Career Resources

Career Resources

Why Your Interview Mistakes Aren’t the End of the Road

Posted January 21, 2015 & filed under Interviewing

Why Your Interview Mistakes Aren’t the End of the Road

In a job interview, a mistake carries like a whisper in a cathedral. No matter how small, you feel that it’s going to be painfully disruptive. Nonetheless, it doesn’t have to be the final word on whether or not you got that new job.

Most common interview mistakes are only separated from success by a thin line. Your success depends on the gravity the mistake and your ability to recover from it.

 

Which Mistakes Can’t Be Overcome

Not all interview mistakes are equal. Some only need additional clarification or an apology to recuperate any loss. Other mistakes are like Buick-sized holes in your hull. They can’t be patched enough to stop your ship from sinking.

You can’t turn back the clock to change an inappropriate outfit.

You can’t backtrack when you’re tardy.

You can’t ask for a “time out” to cram extra research into your memory.

One opportunity to do right is all you get. Learn the interview dress code, give yourself extra travel time, and familiarize yourself with all the basics before an interview.

Quick Reflexes and the Right Words

Bad responses aren’t disasters until the interview is in your rearview mirror. As long as you have time to explain yourself, you can repair an interview mistake. However, you have to react with speed and care.

You are caught off guard by a question – This interview mistake can even happen if you’ve prepared responses in advance. In the tumult of the moment, it’s easy to get flustered. A string of ums and hms or a prolonged pause can make you appear unprepared – even if you spent hours researching and rewriting responses.

Breathe deep. Allow yourself a moment of calm. Then, ask the interviewer to rephrase the question. Approaching a puzzle from a different angle can give you a new perspective and spark a strong response. If you’ve done your due diligence, chances are that you have an example that you can relate back to.

You focus on yourself too much – Interviews are meant to focus on your talents and abilities, but some people take that to excessive levels. They discuss how the job will benefit themselves alone.

The trick to fixing this common interview mistake is catch it while it happens. Reflect on your responses: who do they benefit? Remember that your desires aren’t the only focal point. Instead, reiterate the following:

  • What achievements you’ve had in previous positions.
  • What you plan to do in the position.
  • How you plan to reach those achievements

Plus, it doesn’t hurt to ask a few questions. You’ll learn lots and advance your career in the process.

You give off a desperate vibe – Desperation makes employers turn away. It gives the impression that you are so gung-ho to get any job, that you’ll overlook incompatibilities with the culture and your skills.

Correct this with confidence. Desperation can be conveyed if your responses are too fast and too earnest. Take your time and this common interview mistakes will be less of a problem.

Keep Your Corrections Short & Sweet

All of the solutions to these interview mistakes have one thing in common: your fix should be quick. Anything that rambles on risks creating new fissures in your footing. So, be brief and to the point, and you’ll rarely find an interview mistake to be your undoing.

by James Walsh

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