Bad interview stories

29,887 Views | 205 Replies | Last: 1 hr ago by zooguy96
AgLA06
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 76Ag • 3:35p, 2/17/26
AG
76Ag said:
I went to a job interview in downtown Houston. The interviewer had coogar high paraphernalia all over his office.
After the introduction he spent the rest of the time complaining that U of H did not receive any of the PUF.
That is all he talked about instead of talking to me about the position. I don't think I was ever considered.

Why would you drive to a sit down interview with a company recruiter? The only time I've ever had contact with a company recruiter was for an initial phone screen before being handed off to the hiring manager.
Reply Quote
AustinAg2K
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:32p, 2/17/26
I had a pretty rough interview today. Interviewing for a Principal Architect job with a Fortune 15 company (I'm already a principal architect, so this would be a lateral move). After the initial phone screen, they asked me to prepare a presentation for a case study. The case study was literally, "We have monolith architecture and we want to move to a more modern architecture. How do we do that?" I tried to explain that is a very large project with very vague requirements, and for the purposes of the one hour interview it might make sense to pick a specific domain and focus on it. They responded back that I should make an educated guess about their system and go from there. That response was already a huge red flag, but I went ahead and prepared a presentation anyways. I focused on strategies for identifying domains and patterns for breaking apart the monolith. Anyways, during the interview today I tried to get some clarification on how their systems work so we could go into more detail. I was met with more, "It's your job to figure it out." Unless they give me access to their systems, how do they expect me to figure that out without asking questions? Then at the end of the interview they said they would like me to do another presentation and go into more detail, to which I politely declined. It really felt like they don't know what they want and they are trying to use the interview process to get free design work. Either that, or they have someone internal already identified and they've designed their interview process so only a person with knowledge of their system can pass, and they just used me to fill some sort of quota on the minimum number of interviews. All in all, just a very weird interview process.
Reply Quote
7
2 edits
File5
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AustinAg2K • 10:51p, 2/17/26
AG
Maybe A&M should hire you to fix all of THEIR monolith architecture. I prefer Art Deco

Props to you for shutting them down - you would think a Fortune 15 company would do better? Then again, maybe not.
Reply Quote
1
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cepe • 10:18a, 2/18/26
Cepe said:
infinity ag said:
mm98 said:
I realize this is Texags and perhaps our online personalities are more extreme than we are in real life, but no, you should not contact a CEO because you felt a company potentially mishandled 30 minutes of your time in job seeking, even if initiated by them


Ultimately I didn't email the CEO.
But I did threaten the recruiter that I would, which probably put the fear of God in them. I am not one of those who puts people's jobs in danger in such bad job markets. They don't deserve it though for how they treat people. You may not be in tech so you don't see this but it is quite likely that I may have been the token US citizen they "interviewed" and rejected before they renew their H1B already sitting in the wings. I can't prove it in this case though but it happens a LOT.

I just hope they won't treat someone else like this. I've read people crying on Linkedin that they got a job cross-country, sold their house, moved, and started life in the new city only to get laid off in 6 months and what's worse, the company trying to extract moving expenses from them because they "quit" before a year was up.

The head of recruiting wrote back with a silly excuse, I won't reply back, and I will let it be the end of it.


I'm sure the HR person is only doing it because it's unstated to this. The CEO won't give a rats ass because getting the H1B saves money.


I am sure the CEO told the HR person to do all these unethical stuff. The CEO in regular times won't give a rats ass but he will care in this current environment where H1Bs are being scrutinized and watched. I know many people who run body shop companies who are scared of what is coming.

And in this particular case, he is also the founder of the company, not a typical career CEO. When it is your own company, you are far more caring about reputation.
Reply Quote
1 edit
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AustinAg2K • 10:27a, 2/18/26
AustinAg2K said:
I had a pretty rough interview today. Interviewing for a Principal Architect job with a Fortune 15 company (I'm already a principal architect, so this would be a lateral move). After the initial phone screen, they asked me to prepare a presentation for a case study. The case study was literally, "We have monolith architecture and we want to move to a more modern architecture. How do we do that?" I tried to explain that is a very large project with very vague requirements, and for the purposes of the one hour interview it might make sense to pick a specific domain and focus on it. They responded back that I should make an educated guess about their system and go from there. That response was already a huge red flag, but I went ahead and prepared a presentation anyways. I focused on strategies for identifying domains and patterns for breaking apart the monolith. Anyways, during the interview today I tried to get some clarification on how their systems work so we could go into more detail. I was met with more, "It's your job to figure it out." Unless they give me access to their systems, how do they expect me to figure that out without asking questions? Then at the end of the interview they said they would like me to do another presentation and go into more detail, to which I politely declined. It really felt like they don't know what they want and they are trying to use the interview process to get free design work. Either that, or they have someone internal already identified and they've designed their interview process so only a person with knowledge of their system can pass, and they just used me to fill some sort of quota on the minimum number of interviews. All in all, just a very weird interview process.


