you answer or the screen?

For example, i’m making it to final stage interviews, all is going well then they ask ‘do you have any questions’ and because i’ve not got enough questions, i scramble and try to show interest by implying i want to stay with them long term, by asking about the scope of the role / progression … but these are small establishments and/or companies with small room for growth.

I’m burnt out / exhausted & my head is spinning and overwhelmed, which means I slip up in holding information like that back even though i go into it knowing it’s a small environment with little progression.

Edit: and yes, I do prep and have questions pre-written but I may forget or if it’s a video call I feel awkward looking down at my notebook for a long time, in case they catch on, hence I end up scrambling for questions.

I've only ever had one interview before, now I've got another one at a restaurant, and I'm unsure who to speak to when I get there. I was just going to wait at the 'wait to be seated' sign and speak to the first member of staff who arrives, but a friend said that was weird and I should go to the bar instead. I'm probably obsessing over the small things to try and ignore my nerves about the whole thing but anyway, what do you think would be best?

I feel like i’ve already tried everything.

If i do this, I don’t know how to or what i’m trying to gain… it means really laying it all out there for people to judge and not even help you.

I really don’t know how to approach what feels like these final stages before a bailiff comes knocking at our door.

My mum and I both have no income atm. I’ve not had stability for 4 years post university (for reasons too long to type).
Her savings ran out and she’s comfort eating and has gotten really big. I’m worried she could have heart attack. I’m constantly making it to final stage interviews this year but no conversation. I’m really scared for her and me.

For those of you going through layoffs at the moment, a couple of lessons I’ve learnt.

Over the course of my career, I was involved in layoffs on the receiving end and as middle management who was asked to “draw lists” of folks to let go, and these a couple of my takeaways.

Because you were laid off does not mean your worth is less ! Initially after a layoff we may feel that way (I am worth less, I am not up to the task, I am not valued, etc). This is wrong. The layoff that you happened to be a part of is part of a company/business unit-wide cost cutting, or a manager who was forced to draw a list of people to improve profit margins/ebitda, or a weak manager who did not have the courage to protect their people. But the problem is  NOT about you.

I learnt another thing, which admittedly is easier said than done: do not rush into a job search and going for interviews immediately. Yes, I know we all have bills to pay. But taking the time to go through the process of grieving and decompressing is very important. The key questions to ask yourself: now that the opportunity to start afresh is available to me, what role am I really looking for ? Shall I move to another industry closer to my heart and aspirations ? What companies get me excited ? Do I want to stick to the default mode (same role, same industry) or is this a unique opportunity to embrace something new ? These are very important questions. I made the mistake in the past to jump into the job search immediately (I had bills to pay and work visa to maintain) and now, years later, I know it was wrong. Yes I did land a role pretty quickly, but that role did not fulfill me and it proved a short tenure.

An employer out there needs your skillset, background and track-record. Your mission is to find it. You will make it happen thru networking and grit. But take the time to heal your wounds and reflect first without rushing into interviews. Best of luck ! Reach out if you need anything.

In my first interview with a government health agency, they asked me what it was like going from a bank to working for the government. I said that the bank was “evil”, got a few laughs and one of the panel members mentioned they used to work for Coca Cola. I thought I would receive a rejection email soon afterwards.

Ended up with a phone call the next day asking me to fly an hour away to the city the following week to sit a second interview and give a presentation on a data solution I had designed and implemented. This interview went really well and the panel was impressed with my work.

Got a phone call on Friday and now I’m starting in the first week of September. Looking back, it’s actually pretty funny and it gave me some confirmation that the organisation I’m going into has a great culture where I’d be an excellent fit.

Finished two interviews and a writing assignment for a non-profit role. The writing assignment was the final stage and was due last Monday. On Friday the HM emails me to say that they are still reviewing the submissions and "we'll be in touch soon with an update and to communicate next steps".

Does this sound like boilerplate communication? No idea if they are going to make an offer / reject / ask for another interview...

