Job interviews can be nerve-wracking for even the most confident candidates. You prepare, dress your best, rehearse answers, and hope for the best. But sometimes, despite all your efforts, things go horribly wrong. Whether it’s a wardrobe malfunction, an embarrassing slip of the tongue, or an unexpected question, awkward interviews happen to the best of us.

Here are 16 cringeworthy job interview moments that people would love to erase from their memory.

A Button Malfunction That Stole the Spotlight

“I hadn’t been to an interview in a while, so my professional clothes were a bit outdated. I had put on some weight, and my blouse was stretched a little tight. During the interview, I gestured while speaking, unaware that I had accidentally undone a button in the middle of my chest. The interviewer looked horrified—his eyes locked onto my exposed cleavage.

Video: THE Millennial Job Interview

I panicked, quickly buttoned it back up, and kept talking as if nothing had happened. I didn’t acknowledge it, I didn’t apologize. I just hoped he would forget. Somehow, I got the job, but I’ll never forget the look on his face!”

The Name Slip That Almost Ruined Everything

“I made it to the final round of interviews. Everything was going smoothly—until the very end. As I confidently shook hands with the VP, I thanked him by the wrong name. ‘Thanks for meeting with me, Bob.’ His name wasn’t Bob.

The second I said it, I knew I had messed up. He didn’t correct me, just smiled awkwardly. When I got the job offer later, I brought it up to HR, and they laughed. Apparently, it was an inside joke now.”

Nervous to the Point of No Return

“I once interviewed a young woman for a programming position. It was a standard interview—we asked a few technical questions to gauge her knowledge.

She just froze. Her eyes filled with tears, and then, without saying a word, she stood up and walked out of the room. No explanation, no goodbye. It was definitely one of the most uncomfortable interviews I’ve ever conducted.”

The Most Unfortunate Sneezing Incident

“I was interviewing for a cashier job. Everything was going fine until I felt a sneeze coming. I held up a finger, grabbed a tissue, and let it out.

The problem? I had just gotten dentures, and I didn’t use enough adhesive. When I sneezed, my teeth flew straight out of my mouth, across the desk, and landed right in my interviewer’s lap.

He lost it. He laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes before he could compose himself. He still hired me, though. He said, ‘If nothing else, you’ll keep things interesting around here.'”

A Foot Fetish in the Workplace?

“This was by far the weirdest interview of my life. Everything seemed normal at first—until, at the end, the interviewer asked me to remove my shoes and socks.

I was confused and asked why. He said it was ‘part of the job requirement.’ Hesitantly, I slipped off my shoes, and as I peeled off my socks, he gave me a big smile and said, ‘Nice… very nice.’

Then he asked if he could massage my feet. That’s when I grabbed my stuff and bolted out of the building barefoot. No job is worth that level of weirdness!”

Sell Me This Pen… for a Non-Sales Job?

“I applied for a job, expecting a normal interview. Everything was going fine until they hit me with the classic sales question: ‘Sell me this pen.’

Confused, I asked, ‘Wait, is this a sales job?’

It wasn’t. They were just ‘trying to adapt’ the question for a different role. I refused to answer and told them I wasn’t interested in a sales-style interview. They said I was too inflexible to work with. I guess they didn’t appreciate my honesty—I didn’t get the job.”

A Group Interview Gone Wrong

“There were multiple interviewers in the room, all taking turns asking me questions. I reached into my bag for a pen… and pulled out a toothbrush instead.

I froze. Everyone stared. My brain went into overdrive trying to figure out how to recover. Instead of acknowledging the mistake, I casually set the toothbrush on the table like it belonged there and continued answering the question.

I didn’t get the job, but I’m sure they still remember me as ‘the toothbrush guy.'”

When a Mental Health Job Interview Took a Dark Turn

“I applied for a position at a mental health facility. The first question the administrator asked was, ‘So, why do you want to work in a nuthouse?’

The rest of the interview didn’t get any better. Needless to say, I walked out of there as fast as I could.”

The Most Unfortunate Wardrobe Malfunction

“I once interviewed a guy who was clearly very nervous. At one point, he sneezed so hard that a huge snot bubble formed on his nose. He immediately turned red, muttered an apology, and ran out of the room.

He never came back. We waited for a few minutes, unsure of what to do, but it was clear he was too embarrassed to continue. Poor guy.”

A Job Interview That Turned Into a Scam

“I responded to a job posting and got an interview with a small company. When I arrived, the guy seemed nice—until I realized the job was completely different from what was advertised.

He offered me minimum wage and said, ‘After three months, we can talk about increasing your salary.’ Huge red flag.

I declined the offer via email the next day. His response? ‘Well, we already found someone better than you anyway!’ Clearly, I dodged a bullet.”

When Age Becomes a Problem

“I was interviewing for a software engineering position. Everything was going well until the interviewer casually said, ‘We’re a youth-oriented culture.’

I was 64. Without saying a word, I stood up and walked out. His face was priceless.”

The Most Disastrous Remote Interview

“I was in the middle of a remote interview when someone rang my doorbell. My smart speaker blared, ‘SOMEONE’S AT THE BACK DOOR!’

Flustered, I apologized and got up to answer. That’s when I realized—I was wearing pajama pants. My interviewer just stared and said, ‘I thought you said your place was quiet and undisturbed?’ I knew I wasn’t getting that job.”

Video: Most Awkward Interview Ever – David Brent – The Office – BBC

Job interviews can be unpredictable. No matter how much you prepare, something unexpected can always happen. Whether it’s a wardrobe malfunction, an embarrassing mistake, or a bizarre interviewer, these awkward moments remind us that we’re all human.

The best thing you can do after an embarrassing interview? Learn from it, laugh about it, and move on—because sometimes, the worst interviews make the best stories.