ISSUE 25 DIGITAL EDITION SEPTEMBER 2011
Advice
It Is Possible To Recover From A Bad Interview Nisa Chitakasem, Founder of Career consultancy, Position Ignition Ltd believes that it is possible to recover from a bad interview, and tells us how...
It’s everybody’s worst nightmare. You’re in an interview for a job you really want and it all starts going wrong. Whether it’s your phone ringing or you giving the longest, most irrelevant answer to an interview question ever, once things start going wrong it feels like there’s no way back.
keep calm and carry on. The interviewers may not have even noticed, or if they have, they may be willing to allow it depending on how the rest of the interview goes. Stay clear of trying too hard: Ok, so you know for sure that the interviewers know for sure you’ve made a mistake. Still don’t overcompensate by trying too hard. If you do so, you’ll tighten However, it is possible to up and will probably get things back on track go on to make more and limit the damage during mistakes. Instead, focus the actual interview. They’re on executing your also some follow-up steps original game plan for you can take after the event the interview and try to rectify the situation and to keep your breathing to move on with your job even. search regardless of what Avoid dwelling on the outcome of the bad your mistake: Yes, you interview is. made a mistake, but if you keep thinking During the Interview about it for the rest of Do not Panic: Even if you’re the interview, you’ll convinced you’ve made be distracted and a massive mistake in the that will make middle of your interview, matters
14 15 worse. Put the mistake out of your head by listening carefully to what the interviewers are saying. This will help you remain in the moment instead of thinking about what just happened. Keep your emotions under control: Even if you feel like bursting into tears because the interview is going so badly, try to keep yourself in check. Keep things in perspective—it’s a job interview, not a fight to the death. If you really are emotional, excuse yourself to the bathroom so you can take a moment.
you may be salvaging the situation. In the clear light of day, your thoughts will be more lucid and will give the interviewers a more accurate idea of who you really are. Don’t vent online: You may think there’s no way in a thousand years the interview landed you the job, but that’s still not an excuse to jump on Facebook and rant about the experience. Firstly, you never know, the interviewers may still be considering you and therefore may be monitoring your social media presence to see if you’re professional online. Secondly, other employers you’ve applied to After the Interview may also be checking your Send a ‘thank you’ note: No online profiles. matter how embarrassed Move on: Speaking of your you are because of a bad other applications, if you interview, still email a genuinely think the bad ‘thank you’ note to the interview is a lost cause even interviewers. It can’t after you’ve followed the logically make matters above steps, don’t give up on worse and is a simple sign your job search completely. of acknowledgement and Focus on the other politeness. If you are applications you’ve made really convinced there’s and how you’re going to no way you’ve gotten improve upon your interview the job, just think of technique. If learning from sending a ‘thank you’ your interview mistakes note as an act of helps you to ace the next closure. interview you get, the bad Get in touch with interview will at least have new thoughts: been worth something. The last thing you For more helpful tips and may want to do advice on job interviews after a disastrous interview is to email from Position Ignition , look at our eBooks How the interviewers to Ace the Interview with new thoughts at the website www. or ideas about positionignition.com the interview also be sure to check topics. However, out the Career Change by emailing them Blog for more career with things that advice articles. have occurred to you after the event,
Contents News Advice
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