Author: David Park

8 Students Share Their Most Humiliating Job Interview Stories (and What You Can Learn)

Making a unique, first impression is difficult to pull off. While sending in resumes to a company you would like to work for is a simple feat, going on to the next round and having a face-to-face conversation with a potential employer is a whole different story.

The best way to learn is from other people’s mistakes, and lucky for you, eight fellow students have been asked by yours truly to share some embarrassing true tales that’ll help you further prepare for any upcoming interviews.

1. Losing The Job Over Lateness

“I was having an interview with a representative of a tech company and it was scheduled for 2pm. Given that it was only 15 minutes away, I left at 1:40. Unfortunately, I hit some traffic on the way there and ended up parking right at 2pm. I rushed my butt inside the building and checked my watch for it to read 2:02pm. When I asked a young receptionist I was here for my interview, she smiled at me and said, ‘Interviews are only for people who are here on time. You lost the job.’ Thinking her smile meant that she was joking, I laughed. Her smile faded and she literally said, ‘Dude, I didn’t know losing your job was comedic.’ I had never been roasted harder than by that receptionist.” – Richard, University of California, San Diego ‘16

Being on time is actually about being five to 10 minutes early. You never want to risk losing your interview time or simply coming in late even by a minute, because that really is the first impression. While you also don’t want to show up ridiculously early for an interview, don’t be afraid to show up at the office with several minutes to spare; it never hurts.

2. Wearing The Wrong Clothes

“Dress to impress, no matter what the job is. I picked up a position at a local restaurant my freshman year of high school, and given that it wasn’t a huge corporate job or anything, I thought I would just go with some slacks and a nice Hawaiian button-up. I got totally called out in the interview by the boss, asking if that’s how I typically dressed up for interviews and he looked very offended. I didn’t get the job, unsurprisingly to me.” – Gabe, Pepperdine University ‘14

Look the part! And even at times when it seems like you don’t need to go full suit, make sure to dress up and look classy. Not sure how to dress for your particular industry or company size? Check out our tips on the WayUp Guide.

3. Not Preparing At All

“Can anyone sympathize with me in thinking how to answer ‘Tell me about yourself’? That is the most difficult question in the world to nail. And when my interviewer asked me that on one occasion, I was holding ‘Uhhhhhhhhhhhh’ for at least 10 seconds. And don’t even get me started on ‘What are your biggest weaknesses?’ Do not say I don’t have any like I did, because pretentiousness is not looked highly upon in the workplace!” – Steven, University of California, Santa Barbara ‘18

Make sure to research common questions asked in interviews because it will definitely come to your advantage knowing what to say and have an idea of what to say. Do this a few nights in advance so you can at least have topics, thoughts, and anecdotes to have in your mind in case a potential employer asks.

And good news: We mapped out how to answer the most common interview questions in our WayUp Guide.

4. Not Giving A Good Handshake

“My film crew got the opportunity to work with a popular director in our county and we had to meet up with him. Apparently, without me even knowing, I left the guy hanging on his handshake from the get-go because I saw something on the ground when we went into his office to meet him. For the rest of the interview, I felt a cold presence from him and I didn’t know until after when my other crew members told me.” – Kyle, Arizona State University ‘14

A strong handshake goes a long way. Wipe the sweaty palms off and rub your hands together right before the interview to get that warm, comforting feeling with your handshake. And don’t be afraid to initiate it!

5. Forgetting Good Body Language

“During my interview, I was definitely tense since this was one of the four accounting firms I wanted to work at. The interviewer also seemed to notice so he simply said to relax and that being nervous is normal. Maybe due to the amount of anxiety I was having, I took the comment a little too literally and slouched very low on my chair. While he didn’t point it on during the actual interview, the recruiter put in a snarky comment on the end saying, ‘I didn’t really appreciate the lack of posture you were giving me,’ and I actually didn’t end up getting the job. Although it probably wasn’t the full reason, I suspect the lack of strong body language had something to do with it.” – Maggie, University of California, Berkeley ‘16

While relaxing is important during the interviews, relaxing too much with a lack of strong body language can show apathy and lack of concern. Although you would not want to overdo this, keep your body straight, put up hands on your lap, and make sure you’re giving the interviewer your full attention.