Either they wanted free consulting work or you are an unwitting part of their elaborate scheme to renew an H1B.

Your experience reminded me of when I interviewed with a famous credit card company in 2013 or so. The interviewer got mad at me for not knowing their tech systems and architecture. How can I know their systems, it's all proprietary and internal. He said I should have looked at their website. They don't put that kind of stuff on their website. Not sure what he wanted. He advised me to go back, "read up" and come back. That was the end of it.


I recently interviewed with a large credit card company for a product position. They gave me 3 products of theirs to research on and do a case interview. They would pick any one on interview day. I spend 10 days preparing, used ChatGPT to be my interviewer etc etc. The interview actually went well overall. But I got a reject. Then I see the job renewed in LinkedIn.
Surely they are up to something. I don't even know if the interviewer passed me but someone above him could have rejected me. He did take notes on my product ideas.
What's in your wallet?
Reply Quote
6 edits
The Chicken Ranch
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:46a, 2/18/26
AG
Companies that want you to do a presentation or a consultation during an interview are unethical, IMO, and speaks volumes about their character.

We are in such a horrid environment for mid level professionals looking for roles, that these narcissists think they can game the hiring process use you like a commodity. And we let them.

Someday the worm will turn, but for now it's hell looking for a role, but it does expose the rotten culture of corporate gigs. They want to own you, your talents, and every aspect of your life.

What I would give for a do over! I would have gone to law school, been a single practitioner, and owned my own talents. Instead, I'm a slave to my boss. But I know the grass isn't greener elsewhere.

Hang in there everyone, the worm will turn someday.
Reply Quote
2
2 edits
500,000ags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to The Chicken Ranch • 11:00a, 2/18/26
AG
lol, but we are at natural unemployment. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the BLS numbers are either going to shift in the next few months, or their data is going to smell fishier and fishier.
Reply Quote
1
The Chicken Ranch
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 500,000ags • 11:38a, 2/18/26
AG
I agree!
Reply Quote
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cromagnum • 11:46a, 2/18/26
Cromagnum said:
Im tired of their **** too, but that's a bit much on a 30 minute 1 time call. Had they done 2-3 rounds and pulled this, game on.


Well, why is there a distinction between wasting 30 mins of my time versus wasting 2 hours of my time? I don't want to be part of their devious plot to scam the government to get H1Bs.

There have been times when companies called me into their offices (pre COVID times) and I would have to go through 4-5 hours of interviews one after another and after a point, I could tell were fake. The best way is to watch the hiring manager or his boss. Their body language reveals a lot, when they are trying NOT to sell you the job or making it obvious they want to scare you away. The lower level people don't know much.

This nonsense needs to be stamped out. It's come to a point where everyone does it because they get away. I worked at a famous public investment company about 15 years ago and emailed HR about an internal posting. She emailed me back saying "don't worry, it is not a real job, it is for immigration purposes". Those were innocent times when people didn't know but I was shocked.
Reply Quote
2
1 edit
Cromagnum
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 8:34p, 2/18/26
AG
infinity ag said:
Cromagnum said:
Im tired of their **** too, but that's a bit much on a 30 minute 1 time call. Had they done 2-3 rounds and pulled this, game on.


Well, why is there a distinction between wasting 30 mins of my time versus wasting 2 hours of my time? I don't want to be part of their devious plot to scam the government to get H1Bs.

There have been times when companies called me into their offices (pre COVID times) and I would have to go through 4-5 hours of interviews one after another and after a point, I could tell were fake. The best way is to watch the hiring manager or his boss. Their body language reveals a lot, when they are trying NOT to sell you the job or making it obvious they want to scare you away. The lower level people don't know much.

This nonsense needs to be stamped out. It's come to a point where everyone does it because they get away. I worked at a famous public investment company about 15 years ago and emailed HR about an internal posting. She emailed me back saying "don't worry, it is not a real job, it is for immigration purposes". Those were innocent times when people didn't know but I was shocked.


