Ha! Those are some good interview nerves right there
I have so many derpy stories like that hahaha.
The way this story was starting out, I actually thought it was going to go a bit differently. It sounded JUST like something that happened to me on the interview trail (where the funniest part began with a handshake). I hadn't shared the story here because it didn't fit under "worst interview answers" on my part..... but it definitely fit under worst interview experience! I feel like y'all need to hear the story.
So I was interviewing for an MD/PhD program. The interview started off by asking me about my research, which is classic. I answered her question. She then asked me about a very small portion of the research that was shipped off to another laboratory, and asked a very specific mechanistic question about how they tested my sample. I knew though that I should be prepared to explain things even if I didn't do them myself, so fortunately, I felt like I could answer this question at least to the best of my ability. However, the interviewer just kept repeating the question at me. There was a language barrier between the two of us, so I wasn't sure if that's what was happening, or if perhaps I wasn't giving the answer she was looking for. Eventually she just 'told' me the answer (which was on a more basic level than what I was trying to go for in my answer, so I responded with, "Oh I see, my apologies! Yes, I understand that ____) and I elaborated just a tiny bit to show that I saw my mistake and understood the subject a little. I felt like that was the right approach at the time.
I'm not sure if that is what set her off, but from there on.... the interview was a DISASTER. The interviewer spent the next 15-20 minutes telling me that I personally couldn't understand what was involved in PhD life and that I didn't know how to be a researcher. It was very strange/uncomfortable. I kept my cool, let her just unload and tried to emphasize, maybe once or twice tried to add in a few things like, "Absolutely, I can only imagine how hard it will be and I started to see some of those issues during my 4 years of research at X, but I am hoping I will continue to learn more about the career and how I can improve if I have the opportunity to attend an MD/PhD program," while making sure I didn't come across as knowing it all about this career (because even a few years in, I definitely don't!!).
Eventually, the interviewer sighs and asks if I have any questions for her. I'm thinking,
wow, this interview has been so weirdly negative -- I'll throw her a softball so that we can change things to a more positive tone! So I mention the great research facilities I had seen so far at my visit and ask what she saw as the strengths of the institution and the research. She replies essentially that she hates her job, feels that the school doesn't support her field, etc. Yikes!!
I kept my composure entirely and just knew I was doing all I could in the situation, so I felt comfortable with how I handled things. Now, here's the part that fits in with your story above......
So finally, there is a knock on the door and the interview is over. I reach my hand out to the interviewer while saying, "Thank you so much, Dr. X.... It was such a pleasure to meet with you and I really appreciate your time."
Her response? "Well, we didn't get to choose who we interviewed."
Never in my life had I basically had an encounter that went, "It was so nice to meet you!" where the other person replied "Well I never wanted to meet you anyway!"