Scenes from the Other Crimean War

The interview process can be excruciating for everyone. As a candidate, you might spend hours of prep time running through sample questions, only to have the recruiter completely ignore your résumé. As a hiring manager, you might meet an ill-prepared applicant who doesn’t even remember the job title or company name. (Even worse, the job seeker might have misrepresented themselves. According to a 2023 ResumeLab survey, 70% of respondents admitted they’d lied on their résumés.) Plus, we’re all human—if you’re unlucky enough to share my particular style of sweat glands, you might wind up with distracting pit stains. Never ideal.

Most of us have felt the humbling, awkward sting of a painful interview. But if you go through this process enough, you inevitably wind up with funny stories—even if the comedy only presents itself in hindsight. If you’re preparing for an upcoming interview and need to deflate the tension—or if you want a good laugh—check out these seven stories of the funniest, craziest situations candidates and hirers have encountered.