As promised on Twitter, I’m here to talk about my experience being a part of ‘The Job Interview’ on Channel 4, which you can still watch on All 4 by the way. So, how did I managed to get myself on national TV? How much did I know during filming? Where did I have to travel? I’ll be answering all those questions and more!
Big Ol' Warning: This article may include information which certain parties may deem sensitive. Should any parties mentioned in this article object to their inclusion or naming, please contact me and I shall amend the article accordingly. Also, there might be a bit of gratuitous over-sharing, so I’m sorry for that.
ADDENDUM: Edited on 14th August
ADDENDUM: Edited on 14th August
Part 1: The Application
The story of my involvement with Channel 4 begins in late February of this year. Just to give you an idea of where I was at this point in time, here’s some basic info. I was unemployed at the time and I was spending my time applying for anywhere between 5 and 20 jobs per day. I had just gone through an amicable ending of a short-term relationship, I was struggling with my on-going anxiety issues and I was struggling for money. It’s easy to say that my life wasn’t in the greatest position when I applied. To be honest, I don’t even really think I thought twice about the advertisement when making my application.
To answer a question I get a lot with the next stage of my story, yes I did know from the very beginning that I could be on TV. Written in bold text on the advert for the Digital Marketing job with WowZone was something akin to “Warning: If successful in being invited to an interview, elements of your interview may be televised”. I suppose it didn’t even properly register when I applied. Yeah, sure, I might be on TV. No big deal. I need work. A few days after applying, I received a phonecall from a HR recruitment company called Chilli Fish. They called me to confirm that I was okay with being on TV, as if I could overlook that part of the application. Essentially, I was told that Chilli Fish would sort through all the applications and create a long list for WowZone. I accepted that it was a part of this application and agreed to the terms, ended the call and just… forgot about it, really. I had other applications to make.
To answer a question I get a lot with the next stage of my story, yes I did know from the very beginning that I could be on TV. Written in bold text on the advert for the Digital Marketing job with WowZone was something akin to “Warning: If successful in being invited to an interview, elements of your interview may be televised”. I suppose it didn’t even properly register when I applied. Yeah, sure, I might be on TV. No big deal. I need work. A few days after applying, I received a phonecall from a HR recruitment company called Chilli Fish. They called me to confirm that I was okay with being on TV, as if I could overlook that part of the application. Essentially, I was told that Chilli Fish would sort through all the applications and create a long list for WowZone. I accepted that it was a part of this application and agreed to the terms, ended the call and just… forgot about it, really. I had other applications to make.
Image Credit: dailymail.co.uk
At the end of March, I was confirmed to be on the long list and my CV was shared with WowZone for potential interview. The production company behind ‘The Job Interview’ then contacted me a pre-production chat. Shortly after, I was sent over information about the then in-development series. And to be honest with you, they were very up front with the process from the very beginning. I can’t share exact quotes and details of all this due to confidentiality, but everything was in check and very professional. All good stuff.
Shortly before filming, a job came up; the same one I’m working now. A theatre in Birmingham offered me a job after a pretty good interview and I jumped on it. It was exhilarating to finally exit unemployment for the second time in my life. I guess this is why I forgot all about the WowZone stuff. I was happy to be back in work, I was working in the city centre, I was genuinely in a happier place than I was when first applying to the Digital Marketing role. Now, skip forward a bit.
Shortly before filming, a job came up; the same one I’m working now. A theatre in Birmingham offered me a job after a pretty good interview and I jumped on it. It was exhilarating to finally exit unemployment for the second time in my life. I guess this is why I forgot all about the WowZone stuff. I was happy to be back in work, I was working in the city centre, I was genuinely in a happier place than I was when first applying to the Digital Marketing role. Now, skip forward a bit.
