Bondage, inappropriate sex questions, sexism and more job hunting nightmares

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Job hunting is stressful enough without some of the frankly disturbing things that can happen in the process.

We can go through a lot trying to secure a job, but some people have had more of a nightmare than you can imagine.

Fortunately, most job hunting nightmares turn into helpful experiences to learn from, or at least good anecdotes to laugh at in the future.

Next time you have a bad interview, thank your lucky stars you're not one of these people:

Daryn Shepard says he once had to do a psychometric profiling test to become a supervisor in a bowling alley but he didn't get the job because “couldn't answer the first question as it basically was forcing me to make a claim that I was humble.”

Teacher Tom Brown highlights a bizarre interview experience.

“I had one job interview with the student council. Being grilled by 9 to 14 year olds is a bit nerve wracking. My favourite question has to have been 'if you were a superhero teacher what would your teaching super power be?'. However, I always seem to come out on top with the kids, had one interview where I promised them Kasabian tickets and autographs as I played football with them.”

This is nothing compared to the anonymous teacher who was asked by her future employer what she would do "if a child wanted to have a 'casual relationship' with her."? That has to win the inappropriate, awkward, interview question award.

Hannah Mylrea, got proactive in her job search and got more than she bargained for.

“I once put an advert up on a local website saying I was looking for work over the summer holidays, expecting part time waitress jobs - instead I got offered a position as a Japanese rope bondage model. Then he even sent me example images it was all a bit bizarre.”

Tori Baker suffered some bizarre sexism when applying for a role as a classic superhero.

“I saw a post in the local paper seeking youths to dress as Power Rangers for events. Rang the guy up, spoke to him for about five minutes, all good so far. He asked my name, I answered Victoria (being proper and that!). He stuttered a bit about how he'd thought I was a lad, that I'd sounded like a boy, the job wasn't available to girls. On questioning, he was adamant youth equalled males only. and then drew the call to a close. So insulted and rejected in five mins!”

Some times you bag the job, only for it to lead to some untold disappointment.

This is a story from Jay Stansfield of a job that he quite before it even really started.

 “I applied for a job as an 'IT Operative' in a packaging factory. After a successful interview and a grand tour of slaves sweating over picking and packing, I was taken up into a small dusty office where I was greeted by two old ladies.

"Hello" one of them said, "this is our computer" as she pointed to a dusty old monitor with a green screen, text burnt into the glass. "What you'll mainly be doing though" she continued, handing me a dimpled thumb protector, "is stapling." For the next three hours I shared a room with the most depressing, miserable woman I had ever met, both of us standing up and rapidly flicking through piles of documents and stapling them. Come lunchtime I went to the small canteen filled with people looking sad and bought a cheap, vending machine coffee that smelled like gravy. I tripped up and spilled it everywhere, all over the floor, all over my new shirt. Embarrassed I went outside and rolled a fag, lit it up, put it in my mouth and quit. I never went back. They paid me for the morning.”

Sometimes the job-start misery is our own fault.

Valerio Esposito travelled to Italy with no experience as a Barista but decided to say he did anyway. On the most simple request of making a cappuccino, he had to run to the bathroom to Google how to work the coffee machine because he really hadn't thought this plan through, and realised he could have at least checked the internet before showing up to work, but unfortunately he realised too late. Yes, he was fired short after.



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