Its a big difference between a 30 minute chat that likely involved zero prep since they reached out, vs actually investing several hours of prep and research if it could have amounted to something. I value my time too, but I can spare 30 minutes to listen to someone shoot their shot, especially nowadays.
Reply Quote
1
AustinAg2K
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 10:30p, 2/18/26
infinity ag said:
I recently interviewed with a large credit card company for a product position. They gave me 3 products of theirs to research on and do a case interview. They would pick any one on interview day. I spend 10 days preparing, used ChatGPT to be my interviewer etc etc. The interview actually went well overall. But I got a reject. Then I see the job renewed in LinkedIn.
Surely they are up to something. I don't even know if the interviewer passed me but someone above him could have rejected me. He did take notes on my product ideas.
What's in your wallet?


That position doesn't exist. I interviewed with the same "What's in your wallet?" company a few months ago. I applied for a lead engineer position, and I went through five rounds of interviews. After the last interview, the recruiter told me, "Good news! You've passed all of our interviews! We'll let you know when we have an opening." WTF? You don't have an opening? What did I apply for? The job keeps getting closed and reopened on their career site. I don't know why they do it, but they are perpetually interviewing for positions that don't really exist. I assume they do it, so they will already have a list of names they can call quickly if a position does open, but that's just a guess on my part. All I know is that they wasted a lot of my time (and I'm sure other people's, too).
Reply Quote
AustinAg2K
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to The Chicken Ranch • 10:47p, 2/18/26
The Chicken Ranch said:
We are in such a horrid environment for mid level professionals looking for roles, that these narcissists think they can game the hiring process use you like a commodity. And we let them.

Someday the worm will turn, but for now it's hell looking for a role, but it does expose the rotten culture of corporate gigs. They want to own you, your talents, and every aspect of your life.

What I would give for a do over! I would have gone to law school, been a single practitioner, and owned my own talents. Instead, I'm a slave to my boss. But I know the grass isn't greener elsewhere.

Things are awful right now, and companies are definitely treating candidates like garbage. Luckily, I have a job, but I really don't like it, so I have been looking off and on for the past year. I have noticed over the past three months that the salary ranges listed seem to have dropped. I did get an offer right around Christmas from an insurance company, but it came in at about $25K less than the low end of the listed salary range. It really felt like a bait and switch. I ended up saying no thanks.

I've had several weird ones (as mentioned above), but the weirdest was from a small startup. I had an initial interview with them, which went fine, but nothing special. I didn't hear from them for several weeks so I assumed I didn't get the job. Then after about a month, I got a call from them while I was out on a run. They wanted to do a "Pop Interview!" WTF? I've never heard of that happening. The guy seemed to get all pissy when I said I wasn't really in a position to an interview at that time. He ended up saying he'd try me again later, but I never heard from them, which I was fine with. Expecting me to be available at any time to do an interview is a huge red flag.

Anyways, even though I hate my current job, I've kind of come to the realization that I'm going to be stuck at it for a good while, because the market seems really bad, and the way these companies are treating interviewees is really a sign of a corporate culture I don't want to be involved with. It's why I'm looking to switch in the first place. I can't image not having a job and really needing to find one, though. I imagine there are a lot of desperate people right now, and these companies are just enjoying watching them dance for these jobs.
Reply Quote
4
TxAggieBand85
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:37a, 2/19/26
AG
10+ years ago I took PTO to interview for a position (at least I thought it was a position at the time). At the end of several rounds and passing, they thanked me and then told me if the position comes open they might call me. I was floored and let loose on the bad practice. I used up perfectly good PTO time to chase a phantom position.

Am fortunate that I am now in modest demand for my skills and able to retire at will. Currently working the encore career and taking a lot less crap. I work hard, but take my time off as I see fit.

Suffice to say that after that if I am approached I ask questions if the job is real.
Reply Quote
Cromagnum
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AustinAg2K • 9:48a, 2/19/26
AG
Oh, I would be fuming if I did all that for a job that doesnt even exist.
Reply Quote
76Ag
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AgLA06 • 10:10a, 2/19/26
AG
I didn't know who I'd be interviewing with. I had been looking for a job for months. Who do you suggest I talk to? This was back in the 90's I think and maybe things were different back then?
Reply Quote
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 1:18p, 2/19/26
infinity ag said:

I recently interviewed with a large credit card company for a product position. They gave me 3 products of theirs to research on and do a case interview. They would pick any one on interview day. I spend 10 days preparing, used ChatGPT to be my interviewer etc etc. The interview actually went well overall. But I got a reject. Then I see the job renewed in LinkedIn.
Surely they are up to something. I don't even know if the interviewer passed me but someone above him could have rejected me. He did take notes on my product ideas.
What's in your wallet?