Part 2: The Production Begins
Mid-April. Another email from Chilli Fish. I’d made the short list for the interview. I was gonna be on TV. Ulp. This is when it hit home. Label 1 were soon in touch keen to arrange travel and accommodation for my first visit to London. From this point on, communication with Label 1 was coming in thick and fast. I was getting phonecalls from my contacts Ian and Ellie every other day, looking to book train tickets, confirming details about the first round of filming, confirming my date of interview. True to their word, Label 1 picked up the bill for me to head down to London for my first round of filming. And London is weird, man. I arrived at London Euston Station and it’s instantly overwhelming. Herds of human cattle arrogantly shoving and nudging to get where they need to be, people shuffling about with eyes to the floor, it was all a bit glum. Anywhere that makes Birmingham look friendly needs to take a good look at itself. I struggled to find my taxi in the vast expanse of the city, but sure enough, I got moving. Filming was taking place on the other side of the capitol, so I ended up taking the best sightseeing taxi route to the filming location. At one point, I was facing Buckingham Palace, which was neat, but I didn’t realise that the filming location was a posh apartment pretty much around the corner from the Queens massively oversized garden. I felt 100% out of place in my Star Wars hoodie and Biffy Clyro t-shirt.
This is where I properly met Ellie and Ian from Label 1 properly. Lovely people, no bad words about them at all. From minute one, they were courteous and supportive. They were very happy people as well. This was odd; it was as if they were making up for the fact that everyone else in London is apparently super depressed. Anyway, the first thing to film was a one-to-one on camera interview. That's the bit where they allowed to to talk about why I wanted the job and my past experiences and that. Quite a lot of that made the programme, funnily enough.
This is where I properly met Ellie and Ian from Label 1 properly. Lovely people, no bad words about them at all. From minute one, they were courteous and supportive. They were very happy people as well. This was odd; it was as if they were making up for the fact that everyone else in London is apparently super depressed. Anyway, the first thing to film was a one-to-one on camera interview. That's the bit where they allowed to to talk about why I wanted the job and my past experiences and that. Quite a lot of that made the programme, funnily enough.
Image Credit: birminghammail.co.uk
Here’s something else I want to stress: Never at any point do I feel like I was pressured into giving answers. Everything I said that made broadcast and everything I didn’t was 100% off my own bat. In fact, Ian commented that he was pleased he didn’t have to prompt me to discuss my answers further, further saying that he was disappointed he’d have to cut answers down for time. There were about 2 instances he asked me to re-tell information starting with a certain sentence so it made his editing jobs easier, but that was about it. The conversation was very natural and Ian is a fantastic listener. He acted so engaged with the drivel that was spewing out of my mouth. Fair play to him. I wouldn’t want to listen to me going on about nonsense for over an hour. Incidentally, here’s a link to our podcasts, where I do just that.
After this, though, there were some negatives about my time on the programme. Travelling out of London was a complete, unmitigated nightmare. I was stranded in Euston for about 3 and a half hours after I arrived back there post-interview because the tickets I was supplied couldn’t be used until after a certain time. With all delays before the train, on the train and on the way home, I had spent almost 6 hours getting home from my on-camera chat. This might have been the worst part of the experience. I don’t frequent London all the much. In fact, I don’t really LIKE London. Being stuck there was kind of intimidating and was not doing my anxiety well. On top of this, my parents were worrying about me and that was casting a negative shadow over my involvement with the series. This is what made the experience a bit duller for me.
After this, though, there were some negatives about my time on the programme. Travelling out of London was a complete, unmitigated nightmare. I was stranded in Euston for about 3 and a half hours after I arrived back there post-interview because the tickets I was supplied couldn’t be used until after a certain time. With all delays before the train, on the train and on the way home, I had spent almost 6 hours getting home from my on-camera chat. This might have been the worst part of the experience. I don’t frequent London all the much. In fact, I don’t really LIKE London. Being stuck there was kind of intimidating and was not doing my anxiety well. On top of this, my parents were worrying about me and that was casting a negative shadow over my involvement with the series. This is what made the experience a bit duller for me.
Part 3: The Interview
The next time I was summoned to London was a week later for my actual interview in the final days of April. Admittedly, Label 1 did sort out some better tickets for the travel this time (Not much better, mind. Still had to wait an hour for a train home), but I tried to forget travel woes and focus on the task at hand. I’d researched the company as best I could, prepared three good questions to ask at the end of the interview and tried to look somewhat presentable.
First port of call on interview day was some ancillary shots. Nothing too strenuous. just basic walking and stuff like that. It doesn't take long nor does it last long on the program, but it's all about the sense of motion in the program. Trust me, it would look weird without it, trust me.
First port of call on interview day was some ancillary shots. Nothing too strenuous. just basic walking and stuff like that. It doesn't take long nor does it last long on the program, but it's all about the sense of motion in the program. Trust me, it would look weird without it, trust me.
