Guest Author - Kristen Welcome

No matter who you are, you’ve probably had one or two bad interviews in your job searching history that you would rather forget. Perhaps the interviewer was rude or dismissive; perhaps you couldn’t stop stuttering as you answered questions; perhaps you couldn’t think of good answers to the questions you were asked. No matter what the problem was, there are a few questions to ask yourself to put the matter in perspective.

Do you really want to work for this employer?

Be honest with yourself when you consider this question; it’s not enough to say that you’re too embarrassed to show your face in their office just because you went to an interview with a run in your hose. Seriously consider whether you learned things in the interview that changed your mind about whether this is an employer that you want to work for.

If the interviewer was extremely impolite, asked illegal questions, or alluded to personnel problems in the office or an emotionally abusive manager, it’s probably a blessing that the interview didn’t go your way. Consider yourself lucky, and go send out your resume to another handful of employers.

Was it just you, or would most candidates have similar experiences?

If the hiring manager enjoys asking tough questions or probing all of the weaknesses in your resume, you probably aren’t the only one who had some trouble coming up with a good answer. Chances are, everybody who interviewed had a tough time, and you’re still on an even playing field with all of your competition. If you’re still feeling unsure, call up a friend you trust and ask her if she would have had a difficult time answering the same questions.

Was it really as bad as you thought it was?

People often think of interviews as pass-fail examinations, and they believe that one uncertain answer or poor word choice means immediate exclusion from consideration. Chances are, you are being far too hard on yourself. Try to remember the interview as a whole, rather than the small part you wish you could change. If you had more good moments than bad, you probably didn’t really blow it.

From this point, you can still improve your chances of receiving a job offer by sending an appropriate thank-you letter and following up by phone in a few weeks. If there was a specific, fixable problem in the interview—for example, if you couldn’t remember the name of a supervisor for a job you were asked about, or if you forgot to bring a transcript along—you can rectify this simply by politely including the information with your thank-you letter.

What can you learn from this?

If you finally conclude that your interview was a total bust and there’s no way you can fix it, remember that it still constitutes an excellent learning opportunity to help prepare you for future interviews. Try writing down all of the things you think you could have handled better, and practice them with a friend before your next interview. This way, one bad interview can become the turning point that helps you hone your interviewing technique and increase your chances of landing an offer.



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