6. Not Paying Attention

“Always listen and let the interviewer say what he or she needs to say! At my first interview at a funds management company, I wanted to show the interviewer I was really paying attention and attentive, so I just kept saying ‘Yeah’ literally after every five words the interviewer said, so much to the point where she told me to stop and that it was irritating. It was just really awkward after that.” – Sean, Texas A&M University ‘18

You have to make that connection with your interviewer and show that you’re there to listen and follow directions. Listen to when you’re being spoken to and never cut off what your employer has to say; feel free to even wait a second or two before answering. Keep eye contact as well so the interviewer knows he or she has your attention.

7. Giving Off The Wrong Vibe

“Make sure to have the confidence when you’re going into your interview and not be nervous to the point where you lose the job just like that. At one of the first job interviews I had, I wanted to seem eager for the job, but at the same time humble and modest. That kind of attitude cost me big, because the whole interview went well until the end when I said, ‘If I don’t get this job, it’s okay! I’m sure there are better people out there for me, and I’m just happy for the opportunity’ to the employer. This lack of faith in myself kind of gave off the wrong impression to her I think, making her believe I probably didn’t want the job enough. I didn’t get it after having a solid interview, so I believe that to be my biggest fault.” – Julie, San Francisco State University ‘17

Assume you’re good enough to obtain the position you’re interviewing for; you wouldn’t be applying unless you truly believed you could do a good job right?

8. Asking Strange Questions

“Make sure to have questions ready to ask your interviewer to show interest, but also make sure to have the right questions. I watched a lot of YouTube videos and read online forums that all said ask questions at the end of the interview because it’ll show interest. My naive self, however, did not know what specific questions were to be asked, so I asked questions such as ‘What do you like to do in your free time?’ and ‘Where did you get your earrings from?’ The interviewer looked very uncomfortable, and since then, I have made sure to keep my questions job-related, not personal.” – Kate, Biola University ’18

The question portion may be one of the most underrated parts of the interview that can stand you out from the rest. Where can you get a list of questions to ask your interviewer? You guessed it: The WayUp guide has everything you need.

If one were to take anything from this article, just know that being confident and prepared for your interview is key. Ask others who have gone through the same process about their experiences, study beforehand, and even do mock interviews to make sure you’re giving off the best impression. You’ll nail it!

8 Totally Embarrassing First Job Experiences (and What You Can Learn From Them)

Sometimes work can be a real drag. You get caught up in trying to be as productive as possible, and you end up making mistakes that are pretty embarrassing.

You’re by no means alone, so lucky for you, eight young professionals are sharing their most awkward first job horror stories so that you won’t repeat their mistakes. And let’s be real here: Reading about other people’s cringe-worthy tales is always fun.

1. The Handshake

“I was only into my first year of college when I happened to also be accepted into my first corporate internship at an accounting firm in Los Angeles. During the first day, I went around to meet my fellow co-workers and eventually worked my way up to meet the CEO. Given that this was my first work experience and I was ridiculously nervous, when he said hello to me and stuck his right hand out to me for me to shake, I stuck out my left hand in response and we both possibly shook the most awkward handshake in all of eternity. (Do this someone you know and you’ll see why this was the most humiliating experience ever to do to the CEO.) I made sure to tactfully avoid any interactions with him from then on. Did I also mention my hands were abnormally sweaty and clammy?” – David, Loyola Marymount University ’18

First, impressions are always important! Remember that firm handshakes are also a nice touch when you’re going around the office to meet people. Just make sure you use the right hand!

2. The Joke

“I worked at an aquarium over the summer and to get to know me better, my boss had me say a mini-speech to get to know all the workers better as well. We all grouped up in a big work room and started introducing each other, and everyone was just so friendly and humorous. Because everyone was in such a good mood, I thought I would drop some fish puns like “Whale hello everyone!” and “You guys are all the seal-iest bunch of people I’ve met.” Literally not even a chuckle. They looked confused and some smiles even faded. It became a very awkward summer.” – Tyler, San Diego State University ’19

Getting to know your fellow employees and connecting with them is a key part in setting a good atmosphere for your internship and jobs, but don’t feel like you have to force it.

