30 People Share Their Most Unhinged And Chaotic Job Interview Tips

We managed to get in touch with Amber, and she told Bored Panda that there are a number of ways in which she would like the modern job interview to improve.

"One thing I always bring up is how hard it is for mothers re-entering the workforce. The resume gap is real, and it makes interviews unnecessarily awkward, even though it shouldn't," Amber explained.

"We need to stop penalizing people for caregiving. Our society doesn't support mothers nearly enough, and returning to work should be a transition that's met with empathy, not judgment."

But it's not just mothers who are mistreated by the current system. Amber said, "We're also seeing seasoned professionals, especially older workers, being penalized in this job market."

"Their companies downsized or shut down, and now they're facing blatant age discrimination when trying to re-enter. These are people with decades of experience, and they’re being overlooked simply for not being 'young and shiny.' It's unacceptable and a huge loss of institutional knowledge."

"At the same time, DEI rollbacks are becoming more common, which is incredibly concerning," the content creator added. "It tells me that instead of moving forward, some workplaces are doubling down on outdated systems that never served everyone equally to begin with."

It frustrates her to learn about "young people showing up to interviews in weather-appropriate, professional clothing (like one young woman I saw who wore tailored black shorts with a cardigan in the middle of summer) only to be told it was 'inappropriate.'"

"We need to stop making things so complicated and rigid and actually give people a fair shot."

Amber has a point. Many rules are becoming hazy. According to a 2024 Harris Poll survey, 70% of managers reported that workplace etiquette that was unacceptable just a few years ago is now considered acceptable, and over half of hiring managers say the rapid changes are leaving workers confused about proper workplace etiquette.

Talking about clothes in particular, a survey conducted by Creative Access discovered that 82% of workers believe they would benefit from a clear dress code, and yet, 43% reported that they had received no guidance about it at all, while 48% from lower socioeconomic backgrounds say they struggle to navigate what to wear in professional settings.

Of course, all of this doesn't mean that you can just send a company your CV and expect to get hired. For instance, Amber Lord said one of the biggest and most common mistakes job seekers make is showing up without having researched the company. "I don't just mean a glance at the website. I mean, [you have to dig in]: who runs it, what they stand for, their philanthropic efforts, any major news. I once landed a job because I brought up a brand-new software rollout the company was planning, something even the hiring manager hadn't heard about yet. That level of initiative matters to them (and stands out!) And hey, I got the job!"

However, at the end of the day, she believes the main issue with the recruiting sector is that too many managers are hiring carbon copies of themselves.

"There are too many untrained, toxic bosses gatekeeping the hiring process. They’re not trained in bias, or even how to spot potential over polish. It’s hurting businesses and driving away real talent," Amber concluded.