This company called me today and left a message. The recruiter said yes, you did not pass the case interview but she wanted to invite me to apply again in 6 months. She asked me to call her.

Nice touch. Well done. I've never been called by a company 10 days after being rejected over email.

I will call her tomorrow.
Here's the transcript my phone made of her call. They say I have a "really great background" but cannot give me the job because of some lame case study interview!! I've blanked out a few PII details.

Reply Quote
2 edits
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cromagnum • 1:22p, 2/19/26
Cromagnum said:
infinity ag said:
Cromagnum said:
Im tired of their **** too, but that's a bit much on a 30 minute 1 time call. Had they done 2-3 rounds and pulled this, game on.


Well, why is there a distinction between wasting 30 mins of my time versus wasting 2 hours of my time? I don't want to be part of their devious plot to scam the government to get H1Bs.

There have been times when companies called me into their offices (pre COVID times) and I would have to go through 4-5 hours of interviews one after another and after a point, I could tell were fake. The best way is to watch the hiring manager or his boss. Their body language reveals a lot, when they are trying NOT to sell you the job or making it obvious they want to scare you away. The lower level people don't know much.

This nonsense needs to be stamped out. It's come to a point where everyone does it because they get away. I worked at a famous public investment company about 15 years ago and emailed HR about an internal posting. She emailed me back saying "don't worry, it is not a real job, it is for immigration purposes". Those were innocent times when people didn't know but I was shocked.


Its a big difference between a 30 minute chat that likely involved zero prep since they reached out, vs actually investing several hours of prep and research if it could have amounted to something. I value my time too, but I can spare 30 minutes to listen to someone shoot their shot, especially nowadays.


There was prep. She reached out over Linkedin and said she my profile looked good for a job they had and she sent the link to the job. I said I was interested, so she sent me a link to sign up on her calendar. I prepped on the company and what they did prior to the call so I could ask relevant questions.

My time is very important to me and I have a limited amount of it. I don't like people wasting it for their selfish scammy purposes. Whether I use it to make $$$ doing options trades, or spending time driving my daughter to school is totally my call.
Reply Quote
2 edits
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to AustinAg2K • 1:48p, 2/19/26
AustinAg2K said:
infinity ag said:
I recently interviewed with a large credit card company for a product position. They gave me 3 products of theirs to research on and do a case interview. They would pick any one on interview day. I spend 10 days preparing, used ChatGPT to be my interviewer etc etc. The interview actually went well overall. But I got a reject. Then I see the job renewed in LinkedIn.
Surely they are up to something. I don't even know if the interviewer passed me but someone above him could have rejected me. He did take notes on my product ideas.
What's in your wallet?


That position doesn't exist. I interviewed with the same "What's in your wallet?" company a few months ago. I applied for a lead engineer position, and I went through five rounds of interviews. After the last interview, the recruiter told me, "Good news! You've passed all of our interviews! We'll let you know when we have an opening." WTF? You don't have an opening? What did I apply for? The job keeps getting closed and reopened on their career site. I don't know why they do it, but they are perpetually interviewing for positions that don't really exist. I assume they do it, so they will already have a list of names they can call quickly if a position does open, but that's just a guess on my part. All I know is that they wasted a lot of my time (and I'm sure other people's, too).


WTF man that is even worse than my experience. 5 rounds?! I just had 2 rounds, but I put in 2 weeks of prep into it.

Yes, I am tracking the job and they keep reopening it. I don't believe that they cannot find someone. Someone else if not me. I am very qualified for the job and they want it in my city itself (no remote) so that makes their pool smaller.
As you say, the job likely does not exist, they are just collecting resumes. I just got a call from the original recruiter lady, she said she wanted to talk to me and to call her. She also wanted me to apply back in 6 months. What will 6 months do? They are auto-rejecting all the other jobs with the same company I applied for! Makes sense, they got my info, and there are no jobs, so why waste their time and mine??

