When Bad Interviews Happen to Good Candidates
By
Linda Matias, NCRW, CIC, JCTC
www.careerstrides.com
linda@careerstrides.com
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Going through the motions of a bad interview is like peeling back the layers of
an onion. Sally learned this lesson the hard way, hands-on during an interview that
should have been a piece of cake. Sally applied for a position that fit her qualifications
perfectly. When she received an invitation to interview, Sally believed she was a
shoo-in for the job. Feeling confident, she approached the interview in a lax manner.
She didn’t prepare and prematurely celebrated an offer she was convinced would
be extended.
The day of the interview, Sally was surprised by the level of anxiety she felt.
Her apprehension began to build and she began to prepare for the interview at the
last minute. By the time she arrived at the interview, she was visibly shaken.
Lesson learned: The time to collect your thoughts
is prior to an interview, not on your way to one. If you arrive to an interview bewildered,
the recruiter will take notice and you run a high risk that you will be not get the
offer.
The interviewer entered the waiting area and introduced himself. To ease the tension,
he asked a common icebreaker question, “Did you have trouble finding us?”
Sally has never been a smooth small talker and she answered the question candidly.
She confided that she doesn’t have a good sense of direction and coupled with
the fact that she was anxious, she passed the building entrance quite a few times.
The interviewer smiled politely and proceeded to walk towards the interview room.
Realizing she goofed, Sally hesitantly followed the interviewer.
Lesson learned: Everything you say and do during
an interview is scrutinized; from the instant you walk in, to the moment you walk
out. An innocent question doesn’t exist during an interview and a careless misstep
is seldom forgotten. Choose your responses carefully.
When Sally was escorted to the interview room, she was surprised to see a panel
of interviewers. She was only familiar with the “it’s just you and me,
kid” type of the interview – the one-on-one. At the start of the interview,
she quickly realized that it was going to be a challenge to manage that interview.
Lesson learned: Interviews are unpredictable. One
never knows the broad range of topics that will be covered and the type of formats
that may be presented. Familiarize yourself with all interview settings.
Because she was not ready for the series of questions, Sally tripped over her answers.
She focused on issues that weren’t relevant and provided little information
on what was pertinent. She began to ramble and appeared under-qualified for the position.
Sensing that she was interviewing poorly, Sally began to lose patience with the
process. She failed to maintain eye contact and began to fidget. The enthusiasm she
felt for the position and the company slowly diminished as she witnessed the blank
looks on the faces of the panelists. She withdrew mentally from the interview, and
as a result, appeared disinterested.
Lesson learned: Most interviewers expect candidates
to be nervous during an interview, and they rarely will forgive you if you fail to
demonstrate a sincere interest in working for them. Most hiring decisions are based
on whether the interviewer feels a connection to you. The failure to establish a bond
immediately is usually beyond repair.
After the interview Sally realized that the questions she had been asked were not
difficult. She had been overwhelmed by nervousness and that had clouded her ability
to communicate clearly and to the point effectively.
Lesson learned: Even if you have the “right
stuff,” nothing is guaranteed. Don’t get caught off guard; prepare for
interviews; do your homework.
Editors and publishers are welcomed to reprint articles found on our website as
long as the following byline appears intact.
Certified in all three areas of the job search—Certified
Interview Coach ™ (CIC), Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), and Nationally
Certified Resume Writer (NCRW)—Linda Matias is qualified to assist you in your
career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover, interview
preparation, or resume assistance. She is also the author of
How to Say It: Job Interviews (Prentice Hall Press) which can be found
at Amazon.com or your local bookstore. You can contact Linda Matias at
linda@careerstrides.com or visit her website
www.careerstrides.com for additional career advice and to view resume
samples.
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