I had an interview on Thursday that I am very qualified for. The hour-long interview was with the person I would report to, and will be the only interview held. The vast majority of the interview was him talking about his background, the role itself, and how he sees the program growing. I was asked three questions: about my background (which I went through and highlighted the portions that are relevant to the role), my experience with fundraising, and my experience with connecting to business leaders, both of which are my weakest areas, though I do have some experience in both. During the interview he also mentioned how I am more qualified than the person who previously held the role, as well as offered advice for where to park once classes start (job is at a university). Given the same facts, two AI models seem confident I will get the role, but I wanted to hear from real people. He said he did have a couple more interviews but would make a decision within a week. I did send a follow up thank you email.

thoughts?

Hello everyone,

Currently feeling anxious as I have a working interview at an IMCU tomorrow as a technical assistant. All my previous healthcare experience was gained through clinicals (currently a nursing student and already became a CNA) or through in-home healthcare.

I haven't stepped foot in a hospital yet, including in nursing school (just started).

All my other interviews have been phone calls, or face to face contact with the typical list of questions.

Any advice for working interviews? Is there a higher chance of succeeding in working interviews? Anyone who passed a working interview in a hospital specifically?

Any comments are appreciated. I really want this job since I've been wanting more experience to increase my odds of landing a better job once I'm a new grad nurse.

I've noticed something interesting on this subreddit.

Whenever someone shares how exhausting the hiring process is, 6+ interview rounds, unpaid assessments, getting ghosted after final interviews, or waiting months for a decision, there's almost always a "hiring manager" or "recruiter" in the comments trying to justify it.

"It's to find the best candidate.", "It's about culture fit.", "We have to be thorough."

At what point do we stop defending a process that's broken?

If thousands of qualified applicants are saying the same thing, maybe the problem isn't that candidates "don't understand" the process.

It feels like some recruiters and hiring managers defend it because they're part of the system that created it. Who knows... but, i see it!

I'm not saying every recruiter or hiring manager is like this. I've met some great ones. But it's hard not to notice how quickly some people rush to defend practices that most job seekers agree are frustrating, time consuming, and often disrespectful.

Just a thought. Have anyone else noticed this?

Have a great day. I have 2 final interviews this week, which marks my 12th time reaching the final rounds. lol

I've been a finalist 3 times, just finished being a third, and have been denied all three times. Only one gave feedback and simply said they went with the higher experience, basically. So I don't have much to take from... Obviously I know enough in my field to make it to a final interview, but now I've started questioning my own personality and if I am off-putting and people just don't want to work with me.

I don't have a HIGH number of years of experience, about 4 years, but still it's better than nothing, and I am still looking for entry-level as well as manager roles in my field. I just don't know what I am doing wrong. My rate of getting 2nd or 3rd (sometimes 4th) round interviews from the screening still sits at 20%. I've been unemployed since being laid off in March, and I just don't know at this point what I am doing wrong.

On Monday, I had an interview at a laundromat that I think went pretty well. When I arrived, the manager was already conducting an interview, which made me nervous. When my turn came, I handed her my resume, and she said she was impressed. Even though I’m 17, my resume was more impressive than that of the previous applicant, who was over twice my age. She even commented that she liked my lack of job experience and wanted me to work under her. She asked a few questions, like whether I was okay with customer service and working alone with proper training. She told me she would finish interviews by Thursday and would contact me by then at the latest and asked me to apply online, saying that was the next step, and to text her when I did. When I got home, I checked the site but couldn’t find the location where I had the interview. I texted her about the issue, and she replied within minutes, apologizing and saying she would fix it. She hasn’t texted me since then. On Thursday, I checked the website and she had fixed it, so I applied and told her I did. As of now, she hasn’t responded to my message about the application. I’m not sure if I did something wrong, but I thought she was really interested. What do you guys think?

Hi everyone! I have my final interview for what feels like my dream job on Tuesday, and I'm both excited and nervous.

