![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_GettyImages-1385658947.jpg\")
The woman was a bit early to the interview so took the opportunity to look around the store but this ended up costing her dearly<\/p>\nThe woman was hopeful of her chances to get hired after her interview performance but was told she was not successfulThe woman was a bit early to the interview so took the opportunity to look around the store but this ended up costing her dearly<\/p>\n
Job interviews<\/a> can be stressful, it goes without saying. The keenness to be a successful candidate, combined with the unpredictability of the interview process, makes it very difficult to find the perfect balance of confidence and eagerness.<\/p>\n One woman was left stunned by the reason she was turned down for a job<\/a> after believing she “absolutely smashed” the interview.<\/p>\n The Express<\/a> reports on the story of the woman who who was left flabbergasted after disappointing her would-be employers before the interview even started. It’s widely known that many companies judge candidates not only on the interview but a mixture of their demeanour beforehand and afterwards, their qualifications and their overall personality.<\/p>\n In a clip shared on TikTok<\/a>, the woman who chooses to remain anonymous on the social media<\/a> platform, explained how she had applied for a position at a pet shop and was invited to take part in a group interview.<\/p>\n The woman was a bit early to the interview so took the opportunity to look around the store but this ended up costing her dearly.<\/p>\n She revealed: “It was a group interview and everyone turned up at different times. I turned up a little bit early, and there were a few people there waiting around. I went in and [they told me] they were going to start in about 20 minutes.<\/p>\n “I was like, what do I do [until then]? So I just went and had a look at the animals. I had a little browse at all the animals, and then they got everyone together, and the interview started.”<\/p>\n Excited about her chances of securing the role as she believed she “absolutely smashed it”, the woman was devastated to receive news that she would not be offered the position.<\/p>\n Curious, the unfortunate candidate decided to reply to the HR department and ask for feedback about why she was overlooked. Apparently, the recruitment team decided against hiring her because she appeared “disengaged” when she explored the shop prior to the formal interview.<\/p>\n She continued: “They said, ‘A few of the staff members thought you were quite disengaged when you came into the building’. Before the interview started. I still can’t get over that because it’s like, wow, all of that time and energy that I spent doing that whole thing was pointless because you’d already ruled me out.<\/p>\n “Because when I came into the building, I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I went and looked at the animals. I don’t understand why that’s a bad thing anyway. No one told me what I was supposed to do!”<\/p>\n Viewers of the video were quick to rally around the woman and suggested that she was lucky to avoid the job if that’s the way that the company is run.<\/p>\n One person commented: “I once got rejected because I turned up too early for a job interview. I was less than 10 minutes early.”<\/p>\n Another added: “Nah, that’s so judgey before they’ve even spoken to you! Job interviews are scary enough!”<\/p>\n “Familiarising yourself with the shop and the animals seems very engaged to me,” a third said. “Sounds like you dodged a bullet!”<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_GettyImages-1272953983.jpg\")
The woman was disappointed after being overlooked for the position<\/p>\n