Image Credit: brightcove.com
Then the imposing bit was about to start. I was to get into a lift, travel to the 14th floor (The very top) and from there on out, I was alone. The interview would be real. And it damn well was. I tried to ignore the several cameras mounted to the wall and sticking out of plant pots and keep focused on the interview at hand, which I wasn't kept waiting long for. Much like you see on the show, Qasim Majid and Ausaf Khan from WowZone were real employers. They were very confident with their interview technique, which is a shame, because I can accurately describe the WowZone interview as one of the lesser interviews I have ever been to. There was a good deal of cliché, unrelated, nonsensical questions, as you;d expect. Some made the program and some didn't, but you can garner a lot of their process from the final program.
Here’s a tip to anyone in a job interview: If an interviewer asks you to complete an unrelated logic puzzle, walk out of that interview. This is not a good way of assessing your suitability to a job and it is 100% about putting you on the spot and making you feel uncomfortable. Quite a few questions were like that, to be honest. I remember a roleplay question that involved Qasim role-playing as a dissatisfied customer, which was painfully overblown and dramatic. And that’s coming from a drama student.
Here’s a tip to anyone in a job interview: If an interviewer asks you to complete an unrelated logic puzzle, walk out of that interview. This is not a good way of assessing your suitability to a job and it is 100% about putting you on the spot and making you feel uncomfortable. Quite a few questions were like that, to be honest. I remember a roleplay question that involved Qasim role-playing as a dissatisfied customer, which was painfully overblown and dramatic. And that’s coming from a drama student.
Image Credit: birminghammail.co.uk
Something that really didn’t come across on the broadcast was how inflated Qasim and Ausaf were as well. I wouldn’t call it ego, but the pair were seemingly very proud about being employers. Some could call it arrogance. Here’s another pro-tip: If an interviewer asks you to sing for them in an interview, not only should you walk out, you should flip them off as hard as you physically can. I mentioned that I took part in musical theatre once and was asked repeatedly to sing. This is NOT something you should ever have to do or put up with. If a potential employer uses this as a way of assessing your loyalty or agree-ability, then they are not looking for talent, they are looking for someone to order about. I really didn’t find this professional at all and I can honestly say I believe the two were playing up to the cameras at this point. They got rather loud and boisterous during elements of their interview, none of which made the program.
About 2/3rds into the interview, just after being dogged to sing for them, the tech team came in to reposition some microphones. Sadly, at this point I had mentally clocked out of the interview and I had already decided that I didn’t want the job. I still tried as best as I could, but I was set on turning the role down, if it were offered to me. I didn’t even get asked at any point about the research I’d done on their company and clients and come the end I was only able to ask one of my three questions about the position, and their answer was so bare bones and non-committal that I have honestly 100% forgotten what they had said by the time I got back home.
Sure, I stumbled a few times, I’m happy to admit. There were 4 grammar mistakes on my CV. I didn’t know what URL stood for (And neither did Qasim and Ausaf, as many Twitter followers were quick to point out on broadcast). I flummoxed a maths and logic puzzle question. Some of my answers were actually pretty rambly and even I didn’t feel confident in them. But some of them, I felt like I nailed. The features and benefits of a product, demonstrating an understanding of the digital medium, giving examples of how I used this very site here to promote stuff using social channels. You know, shit that actually mattered to the job that wasn’t selling a pencil or filling out a Sudoku or being asked to bloody sing. Seriously guys, you don’t have to put up with that, it’s super unprofessional. Once the hard part was done, I went downstairs, did some final pickup tracking shots and left. I called my parents to tell them I wasn’t interested in the job and made my way home.
About 2/3rds into the interview, just after being dogged to sing for them, the tech team came in to reposition some microphones. Sadly, at this point I had mentally clocked out of the interview and I had already decided that I didn’t want the job. I still tried as best as I could, but I was set on turning the role down, if it were offered to me. I didn’t even get asked at any point about the research I’d done on their company and clients and come the end I was only able to ask one of my three questions about the position, and their answer was so bare bones and non-committal that I have honestly 100% forgotten what they had said by the time I got back home.
