Candidate finds interviewer's insistent line of inappropriate personal questioning off-putting, they leave: 'We can’t continue this interview'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Mar 7, 2025 7:00 PM EST

Bad interviews are a dime a dozen and just like you'll submit hundreds of applications before hearing back from employer (thanks to fake job advertisements, applicant fishing, and automated application sorting systems) you'll also have to wade through many a disastrous interview before you find one that is legitimate or not being orchestrated by a power-mad interviewing manager.

Some people are just unhappy and desperate to impart that unhappiness onto others, but more often employers are just fishing to see how desperate and willing to be pushed around you are, and what they can get away with if they employ you.

Several things in the experience detailed in this story, which was shared with this popular workplace community, lead me to believe that this is almost certainly the case here. Showing up late to an interview (and certainly a whole hour late) is certainly a power play. 

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  • Even if it's not intentional, it's a deeply unsettling red flag for the organization's incompetence, disorganization, and mismanagement. But, followed by the interviewer's insistent line of personal questioning leads one to believe that the interviewer was definitely trying to push the candidate around—that or were they trying to scare them off so that they could justify hiring their preferred candidate?

  • 01

    "Had an Interview, Got Rejected Just Because I Didn’t Answer a Personal Question"

    So, I recently had a frustrating interview experience at a manufacturing company. I got an invitation after passing the initial selection, so I thought, "Okay, let's give this a shot." I was told to be there by 9 AM. Arrived. 30 minutes early, just to be safe. But guess what? The interview didn't start on time. I sat there waiting for a whole hour until they finally called me in at 10 AM. No explanation, no apology. Just waiting.
    via MICKY5789
  • 02
    Once inside, the HR lady asked me to sit down-then proceeded to make two phone calls in front of me before actually starting the interview. Not exactly a great first impression. Then she started asking questions in a very rode tone: HR: "What's your nickname?" Me: "Mick, ma'am." HR: "But your name is Micky?!" (said in a belittling way).
    via MICKY5789
  • 03
    Then she asked, "What does your father do for a living?" Me: "My father works at a private electronics company." HR: "Where exactly does he work?" At this point, I started feeling uncomfortable. This is personal information and completely irrelevant to the job I was applying for. So I politely said, "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'd rather not answer that. It's a private matter."
    via MICKY5789
  • 04
    Her response? "Then we can't continue this interview." I was honestly shocked. But instead of arguing, I just stood up and said, "Alright then." And walked out. I left feeling p ed. Not only did they waste an hour of my time, but the HR rep was also ride, unprofessional, and condescending. No apology for the delay, playing on her phone during the interview, and then basically threatening to end the interview just because I wouldn't give details about my father's workplace.
    via MICKY5789
  • 05
    I don't regret leaving, but man... I hope I never run into an HR rep like that again.
    via MICKY5789
  • 06
    fenriq An hour late and made two calls while you are waiting? Yeah, f that. That interviewer is a power tripping ah le.
    via MICKY5789
  • 07
    Senior_Lime2346 I'm going to make a wild suggestion. It is ok to walk out on an interview if people are more than a half hour late with no explanation or communication. Set the tone that you are not desperate and won't tolerate disrespect. Unless of course you are desperate . . .
    via MICKY5789
  • 08
    Pelle_Johansen Why the h I does his father's job matter to anything..I have never heard of a question like that
    via MICKY5789
  • 09
    Ginger_Libra I would find the CEO's email and let them know how unprofessional this person was. And light them up on Glassdoor.
    via MICKY5789
  • 10
    InitiativeOutside951 That means that you are over qualified. They want someone that doesn't know what their rights are. Business is business, friends are friends.
    via MICKY5789
  • 11
    mraot07 Your first mistake was staying an hour. I would have walked out at 15 minutes past if no one is communicating or apologizing for the delay. Your second mistake was staying during those two phone calls. They saw you as a potential employee to be used up. We need to start normalizing leaving interviews on our terms not theirs.
    via MICKY5789
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10477153280
    via Ahmet Kurt

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10477153536
    via Ahmet Kurt

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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