Anyone else ever walk out on an interview?

93redzj

93redzj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Albemarle
So after 16 years of doing my current job, I’ve reached the point of being burnt out. I’m finally in a good situation financially where I no longer “need” the pay of the position I’m in. Had an opportunity to pursue a job in a field I’ve always been intrigued in just never in a position for the pay cut, applied for it, set up an interview for today at 9:30am, I get there, check in, and then proceed to wait for 45 minutes, no one ever came and got me for an interview, meanwhile, someone else came in about 15 minutes after I did, and was taken back shortly after. Needless to say, I got up and left.
 
I went all the through the interviews when they decided to offer me the position they changed it from a full time position with benefits to a contract position thru the end of the year. Then next year they would try and get a full time position approved. Granted this is end of October/first of November , with holidays you talking a 5 week contract lol
 
Yes. After 9/11 and the economy tanked, I had lost my job. I had an interview for an engineering position at a paper mill in Florence, SC. They had me come down the night before, took me to dinner and put me up in a hotel, with the rest of the interview to be the next day at the paper mill. After talking to the 2 managers at dinner, I knew that even though I was unemployed, I did not want to move there and work there. So early next morning I called and left a voicemail with one of them, told them I didn’t want to waste their time or mine because my answer was already no.
 
Not walked out...but I've said 'I think this is a waste of time' on more than one occasion, and the interview pretty much stops right then and there. I've also been in the middle of a review that was going pretty well...my boss said I looked disinterested. Told him I was, he asked in the review or what, and I told him the role was misrepresented (was supposed to be setting up the blueprints for an entirely new department for every business unit, company-wide), and it would be best if we parted ways. Bonus points, my wife was working for the same company at the time (she followed me in a required move). They asked her if she wanted to stay, and she said 'if he's gone, so am I'.
 
We have groups of LEGO model builder assessments. We give them a few challenges of things to build. We’ve had 3-4 that stood up in the middle of the assessment, smile and say “ya, I don’t have this skill. Thanks for the invite though” or just get up and leave in tears. 🤣

It’s not as intuitive as one might think. 😁

Me on the other hand, I’ve bombed interviews and said thanks anyway and left, but I really believe that subconsciously I knew I didn’t want to work there.
 
93redzj said:
So after 16 years of doing my current job, I’ve reached the point of being burnt out. I’m finally in a good situation financially where I no longer “need” the pay of the position I’m in. Had an opportunity to pursue a job in a field I’ve always been intrigued in just never in a position for the pay cut, applied for it, set up an interview for today at 9:30am, I get there, check in, and then proceed to wait for 45 minutes, no one ever came and got me for an interview, meanwhile, someone else came in about 15 minutes after I did, and was taken back shortly after. Needless to say, I got up and left.
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If I may offer an alternate perspective.
It’s possible the check in person dropped the ball and didn’t notify the interviewer. I’d at least call the original contact back and say “What’s up?”….if nothing else you might alert him he has an issue on his team
 
I haven't walked out... But I was walked out. Does that count?

I went to a black college. So I have it on my resume.

My degree is actually in architecture. My first job interview after college was with an architect in Greensboro. Big firm. I'm in the reception area and they call my name. I stand up (there were a few candidates)
The girl says "I think there's been a misunderstanding"

I said "how so?"

She was smart enough not to answer and I was shown the door.

Btw I was the only.... Umm... "One of my kind" in the reception area.
 
Ron said:
If I may offer an alternate perspective.
It’s possible the check in person dropped the ball and didn’t notify the interviewer. I’d at least call the original contact back and say “What’s up?”….if nothing else you might alert him he has an issue on his team
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The check in process was in a big open office area type setting. The gentleman that greeted me and took my name sat two feet from me on his computer, he even at one point told me he had someone on the way to do my interview while still waiting for a response for someone to interview the other candidate. The other candidate was taken back long before I decided I had waited long enough. I agree with your perspective on the matter, but unfortunately I don’t think it applies here. Someone clearly dropped the ball though and yes, maybe it should be brought to their attention that it cost them a potential candidate
 
Never an interview but I left a job after a couple of days one time.Went to lunch and never came back.That was a LONG time ago.
 
I've always saw an interview to its end. Always that feeling of lets get all the details and I love being nosey about how an operation tics or works. If I have the slightest a tour is involved I'm in for the duration. I'm overly curious by nature even when it just doesn't fit.

But jeeze I've had very few interviews in my over 30 years of plying myself toward a prospective job. I think the process is rewarding without actually being hired. The current job application, head hunter process and online everything flat sucks. I don't like the interaction at all.
 
93redzj said:
The check in process was in a big open office area type setting. The gentleman that greeted me and took my name sat two feet from me on his computer, he even at one point told me he had someone on the way to do my interview while still waiting for a response for someone to interview the other candidate. The other candidate was taken back long before I decided I had waited long enough. I agree with your perspective on the matter, but unfortunately I don’t think it applies here. Someone clearly dropped the ball though and yes, maybe it should be brought to their attention that it cost them a potential candidate
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We’re you dressed accordingly? Not obvious over dressed or under dressed?
I’m wondering if they were trying to brush you off .
Did you speak to greeter when you left?
 
I have never filled out a job application. I have worked for 2 coal companies for 7 years total and i started when i turned 17yo. The first job i got they called me at 6am to see if would come and work for them as a mechanic for a few weeks i was supposed to go to school that day. I my parent's let me by 12 pm the first day they offered me a full time position as their main mechanic for all of their mining equipment and coal trucks 25 of them. They had 2 full time mechanics got hurt in a single week one never came back the other was off over 2 years. I had to hide form the mine inspectors and other officials till i turned 18 and got my green card. They had a mine in our front yard and i done all of the miner's auto's repairs while they worked 12 to 16 hour's days in the mine i started working or their cars when i was 12yo till i turned 17 and went to work for the coal co till i turned 25. Then went into business for myself (body shop) for the last 30 years.
 