Sure, I stumbled a few times, I’m happy to admit. There were 4 grammar mistakes on my CV. I didn’t know what URL stood for (And neither did Qasim and Ausaf, as many Twitter followers were quick to point out on broadcast). I flummoxed a maths and logic puzzle question. Some of my answers were actually pretty rambly and even I didn’t feel confident in them. But some of them, I felt like I nailed. The features and benefits of a product, demonstrating an understanding of the digital medium, giving examples of how I used this very site here to promote stuff using social channels. You know, shit that actually mattered to the job that wasn’t selling a pencil or filling out a Sudoku or being asked to bloody sing. Seriously guys, you don’t have to put up with that, it’s super unprofessional. Once the hard part was done, I went downstairs, did some final pickup tracking shots and left. I called my parents to tell them I wasn’t interested in the job and made my way home.
Part 4: Afterwards
From here, I got a number of emails and calls about the progress of the show leading upto the airdate. The final part of filming took place at a bowling alley over the far side of Birmingham in the first week of May. After my somewhat negative day being interviewed, my folks got super paranoid about my portrayal in the show and refused to let the filming crew use our home for the rejection phone call sequence, so I was struggling to find a place where Label 1 could film with me. After looking at my place of work and a few arcades around Brum, we settled on a Hollywood Bowl, where I and my good friend Nicki got our several games of Time Crisis and pool paid for, as well as a drink. Score.
As you all know, I didn’t get the job, which was a relief. My first and only impression of WowZone was not wholly positive. That was reflected in my to-camera interview after the call, but was suitably edited down so that I didn’t look like an ungrateful dick after Qasim and Ausaf called me a ‘lovely guy’. Oh shit, did I just spend 3 paragraphs tearing their interview to shreds? Damn… sorry guys! We cool, right?
As you all know, I didn’t get the job, which was a relief. My first and only impression of WowZone was not wholly positive. That was reflected in my to-camera interview after the call, but was suitably edited down so that I didn’t look like an ungrateful dick after Qasim and Ausaf called me a ‘lovely guy’. Oh shit, did I just spend 3 paragraphs tearing their interview to shreds? Damn… sorry guys! We cool, right?
Image Credit: birminghammail.co.uk
After this, I didn’t go back to London. The travel was honestly a pain in the arse and I would be happy to live a life that never took me to London Euston again. Throughout June and early July, Ian and Ellie kept me abreast of proceedings; the shows official title, when adverts would begin, that a clip of mine was to be used in the intro to every episode, and finally the details of which bits had made the program. I was invited to London to see the final episode before broadcast, but I declined due to work and just plain not wanting to. I figured the best way to experience this was at the same time as everyone else, so I didn’t have time to prepare a cover-up act were I not portrayed very well.
But as a matter of fact, I actually was portrayed very well. And then everyone on Twitter and Facebook were super nice to me about my involvement. And it was all weird. And, well, here we are, still talking about it.
But as a matter of fact, I actually was portrayed very well. And then everyone on Twitter and Facebook were super nice to me about my involvement. And it was all weird. And, well, here we are, still talking about it.
Image Credit: cloudinary.com
I may have some negative experiences from the show, but honestly, I can say that I enjoyed the experience on the whole and I’m super happy with how the show turned out. I have the utmost respect and praise for the Label 1 team, who handled themselves so, so well. Travelling might have been a pain, but taking time out to go to London was actually kind of neat. Qasim and Ausaf, for all that I’ve ripped on them above, were very courteous over Twitter following the broadcast of the program and handled themselves really well. Even all the random people on Twitter and people I knew who watched the shoe were just so nice and it was honestly a bit overwhelming.
So yeah. I liked it. Could have just said that to begin with, I suppose.
I hope the above read answered all your questions about the show and wasn’t a slog to get through. If you’ve got any other questions about my time on ‘The Job Interview’, you can always ask them in the comments below this article. If I can answer them and it’s not stepping on any of the other parties toes, then I’ll be sure to do it.
So yeah. I liked it. Could have just said that to begin with, I suppose.
I hope the above read answered all your questions about the show and wasn’t a slog to get through. If you’ve got any other questions about my time on ‘The Job Interview’, you can always ask them in the comments below this article. If I can answer them and it’s not stepping on any of the other parties toes, then I’ll be sure to do it.
By Mike Owen
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of our podcasts, and currently pens Pop Culture Club and The Death of Video Games
@ThatMikeOwen
The Editor in Chief of Foul Entertainment, Mike edits most of what you see on the site. He runs the production of our podcasts, and currently pens Pop Culture Club and The Death of Video Games