Anyway I have a 45 min Round 4 call in an hour. SVP is going to be in it. 3 interviewers. The salary is LOW (50% pay cut, I made that much in 2002) but a this point, I don't work for money, I work for satisfaction and this job is in Generative AI so I am okay with it. Remote too, as my daughter has 7 mos with us before she heads off to college so I want to drop/pick from school. You really must think of a second stream so that you are not held hostage to the corporations. Start focusing on investing. That is how I became self-sufficient where a job is optional. Just do index funds like VOO and let it run.
Reply Quote
5 edits
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cromagnum • 1:54p, 2/19/26
Cromagnum said:
Oh, I would be fuming if I did all that for a job that doesnt even exist.


Cromagnum, from your responses, it looks like you are not in the IT/tech industry.
This is how the industry has been treating Americans ever since H1Bs became commonplace along with outsourcing. We get kicked around here and treated like sheet in order to hire cheap labor.
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
Cromagnum
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to infinity ag • 5:15p, 2/19/26
AG
infinity ag said:
Cromagnum said:
Oh, I would be fuming if I did all that for a job that doesnt even exist.


Cromagnum, from your responses, it looks like you are not in the IT/tech industry.
This is how the industry has been treating Americans ever since H1Bs became commonplace along with outsourcing. We get kicked around here and treated like sheet in order to hire cheap labor.


I'm in tech, but not IT. (PhD analytical chemist).
Reply Quote
1 edit
infinity ag
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cromagnum • 5:26p, 2/19/26
Cromagnum said:
infinity ag said:
Cromagnum said:
Oh, I would be fuming if I did all that for a job that doesnt even exist.


Cromagnum, from your responses, it looks like you are not in the IT/tech industry.
This is how the industry has been treating Americans ever since H1Bs became commonplace along with outsourcing. We get kicked around here and treated like sheet in order to hire cheap labor.


I'm in tech, but not IT. (PhD analytical chemist).


Awesome! PhD, love it.
Reply Quote
Ghost of Bisbee
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:08p, 2/22/26
AG
Long ago I was onsite at MSFT for final interviews.

My "as appropriate" interview was wild, but in the lead up to the as appropriate interview, one of the interviewers had me solve an algebraic system of equations. Mind you, this was not an engineering-focused position lol

The as appropriate interviewer asks me whether they should acquire a certain company. I have my logically structured opinion.

I probably should have asked him questions about assumptions or something. Because at the end of the interview he told me "one of the greatest feedback points I ever learned was that we have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason".

I clearly spoke too much. I didn't get the job lol
Strange set of interviews
Reply Quote
Chipotlemonger
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Ghost of Bisbee • 11:25p, 2/22/26
AG
That reminds me of a case study interview I had with Bain years ago. I was very sharp at the time in case interviewing…was practicing a ton with others and felt confident in what I was doing. The day consisted of 2 back to back case interviews. My first one was not ideal, I nailed the 2nd one but it was too late and too competitive at that point!

First case study interview, I started solving through whatever problem she had laid out for me, and I most definitely explicitly stated after a few minutes "it would nice to know the cost of goods, do we know/have that?" I may be paraphrasing, but I for sure asked this interviewer for the information. I did not beat around the bush with what I was looking for. She said no, so I moved on with what I could do with what I had.

She tried to prod me along when I couldn't answer completely what was laid out due to the limited knowledge. I think I may have even asked for this cost information in a different way at one point! At the end of the interview, she went through it and said "it would have been good to ask for this cost information." I was flummoxed. I half wondered later if she was just trying to be bad cop and see how I could navigate a poor client.

Reply Quote
Cepe
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:44a, 2/23/26
AG
The role I went through 7 interviews for is still posted over 4 months later. I contacted them and said I was still interested - silence. Really weird - I can see that it is maybe a ghost job or they are looking for a unicorn but I'd have been up to speed and cooking at this point since it was right up my alley.

