Haystar Biz Blog | Job Interview Skills: As Seen On TV


I once stopped at a Silicon Valley Jack in the Box to change my clothes before a job interview. As I pulled the trunk shut, “KEYS-IN-TRUNK?!” flashed in my mind. Locked out of my rental car, I power-walked about a mile through parking lots, along streets, and across a dusty field in the early autumn heat to arrive for my interview 10 minutes late and sweating profusely. I was wearing a white shirt, no tie, no belt, charcoal grey dress pants and a pair of tan Birkenstock sandals. I didn’t get the job.


When life goes awry, I sometimes take solace in the plight of fictional TV characters. So with my penchant for interview misfortune revealed, I present a handful of fictional job interviews for both educational and empathetic purposes:

5. Frasier’s Really Bad Job Interview (Frasier) | watch
Sometimes in interviews, it can feel like luck is not on your side.

4. George’s Interview with the NY Yankees (Seinfeld) | watch
Boldness that only George Costanza could pull off.

3. Chandler’s Interviewing DoDo’s and Don’ts (Friends) | watch
I once had a similar insert-foot-in-mouth experience after a perfect interview with a major tech company.

2. Puppy in a Cup (New Girl) | watch
I’ve never watched this show but after my daughter showed me this clip with Zooey Deschanel, I might.

1. Dwight's Job Search and Interview (The Office) | watch
Who better to mentor on job interview skills than Dwight K. Schrute III?

Can you relate to these TV interview misadventures? Others? Am I alone in having a short-list of less than stellar yet somewhat amusing job interview experiences?