3. The Diaper

“I had a daycare internship in Japan, and at a point, I started to feel more comfortable with the whole daycare process. Every day, it’s playtime, teaching time, and potty time—and of course, the little kids need help with changing diapers. One day, in the youngest class, Rainbow class, Sebastian, the cutest, yet easiest to scare of all the Rainbow kids, needed to have his diaper changed. While supervisors or more experienced helpers tended to help out Sebastian, I ended up scrounging up all my confidence, and took him to the changing room. The moment I coaxed him to change out his clothes, he started crying and was really not happy. Sebastian and I dealt with tears, poop, and soiled wet wipes. At one point, I just didn’t think I would make it out of that room because it was just unrelenting chaos. Somehow—we got through it. I’d rather Sebastian and I not go through that again though and leave it to the professionals. Even recalling it now, I still have mild war flashbacks.” – Brian, Stanford University ‘18

We all have hard days at work. While it may be scarring at times and implanted into your deep memories, don’t let it get you down too much because there will be better days!

4. The Bakery

“My first job was at a bakery for several months. In order to announce to the staff that fresh bread was made, one worker would yell out at the top of their lungs, ‘Fresh bread!’ and the other employees would follow suit and yell out, ‘Fresh bread!’ as well. Knowing this, my friends would sometimes sneak into the bakery and yell ‘fresh bread!’ and I, out of habit, would also shout the phrase, not knowing the amount of confusion and chaos it would cause among the actual employees who were actually trying to determine if the bread was fresh or not.” – Vanesa, University of California, Santa Barbara ‘18

There can be a lot of distractions while being on the job so it is important to be attentive during your hours, just so you know when someone can be potentially joking around or when something actually needs to be tended too.

5. The Bathroom

“I had the privilege of working with two of my friends for an internship at large television company. We were pranksters back in the day, so we would do shady, inconspicuous things every now and then to one another. One time, my friend was in one of the bathroom stalls, so my other friend and I wet some paper towels and threw it over, out of good humor. Unfortunately, we had targeted the wrong bathroom stall; my friend was actually two stalls down and we had accidentally hit one of our higher up co-workers with wet paper towels. My friend and I were terminated shortly after. Happy ending though because I’m actually working here currently now two years later.” – Mark, University of Pennsylvania ‘16

Practical jokes can be fun, but keep it professional in the office. That is not to say you shouldn’t have a fun time during work, but think smart and be aware of whom you’re joking around with.

6. The Hard of Hearing

“My ears have never been the best, as I listen to a lot of loud music through headphones and concerts. This certainly did not end up helping me during my first job as well at an adoption center. As I was working in the animal area behind the office, my supervisor began to call for me to work with a customer; however, I was pretty deep in the back area and couldn’t hear her. Soon, most of the animals (dogs, cats, and birds) became super out of control from all the shouting my supervisor was doing to get my attention and literally, some bird cages fell down and dogs became very aggressive. The customers in the back as well as the customers in the front left swiftly, scared for their lives (not really, but they were still pretty frightened). On a brighter note, I didn’t get fired!” – Ali, Arizona State University ‘16

While you can’t do much to fix hard hearing, being alert will serve you well in the office.

7. The Social Media Profile

“One time, I accidentally posted on my company’s social media pages through my own individual account rather than the company page. So it definitely looked like I was a huge fan for this random company due to the marketing/advertising content I was posting on my wall for all my friends to see. Also, one time, I tried to like my company’s post through my personal account to give added support and more feed on it, but I accidentally liked their post with their own company page. Social media is an enigma.” – Sarah, University of California, Santa Barbara ‘17

They say to keep your personal and professional lives separate, and that’s no joke!

8. The Cry

“It was the first day of a very stressful internship at an neurobiology lab, and I had not been able to complete a vital research assignment on time, even with an all-nighter prior. I legitimately thought that I would be fired and taken out of the internship program by the very intimidating supervisor and I began to bawl nonstop. Fellow employees tried to comfort me, saying that it’ll be alright and everyone misses important things every once in awhile, but none of it seemed to work and I just kept crying. Turns out, that assignment was for the other ‘Charles’ in the lab and I had no assignment to do at all, no reason for all-nighter and full out bawling. Rest in peace my career.” – Charlie, University of California, Davis ‘17

Work can get pretty stressful without a doubt, especially if a huge responsibility is put on you. Considering this, make sure not to stress over the wrong things or small incidents that won’t have a big impact on you in the long run.

What can all of these stories teach you? Embarrassing moments happen to all of us, and it’s about how you pick yourself up after that counts. If anything, you have a story to share with others now!

