Sometimes it happens – you leave the interview feeling foolish, frustrated, defeated. You just blew your interview. Beating yourself up about a misstep or a poor performance won’t help you succeed in the future. As disheartening as it may be sometimes, keep your focused on your future and center yourself. Here is some advice for job seekers on how to recover from a bad interview.
Don’t Over-Analyze
Unless there’s already been a decision, don’t count yourself out. You never know if you’re exaggerating your mistakes in your head, or if you can make up for it with a heartfelt follow up. You should mentally review your performance, as we’ll discuss next, but it’s important to move on to get yourself in the best possible mindset for your next interview.
Reflect
Think about how you presented yourself. Did you speak clearly and honestly? Did you make any large blunders, like a resume spelling error or being tardy? Grow from your mistakes. If you got flustered and weren’t able to answer the questions effectively, practice by holding a mock interview with a friend, or simply practice in the mirror! Go over answers to standard questions, but make sure you don’t sound too rehearsed. Interviewers want you to be prepared and presentable, but not too nervous. Be the most professional version of yourself the next time around.
Redeem Yourself with a Thank You
If you haven’t been rejected but you are feeling nervous about the outcome of your interview, focus your energies into an impactful thank you. Create a personalized thank-you email to the person who interviewed you, emphasizing your desire to grow. Tell them that you felt you didn’t fully explain your experience, and correct errors you made in person. If it doesn’t get you the job, it will at least show your ability to acknowledge your mistakes and prove yourself to hiring managers.
Give them a Call
If you feel that the situation calls for it, and you’re really looking for answers, call the company that turned you down. Contact your interviewer, and explain to them that you understand you weren’t a good fit for the position, but you’d like to learn more in order to grow as a future candidate for other positions. Ask questions like:
- What were the weaknesses in my interview, and how can I improve upon them?
- What could I do to be more successful next time?
- Is there advice would you give me for my next interview?
Bear in mind that you can only control your side of things, and the job hunt can be tough. Need help finding work? Contact the professionals at Job Store. Check out our current job openings to get started!