I set up an interview with an HR person a couple weeks ago. He gave me the names of the panel and said he'd send the Teams invite for Monday afternoon. I said great (this was on a Wednesday). Friday afternoon comes around - no invite. So I called him - goes to voice mail. Nothing over the weekend. Called again Monday morning - goes to voice mail. He calls me on his way home from work on Monday afternoon and asks me "Did we agree to set up an interview"? I said yes, and gave him the details he had told me. He said Oh, he'd set up the interview for tomorrow when he gets home. Man, it's frustrating
Reply Quote
500,000ags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
11:47a, 2/23/26
AG
Throwing out there that companies are having to deal with fake applicants right now. Not excusing anything at all, because f that. But, my gf has a role posted and she's gotten almost 50% made up AI-profiles applying and that's cutting off the Req at 1-2 weeks and getting almost 500 applications submitted.
Reply Quote
1
76Ag
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:22p, 2/23/26
AG
A long time ago I applied to the IRS for a special agent position. They tested me and told me I had score 98%.
Then they sent a mail notice that said that since I had had birthday since the test, I was no longer eligible.
Reply Quote
AustinAg2K
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 76Ag • 5:38p, 2/23/26
76Ag said:
A long time ago I applied to the IRS for a special agent position. They tested me and told me I had score 98%.
Then they sent a mail notice that said that since I had had birthday since the test, I was no longer eligible.


Most likely you scored too high. They don't want somey who can tell them where their mistakes are.
Reply Quote
Agador Spartacus
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 500,000ags • 1:47p, 3/3/26
500,000ags said:
Throwing out there that companies are having to deal with fake applicants right now. Not excusing anything at all, because f that. But, my gf has a role posted and she's gotten almost 50% made up AI-profiles applying and that's cutting off the Req at 1-2 weeks and getting almost 500 applications submitted.

Can attest that this is true. The job I am hiring for was open for 2 weeks and we got 320+ applicants - I went through every single one. Of those, 10-20% seemed....... fishy.

It's a tough market out there, and we had around 60 candidates pass my first cut before trimming down to around 20 that got sent to HR to be screened in priority order. There are qualified candidates that will never even get a phone screen but could easily do the job.

I would guess around 20-30% of the applications I got were from people that were out of a job in the past year.
Reply Quote
1 edit
swimmerbabe11
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:23p, 3/3/26
Made up applications as in.. a completely fake person/resume?

not a real person with an AI made resume with a bot that spams out their resume to many many applications, but a total catfish?

What is the goal?
Reply Quote
500,000ags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to swimmerbabe11 • 2:29p, 3/3/26
AG
Gf said many of the clearly AI-generated resumes did not have a LinkedIn profile. No clue what's to be gained from that. The rest that were clearly AI-generated (with a LinkedIn) were real people with completely fabricated skillsets. Her peer also said she had done about 5-6 interviews for an Analytics Manager role and the people didn't even know basic SQL.
Reply Quote
Agador Spartacus
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to swimmerbabe11 • 3:03p, 3/3/26
swimmerbabe11 said:
Made up applications as in.. a completely fake person/resume?

not a real person with an AI made resume with a bot that spams out their resume to many many applications, but a total catfish?

What is the goal?

I'm not sure if it's a total catfish. I think it's either one person or there are universities out there that AI farm open jobs. I would get a handful of resumes all within 10 minutes of each other at 2am in the morning, with similar backgrounds (international bachelor's degree) all from the same university in the Northeast for their MBA.

Hell, the resumes had almost the same exact formatting / template.

I got the feeling that if I tried to set up interviews with two of them, that the same person would show up to the second interview with these beauties.

Reply Quote
500,000ags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Agador Spartacus • 3:13p, 3/3/26
AG
That wouldn't surprise me. Some of these MBA programs are probably going to be showing horrible placement stats by 2027.
Reply Quote
1 edit
500,000ags
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:25p, 3/3/26
AG
I'll also add that I've been applying for roles for about 3 weeks and I use AI to tailor my resume. I have to walk it back on essentially every role because if you give it your resume and a JD, it will lie to make you sound perfect and checking every box.
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
Cepe
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to 500,000ags • 5:20p, 3/3/26
AG
500,000ags said:
I'll also add that I've been applying for roles for about 3 weeks and I use AI to tailor my resume. I have to walk it back on essentially every role because if you give it your resume and a JD, it will lie to make you sound perfect and checking every box.


I use AI too but I make it ask me questions to verify my experience before it adds it. And I edit my own word document and just ask it for wording suggestions
Reply Quote
Cromagnum
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:42a, 3/5/26
AG
I'm so sick of applying to jobs where I checked 100% of required and 100% of preferred skills and still get the "we went with candidates who were a better fit" emails.

Absolute bull***** Just tell me you were going to give the role to an internal candidate and picked the 3-4 people least likely to out interview them.
Reply Quote
4
1 edit
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.