7 Upperclassmen Weigh In on the One Thing They Wish They’d Known as College Freshman

You’ll have a lot of different emotions during your freshman year of college: Excitement, eagerness, enthusiasm, and so much more. One particular feeling that lingers in all of us, however, is anxiety. It’s a whole different world out there, and you don’t know what to expect. But guess what? You’re not the only one! Most people have this exact feeling, and they’re here to share their tips to make your freshman year as amazing as possible.

Below, seven upperclassmen share the one thing they each wish they’d known when starting their college career, so hopefully these can be taken into consideration for you in the future!

1. They Wish They Didn’t Focus on Learning for the Sake of a 4.0 GPA

“My mistake was that I cared too much for that perfect 4.0 GPA that we all know is a myth when it comes to college. Your mission shouldn’t be to get good grades in class and forget everything you’ve learned within a week. Key points about your studies and life skills are revealed in class and all these things should in the back of your mind always because that’s what you’re at school for: to learn!” – Brent, University of Miami ‘17

It obviously doesn’t hurt to receive good grades! At the same time, really learning something can be even more beneficial.

2. They Wish They Took Office Hours Seriously

“Go to office hours; it actually helps! Taking advantage of outside resources like office hours and campus learning assistance services definitely are one of the most underrated resources ever! Your poor professor or TA sometimes has to endure an hour by him or herself, and it would be nice to just go in there, get some help, and connect with him or her. Create a good relationship with your professors and your TA, because when it comes to letters of recommendation and references for research, internships, and jobs, your MVPs will be these very individuals.” – Christine, University of California, Santa Barbara ‘18

Utilizing your professor’s extra hours are the key to success. While some students can overcome difficult classes independently, stopping by for even just a few personal sessions with professors and teaching assistants can help develop your relationships and optimize your assignments for the best work.

3. They Wish They’d Taken Advantage of Student Benefits and Discounts

“Did you know you made a pre-payment to get swole at the gym when you paid your tuition? You already paid the money and now the gym is open to you! Did you know printing is free if you’re enrolled as a student? That’s some major moola that you can save on ink, paper, and a large printer! Did you know that if you go to the movie, you can get your expensive ticket for less with a student discount? I didn’t know any of these things, and trust me, it feels like poop to see all those dollar bills jumping out of my wallet over the years. So utilize your discounts and benefits!” – Justin, University of California, Los Angeles ‘18

College tuition is rough, so you might as well take advantages of the different things that can save you a few bucks here and there. Students discounts are definitely everywhere; in fact, we put a list of 100+ discounts to help you out.

4. They Wish They’d Planned Their Schedules Better

“Don’t sign up for an 8AM class just because you did this all fours years in high school; it doesn’t mean it’s possible to wake up for your 8AM in college. Unless you’re open to the idea of falling back asleep while your deafening alarms annoy your roommates, falling asleep in class where your teachers may use you as an example, or falling asleep on your way to class which is a hazard and something I’ve seen, I would definitely figure out how to plan out your classes better. There is always a way.” – Taylor, New York University ‘17

Choosing classes is also essential, so planning and being honest and realistic with yourself will really help. Buy yourself a planner or utilize your calendar apps on your phone; they help a lot!

5. They Wish They Put In More Effort to Meet People

“Building a social life from scratch is scary and intimidating. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and go up to that stranger and strike up that conversation. You’re not alone, everyone is in the same boat. First semester everyone is open to meeting new people. You will meet people you don’t like and you’ll also meet your niche of people you’ll grow with! Try to solidify lasting friendships.” – Kristy, Chapman University ‘17

When you move into your dorms or join in a new organization, it’s good to know that most share the feeling of worry about making friends and being social. As cliche as it sounds, just be yourself and open to meet new people, because it comes a long way in college. And If you want more advice, fellow WayUp contributor Robert DiDonna crowdsourced a ton of great tips for making long-lasting friendships in college.

6. They Wish They’d Fixed Their Bad High School Habits Early on in College

“Definitely expect to change from who you were in high school. The dynamic of college is so different from that of high school that your work ethic, overall attentiveness, and even sometimes personality is bound to change in even the slightest.” – Chris, University of Southern California ‘18

College, without a doubt, is way different than high school. You’re an independent individual who has to handle meals, travel, and school work by yourself. Be ready to adjust, and if there were any unsavory habits you had in high school, be honest with yourself about them and take steps to fix them.

