If you have ever had a bad interview, this article is for you. Have you ever left an interview feeling like you totally blew the interview and you will never hear from that employer again? Instead of beating yourself up, or feeling bad about the interview, why not learn from that experience?
There are several steps that you can take to improve on the next interview if this one was a bust.
Take notes from what you remember about the interview. Do this immediately following the interview. This way, you should remember most accurately what happened in the interview. Write down the good things, if any, and the bad. Give it a couple of days and then review what you have written.
Sometimes it also helps to get someone else’s point of view. Hearing constructive criticism and comments from an outside party is always useful when you are trying to improve.
Try to find some good things that happened in the interview. That may help you gain a little confidence going into the next interview as well you needing to identify all the things that you want to do better at the next interview.
Come up with a set schedule of events that you do on days that you have an interview. Having any sort of structured routine will help you stay relaxed and focused on the day or days coming up to an interview.
After the interview is over, sometimes it helps to get back in contact with the person that you had your interviewed with. Let them know that you are grateful for giving you the opportunity of interviewing. Check back several times after that if you do not hear back from them.
The most important thing to do after a bad interview is not to give up. Learn from your mistakes and continue to try!
We have probably all been there. You walk away from an interview knowing full well that you have made a pig’s ear of it and that the chances of hearing back with a job offer is virtually zilch. You must not be disheartened and you must take all the positives away with you and work on the negatives. Treat the interviews as a job and practice does make perfect.
Steve Blythe (Recruitment and Social Media Commentator).