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Back in 98 I was needing a job pretty quick since the garage I was working at abruptly closed.Tonya had a friend who was the HR person at a local factory.She pretty much hired me on the spot (without and application or interview) because I could pass a drug test and knew how to do fractions.:rolleyes: She said I would have to meet w the owner,basically for final approval and since he was a miltary guy he judged you alot by your hand shake.I squeezed the hell outta his hand .So much so he commented on my good firm hand shake.The company was relatively new and they believed in merit based pay.By the end of the first year I was making $4 an hour more than when I started.Jake was born in 99 and I left in Feb of 00.That was the last conventional stlye job I had.
 
Ron said:
We’re you dressed accordingly? Not obvious over dressed or under dressed?
I’m wondering if they were trying to brush you off .
Did you speak to greeter when you left?
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I was in khakis and a polo with a jacket on, position was for a mechanic position. I did speak with the guy on my way out. I addressed him and let him know I was going to head on out and said I appreciated the time
 
Never walked out but I’ve cut one short and said we shouldn’t waste each others time. It was a sales position for Tru-Green. It was misleading as I thought it would be commercial but it was residential and the hours was something like 11am to 7pm and Saturday's, going door to door. I was like “let me stop you right there, that’s not gonna work for me. I appreciate the consideration”

Im currently looking for a job and dread the whole process. So much so that it almost makes me want to just stay right where I’m at but I’m just curious what opportunities are available.
 
93redzj said:
I was in khakis and a polo with a jacket on, position was for a mechanic position. I did speak with the guy on my way out. I addressed him and let him know I was going to head on out and said I appreciated the time
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Fawking amazing…you can’t find people right now and someone treats ya like that …

What kinda mechanic? What ya working on? We have openings..
 
Yup, it was my first job interview when I came here. We chatted for a minute then talked about pay... I told him what I was making he offered $10 less and hour and no health insurance. I laughed and stood up shook his hand and left. I am now making more per hr (then his offer) in a field I know nothing about with health insurance and vacation time.
 
Ron said:
Fawking amazing…you can’t find people right now and someone treats ya like that …

What kinda mechanic? What ya working on? We have openings..
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Yep, and I’m currently employed making pretty good money I feel. It was an entry level mechanic position, basically a lube mechanic as I have zero “professional” experience but I’ve done all my own work for years. I was willing to take the entry level position in hopes of working my way up quickly with my current knowledge and work ethic, but alas, it seems I shall stay in my current spot a while longer. I do have an ultimate end game, but that’s at least a year away. I was just looking for something to maintain my sanity in the meantime
 
I only ever did once, and it sucked because it was a cool job. Place that designed UTV/SXS parts. Went for an interview with the guy who would have been my boss, went great. Next day they called me back for a second interview with the owner. Went great although he was a little demanding from what I could tell. Called me back again, wanted to see my skill level. Left me in the back with a new SXS, some tools and a computer. Asked me to design a new bumper for the thing. Sure, spent a few hours designing it, gave them plans, everything. Like, total design. Two days later they called me back and said they loved it and asked if I could come back to do another one before they decided on whether to hire me or not. At that point I was like fuck this, if they are this demanding for an interview who knows what it would have been like to work there.
 
I've never walked out of an interview but I have had some pretty bad ones where I knew I was never going to hear from them again or I knew the job wasn't right for me. The worst one was when I had just gotten out of college and was basically looking for anything. I sent out resumes/applied for anything and everything. Had an interview with Lay's and they contacted me and wanted to do a phone interview the next day at 10:00 am. I wake up that day, tried to get myself prepared and I get a call from my GF that she is sick and needs me to take her to the doctor because she couldn't drive, she felt so bad. By the time I got over to her house to get her and take her to the doctor, I had about 20 minutes before they were going to call and I knew that if I went back home, I would be cutting it close, so I decided to find a nice empty parking lot and just wait for them to call. This was in mid July, it was already about 80 something degrees outside, riding around in a Jeep with no air, so when I parked, I rolled all the windows down and waited. Sure enough right at 10 am, my phone rings and I answer and they start the phone interview with 3 other people on the line. They all start asking me questions and it was going pretty good. Off in the distance, I could hear a siren and it sounded like it was getting closer and closer. I tried to keep my focus and ignore it as best I could, and right as I am talking here comes not one, not two, but three trucks (one fire truck, one ambulance, and then another vehicle) all blaring their sirens. It lasted about 20 seconds and could hear absolutely nothing and I was just rambling on and on. Once the sirens were far enough away to where I could finally think straight and hear myself, there was dead silence on the other end of the phone and I just said " I am so sorry, I had a bit of an emergency this morning and didn't have enough time to get back home to take this call" They all sort of paused and told me they would be in touch with me within 48 hours. Coincidentally, the last question I remember them asking me was about time management and multitasking...

When I finally got back home, I checked my email and had already heard back from them letting me know that I didn't get the job.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
I've always saw an interview to its end. Always that feeling of lets get all the details and I love being nosey about how an operation tics or works. If I have the slightest a tour is involved I'm in for the duration. I'm overly curious by nature even when it just doesn't fit.

But jeeze I've had very few interviews in my over 30 years of plying myself toward a prospective job. I think the process is rewarding without actually being hired. The current job application, head hunter process and online everything flat sucks. I don't like the interaction at all.
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Having interviewed you before, I will say that you gave me my first look into what an interview truly should be. Until that point it never dawned on me that the interview is as much for the candidate as it is for the company.
 
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