7. They Wish They’d Tried Every Experience

“Go crazy (but smart crazy)! Enjoy every moment while it lasts. Socially, college will probably be the best time of your life because there are so many opportunities to meet people and let loose. Whether it’s club meetings, cultural events, concerts, raves, dance groups, planning committees, or even parties, be open to every experience because college is probably one of the best times to get involved and have the time of your life.” – Vi, University of California, Irvine ‘17

For the most part, as important as schoolwork is, you shouldn’t be tied down by your classes; embrace the fact that there are so many things to do within your four years as an undergraduate. Think about it: you could be a member of a breakdancing club, cultural student association, orchestra, and food publication website at the same time; when else in your life can you do that ? Drop the school work for a bit, go out, and find something you love to do!

Your freshman year is what you make of it, so take these tips to heart. College is an awesome time and it is not something you should be afraid of!

5 Signs You’ve Picked the Perfect College Major

Going into college, there is one tough, critical question that you need to figure out as the years fly by: Your college major, but if it’s taking you a while to decide what you want to do, you’re not alone; in fact, a recent Penn State report showed that 20-50% of students entering college come in undecided and around 75% of students switch majors!

There is a lot to consider before officially declaring what your major is, but were you right? Here are five ways to tell if you’re in the perfect major!

1. You’re Not Dying of Boredom (or Dreading the Future)

We’ve all had those days where we wake up, realize which class we hit that snooze alarm for and nonchalantly burrow deeper into the softness of our beds.  

While not all classes will be a jolly good time even if you love your major, having a general appreciation for your classes, professors and studies is very important. Being anxious about not just one, but multiple present and future classes may be a sign that the major is not quite what you expected it to be, so might not be for you.

That being said, it does take some time to conquer those tedious intro classes to get into real material, so give it some time!

2. You’re Not Bothered By Other People’s Opinions of Your Major

Taylor Swift said it first: Haters are going to hate, so you got shake it off.

Majors are very peculiar in the sense that we sometimes may let other people’s opinions get to us, so we end up choosing the wrong major and going down the wrong path. That’s not to say you shouldn’t listen to other people’s opinions at all; however, you should ultimately be the main decider of your own career path.

Don’t let comments of others lower your enthusiasm, because in the end, you know what you love better than anyone else!

3. You’re Not Afraid of the Consequences That Come With Your Major

Every major (and I mean, every major) has downsides. Whether it is having to sell your soul to your studies or entering a field that may not have the best starting income, there are trade-offs going into any area of study.

There is not a lot that can be done to avoid these, and at some point, you have to figure out if these consequences will be worth it in the long run. If they are, then the sacrifices you make will be worth the benefits!

On a personal note, when I switched from an accounting major, which has been known to be a high-paying job even from the start, to a communications major, which varies and is a mystery as far as the money, it wasn’t as big of a deal as some might think. In the end, it came down to me being happy with what I did rather than dreading my work every day.

4. You Already Have New Ideas for How to Contribute to Your Field

When the light bulb in your brain turns on and you know you have the next big idea help your field, you may have found your calling!

If it looks to you that you are doing work in your major classes quickly and even doing your own extra research to further your own understanding, that really says a lot about how dedicated you are to the major and your potential industry.

New ideas don’t even have to be revolutionary in a sense either! Little by little, if you take your major seriously, a lot can happen from the smallest things. For example, to help increase social media engagement at a company I interned for over the summer, I tested different emoticons on the feed and saw huge improvements. It’s just a drop in the bucket in terms of how big the field of communications is, but something as small as this can go a long way and can help further your interest in your major.

5. You’re Happy

The golden rule in picking your major: Make sure you’re going to be happy! This major should keep you interested and intrigued, wanting to learn more and smiling.

You obviously don’t want to go through college half-heartedly with a major that adds a sour taste to your college experience. If you’re feeling compelled to tell your friends about the rad, cool things that are happening in your major classes and are content with where you are at in your college life, the best bet is that you finally found the perfect major for you!

You have to understand that no matter what your major may be, there is a big chance that it will not reflect the type of job you will have in the future. You do not have to be tied down to certain jobs because of your major; there’s so much out there! Do what you want and let your major be a stepping stone into what you really want to become.