What are the most common elements in Cambridge interview horror stories?

A student walked into the interview room and immediately felt an intimidating atmosphere. The interviewers were very serious - looking and didn't give any reassuring smiles. Then, during the interview, they were constantly interrupted while trying to answer questions. This made the student lose their train of thought multiple times and they felt like they couldn't get their full ideas across. It was a very disheartening experience for them as they thought they could have done much better if they had been given a chance to fully express themselves.

Misunderstanding the scope of the interview. Some students might study the wrong materials or focus on the wrong aspects of their subject. Then when they face unexpected questions, they are completely lost, which is a horrible situation to be in during an important interview like at Oxford.

Unexpected questions are common. For example, questions that are way out of the scope of normal prep. This can catch students off - guard.

One common element is being unprepared. For example, not knowing basic information about the company. Another is technical glitches, like a bad internet connection for an online interview. Also, unexpected interruptions, such as a noisy background during a phone interview.

One common element is unprofessional interviewers. For example, they may be late, rude, or not prepared. Another is unexpected and inappropriate questions, like asking about your political views when it has no relation to the job. Also, a bad interview environment can be part of it, such as a noisy or dirty room.

One common element is unprepared interviewers. They might not have read your resume properly before the interview and ask you basic things that are already on there. Another is a very uncomfortable or intimidating interview environment, like a super cold room or an interviewer who stares at you in a really unfriendly way.

The most terrifying element is often the unexpected. For example, when the interview setting is normal at first but then something really strange happens like sudden noises or odd behavior from the interviewers.

Time pressure is a big factor in these horror stories. Sometimes the interviewer gives too little time to think through a complex case. This means the candidate has to rush through their analysis and solution, often leading to incomplete or inaccurate answers. Also, unfriendly or unhelpful interviewer behavior can be common. If the interviewer is cold and unresponsive to the candidate's questions or concerns, it can create a very nerve - wracking experience.

Rude behavior from the interviewers is also common. They could be dismissive of the teacher's experience or ideas. I know a teacher who was told her previous teaching experience in a small school was 'not good enough' in a very condescending way during an interview.

One of the most common horror stories is when the employer has clearly not read your resume. They ask basic questions that are already answered on the resume, which makes you wonder if they are actually interested in hiring. Another is when there is miscommunication about the job requirements. You think you're applying for one type of position, but during the interview, they start talking about a completely different set of responsibilities. It can be really frustrating.