Have you ever had a bad job interview?
A bad job interview can be upsetting but it is possible to learn from this experience and to use it to your advantage. In this article we highlight 5 amazing tips to help you achieve this.
1. Review
To learn from a bad job interview it is vital that you take a few moments to review the experience. Grab a pen and paper and write down what you thought went well and what went badly during the interview. It might be useful to break the interview down into specific areas:
- First impressions
- Body language
- Confidence
- Gaps in knowledge or experience
- Quality of answers
You should also write down the questions that you were asked as you may be asked similar questions next time you attend an interview. By preparing answers to these questions you will improve your chances of success next time.
You find out how to prepare for job interviews in our article: How to prepare for job interviews
2. Follow up
It is good practice to follow up a job interview with a short email or letter thanking the interviewer for considering you for the job. This is also an excellent time to mention any key points that you feel that you forgot to mention during the interview. Your follow up message should be sent 1 – 2 days after the interview when you have had time to think about the interview.
To find out more about following up a job interview check out: How to follow up a job interview
3. Reflect
When you have reviewed the interview experience and followed up with the employer take time to reflect on the interview.
- Do you still feel that you performed badly during the interview?
- What are the key things you can lear to improve your interview performance in the future?
Remember that no interview is ever perfect so try not to be overly critical of your performance.
4. Request a chance to impress
If you feel that you did not get your key points across during the interview you could request a second chance. If you do this then you will need to clearly articulate why you should be offered a second interview. Many employers will be reluctant to spend more time interviewing so your preparation and persuasion skills will be vital. An alternate approach is to request a chance to impress rather than a second interview. This could be by working for free or by producing a piece of research, analysis or whatever might be of interest or use to the employer. This gives you the opportunity to show that the interview was not a true reflection of your skills, ability and potential usefulness to the organization.
5. Turn mistakes to your advantage
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” Colin Powell
If you are able to learn from your interview experience you will be able to use this knowledge to your advantage in the future. If you can do this you will dramatically increase your chances of future success. Life is about learning from mistakes and if you can do this you will be a success.
Further Information
To find more free careers advice and interview tips visit: Interview Tips
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