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Bad Interview
Many of us have endured a challenging interview and understand the disappointment that follows, particularly when the job is highly desirable. However, a less-than-ideal interview doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the running. A strong resume can often compensate for an interview that didn’t go as expected.
To bolster your chances of success, there are proactive measures you can take both before and after the interview. These steps can significantly improve the likelihood of securing the job, even if the interview didn’t go perfectly.
Do Your Homework Before the Interview:
If you haven’t done your homework and you don’t know anything about the company where you are interviewing, then you shouldn’t be in the interview. You should do extensive research on the company and the interviewer(s) before the interview. This information is not limited to public companies, there is a wealth of information on LinkedIn and similar sites. You should also try to find out some inside information regarding the company culture and what it’s like to work there.
Ways Your Resume Can Save You
Action Words: Action words and keywords are still a very important part of the process. With millions of resumes on the Internet, recruiters and hiring managers do not have time to read everything. They are drawn to specific words (and the words differ depending on the job). Many recruiters and hiring companies use resume scanning technology to identify resumes that are the best fit. Add the keywords that will draw interest in your resume.
Emphasize numbers: Rather than letting your resume be a list of responsibilities you had at previous jobs, turn it into a celebration of your successes. “Raised profits by 20 percent in one year.” “Oversaw 12 employees on my
Reasons Your Interview Went Wrong
Know Your Background Information: There have been many times when a job seeker was caught unprepared with a long application to fill out at the interview location. Come equipped with all the information you could possibly need concerning employment history, your previous addresses, dates of military service, etc.
Know Your Resume: You would be surprised how many people are not familiar with the details of their own resume. Make sure you know your own resume inside and out. It’s incredibly embarrassing to be asked specifics about a project you boasted about on the resume and respond with a blank look. Even if someone helped you write the resume, you definitely should be the expert.
Communication is a Two-Way Street: While the hiring manager will ask the questions, they expect a dialogue with the candidate. Concentrate on truly communicating with the interviewer. It starts off with a handshake and a friendly greeting. There have been cases of the interviewee barely saying a word and other cases of the interviewee dominating the conversation. Slow down, relax, and be yourself.
Follow Up After a Bad Interview
You should always follow up after an interview. If the interview went well, a quick thank you note can suffice.
However, if the interview went poorly, you may want to take further steps. For example, if you think you left out something that you wanted to discuss in the interview, a quick note explaining it can be appropriate.
If you think the interview went poorly because of something else going on in your life, such as a recent death in the family, send a quick note explaining the situation.
Prepare for Your Next Interview
If you don’t get the job, the most important thing is to use it as a learning experience for your next interview.
Update your resume to prepare for your next application and interview. If you’ve got a well-prepared resume, it can give you confidence going into your next interview.
Also, review your resume before going into an interview. Keep the information from your resume in mind to help you answer the
The key to job success starts with a great resume. If an interview goes poorly, a well-written resume can keep you in the running for the job.
Take a look at The Interview Master Deck on Kickstarter which aims to support jobseekers and career changers in their first interview phase. Especially in the post-pandemic world.
