Interviewer demands candidate arrive for the job interview in a costume, forcing candidate to pass on the opportunity: ‘Why… just why?’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 18, 2026 10:30 AM EDT

What is an appropriate outfit to wear to a job interview?

There's an episode of Modern Family in which Mitchell arrives at work in a Halloween costume after a few coworkers tell him that everyone dresses up on Halloween. Only when he gets to work in a Spider-Man costume, Mitchell, an esteemed lawyer, discovers he is actually the only one dressed up, and everyone else is dressed in their suits.

That is what I imagined happening when I read the story below. A hiring manager texted a job candidate saying they "like to have fun here" and asking them to arrive in a costume. They proceeded to say that they want to see that they have a sense of humor, and that the costume will help them see their personality. Then they ended the text saying that they will also be in costume.

Now, I don't know about you, but if I read this text from a workplace I'm interviewing for, there is no chance I'm showing up for that interview, costume or no costume. 

There's no way of telling whether this is a setup or not. What would happen if you arrive in a costume and the company pulls a Modern Family trick and everyone else is wearing normal clothes? How are you supposed to interview for them like that? But even if this text is completely serious and they all actually dress up for a bit of whimsy in the office… It sounds like an awful place to work, honestly. No one wants their workplace to enforce fun by making everyone wear a costume on a random Tuesday. A fun office is a fun office without needing to try so hard. Either you got it, or you don't.

It seems like the person who posted this text and story on Reddit feels similarly, since they never showed up to the job interview. Keep scrolling to read what others had to say about the whole ordeal.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

costume job candidates work job candidate hiring workplace job interview interview funny
Scroll Down For The Next Article

Also From FAIL Blog

Employees Sat Through Months of RTO Lectures Before Discovering What Their Boss Had Been Hiding, Highlighting His Hypocrisy and Lack of Accountability

Employees Sat Through Months of RTO Lectures Before Discovering What Their Boss Had Been Hiding, Highlighting His Hypocrisy and Lack of Accountability

Trending Now

Gen Z employees demand “tone indicators,” older coworkers study and use them seriously, but young workers still get offended, and the whole thing gets dropped: ‘I’m here to do a job. That job is not babysitting anyone’s feelings’

Gen Z employees demand “tone indicators,” older coworkers study and use them seriously, but young workers still get offended, and the whole thing gets dropped: ‘I’m here to do a job. That job is not babysitting anyone’s feelings’

01
Union electrician spitefully applies to low-wage jobs requiring expert skills to waste unjust employers' time in interviews

Union electrician spitefully applies to low-wage jobs requiring expert skills to waste unjust employers' time in interviews

02
Landlord refuses to give tenants their security deposit back, claims his late wife handled it, leading tenants to pursue in court: ‘I have receipts, photos, and documentation’

Landlord refuses to give tenants their security deposit back, claims his late wife handled it, leading tenants to pursue in court: ‘I have receipts, photos, and documentation’

03
35-year-old man insists on sharing authorship of a book he didn't write with his 33-year-old girlfriend: 'Were not even on the same lease yet and he wants to be on the spine of a book that took me four and a half years to write'

35-year-old man insists on sharing authorship of a book he didn't write with his 33-year-old girlfriend: 'Were not even on the same lease yet and he wants to be on the spine of a book that took me four and a half years to write'

04
Boss ignored employee for their two weeks' notice period, waits until an hour before their last shift ends to send them tasks, employee simply leaves: ‘Radio silence’

Boss ignored employee for their two weeks' notice period, waits until an hour before their last shift ends to send them tasks, employee simply leaves: ‘Radio silence’

05
Entitled Dad Demands Son Not To Accept a House He Rightfully Inherited, It’s Key Importance to Both Parties Creating a Rift Between Them: ‘He Won’t Stop Bringing It Up'

Entitled Dad Demands Son Not To Accept a House He Rightfully Inherited, It’s Key Importance to Both Parties Creating a Rift Between Them: ‘He Won’t Stop Bringing It Up'

06
Advertisement