I once had an interview where the technical questions were way beyond the scope of the job description. They started asking about very advanced algorithms that I hadn't really studied in depth. I felt so unprepared and it was really nerve - wracking. I left the interview feeling really down about my skills.
One common type is the unprepared interviewer. They don't seem to know what they're looking for and ask really inconsistent questions. Another is the overly tough questions that are not relevant to the position. And of course, technical glitches during an online interview like bad connections or malfunctioning software.
I once called for technical support regarding my internet connection. The technician was extremely rude. He kept interrupting me while I was trying to explain the problem. Then he put me on hold for a really long time. When he came back, he started blaming me for the problem, saying I must have messed up some settings, without even properly investigating. It was a nightmare dealing with him.
One common horror story is long wait times. People often have to wait on hold for hours just to talk to a support agent. Another is when the support agent is not trained well and gives wrong advice. For example, they might tell you to delete a crucial file thinking it's not important. Also, getting transferred from one agent to another multiple times without anyone actually solving the problem is a regular occurrence.
In an interview once, the room was freezing cold. The employer didn't seem to notice or care. I was shivering while trying to answer their questions. And on top of that, they were asking really personal questions that had nothing to do with the job, like about my family's financial situation. It was a very uncomfortable experience.
One horror story is showing up late due to a transportation glitch. The millennial was all set for an important interview but the subway had a delay. By the time they reached, the interviewers seemed unimpressed and cut the interview short. It was really disheartening as it wasn't entirely their fault.
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.
I heard of a case interview where the technical equipment failed. The candidate was all set to present a complex data analysis case, but the projector didn't work and there was no backup plan. The candidate had to struggle to explain the graphs and data just verbally, which was a nightmare as it was hard to convey the full picture without the visual aids. It made the candidate seem less prepared than they actually were.
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.
A student had prepared extensively for the wrong topic. They thought the interview would focus on a particular area of their subject based on some misinformation. So when the interviewers started asking questions on a different area, the student had no clue how to answer. They tried to bluff their way through but the interviewers quickly saw through it, and it was a really embarrassing and horrible experience for the student.