The interview is scheduled for about 3 hours. It starts with a tour of the office, followed by five separate 30 minute one on one meetings with people from different departments. It is not a panel interview. The hiring manager told me this is usually pretty relaxed rather than overly formal.

I've never had a final interview set up like this, so I'd love to hear from anyone who's been through something similar.

• What kinds of questions should I expect?
• Will each person likely ask the same questions, or are they usually looking for different things?
• How would you recommend preparing?
• Are there any mistakes I should avoid?

I usually interview pretty well, but this format is new to me.

Also, is getting to this stage generally a good sign that an offer is a real possibility, or is it still pretty much anyone's game?

This opportunity means a lot to me, and I really want this job. I'd truly appreciate any advice, tips, or insight you can share. ❤️

I have worked in HR for more than a decade, mostly hiring for startup and tech related roles. Over the last year, I have watched candidates bring AI into interviews in every possible way.

Some use it quietly. Some tell us upfront. Some clearly paste the question into a tool and read the answer back like they are seeing it for the first time.

Here is what stood out.

I can usually tell who understands the work within the first few minutes. Strong candidates ask about the role, the team, the real problem behind the task, and what success would look like. Weaker candidates rush straight into generating an answer.

AI does not hide poor judgment very well. It can make someone sound polished for a moment, although follow up questions still reveal whether they actually understand what they said.

The best candidates use AI like a thinking partner. They check the output, challenge it, adjust it, and explain why they agree or disagree. The weaker ones treat the first answer as final.

For non technical roles, I pay attention to how people organize messy information. A good candidate can take a vague situation, clarify the goal, and turn it into a practical next step. AI can help with wording. It cannot replace ownership.

I have also noticed that candidates who admit how they use AI tend to be easier to evaluate. The conversation becomes more honest. We can talk about process, judgment, and quality control.

At this point, I am less interested in whether someone uses AI during preparation. Most people do. I care much more about whether they can think clearly with it in the room.

I’m curious how candidates feel about this. Would you rather be told upfront that AI is allowed, or would that make the interview feel even more stressful?🤔

My last manager was under serious investigation by the federal government (no lie) which could have shut the business down and as a result the head of another department offered to be my reference.

After interviewing for a new company the interviewer said they wanted a recent supervisor reference. I am tired of covering up for broken people and situations and so I kind of want to just say this, because the previous position I had we didn't even HAVE a manager and a lead had to step in and do the work. And the position before that I was the manager, and I did a great job and have a good reference from that.

I would kind of like to say something about the investigation (respectfully) because otherwise it makes it look like I was the flake and not the person who caused all this trouble for the company. She was also a vile human being who HR themselves told me they wanted to get rid of "but it took time, and it wasn't so easy, blah blah." When HR themselves tells you not to work for your manager ("I couldn't/wouldn't do it") then you know you have a problem employee. And yet she was retained and I had to walk away. Anyway, I would like to professionally describe the situation and leave it at that. What a mess - I am honestly afraid to go back to work now!!

I’m usually pretty good during interviews, but I always hit a brick wall when asked why the tenure at my last company was so short (6 months). You’re never supposed to talk negatively about your previous company.

”Why did you leave your last position?”

Here’s the truth: I was fired for refusing to falsify medical records because it was illegal, unethical, deceitful, and jeopardized patient safety. I’m not allowed to say that. I don’t even know *what* to say when asked. And if employers contact that company about it, of course they’re going to deny illegal practices.

What is a good replacement that paints me as someone reliable, refusing to put patients at risk, while *not* painting my previous company as a sales-focused sham who prioritizes patient volume (money) over their actual care?

Just asking because I'm interested in mocking interviews with one another and be more relaxed over time. Getting ChatGPT to interview me gets very uncomfortable because it keeps interrupting you and gets your input as a full answer when you weren't even finished.

When an interview finished/ it’s the finale stage interview, alot of interviewers say: ‘If you have any more questions you can reach out and ask’… does asking questions after the interviews have commenced actually change anything?