In an ideal world, you would nail every job interview. In the real world, though, interviews are stressful for the interviewer as well as the candidate, and they don’t always go well. Sometimes a bad interview is a sign that you aren’t the right fit for the job, but many times it just means that for whatever reason, things aren’t clicking. If you’re starting to get that sinking feeling that your interview is going badly, try these tips to turn things around.
Inject Positivity
If you start to feel that your interview is going poorly, your first instinct might be to panic, or even to become defensive. Both are a virtual guarantee that the interview will continue to spiral downhill. Instead, take a deep breath, smile, and look for something positive to say.
Switch Tactics
Many interviewers see a lot of candidates in a day, and they can start to run together. If your interviewer seems bored or slightly “checked out,” change things around. Stop talking about your experience and start showing your passion for the job. Ask an open-ended question about the position or the interviewer’s experiences at the company. Sometimes your enthusiasm is all that’s needed to get an interviewer to reengage.
Seek Information
If the interview isn’t going well and you’re not sure why try to clarify what the interviewer’s concerns are. Try a simple, “is there anything I haven’t addressed?” This avoids putting the interviewer on the spot or making you look desperate while providing an opening for further dialogue.
Let It Go
Be careful not to tune in so closely to signs of problems that you start seeing issues that aren’t there. Every interviewer has his or her own style. Some are forthcoming and engaging, while others prefer to keep a more neutral persona. Maybe you’re actually nailing the interview, and perhaps you aren’t. Either way, if you’ve tried to turn things around and it doesn’t seem to be working, the worst thing you can do is keep pushing.
Finish the interview professionally, and then start preparing for the next one. It’s always possible that you’ll get an unexpected job offer from this one, but if you don’t, it could be because the next job down the line is a far better fit for you in the long run.
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