Sally learned this lesson the hard way, hands-on during an interview that should have been a piece of cake. When she received an invitation to interview, Sally believed she was a shoo-in for the job. The day of the interview, Sally was surprised by the level of anxiety she felt. When Sally was escorted to the interview room, she was surprised to see a panel of interviewers. At the start of the interview, she quickly realized that it was going to be a challenge to manage that interview.
Sally learned this lesson the hard way, hands-on during an interview that should have been a piece of cake. When she received an invitation to interview, Sally believed she was a shoo-in for the job. Feeling confident, she approached the interview in a lax manner.
The day of the interview, Sally was surprised by the level of anxiety she felt. Her apprehension began to build and she began to prepare for the interview at the last minute. By the time she arrived at the interview, she was visibly shaken.
Lesson learned: The time to collect your thoughts is prior to an interview, not on your way to one. The recruiter will take notice and you run a high risk that you will be not get the offer if you arrive to an interview bewildered.
Sally has never been a smooth small talker and she answered the question candidly. The interviewer smiled politely and proceeded to walk towards the interview room. Realizing she goofed, Sally hesitantly followed the interviewer.
Lesson learned: Everything you do and say during an interview is scrutinized; from the instant you walk in, to the moment you walk out. An innocent question doesn’t exist during an interview and a careless misstep is seldom forgotten. Choose your responses carefully.
She was surprised to see a panel of interviewers when Sally was escorted to the interview room. She was only familiar with the “it’s just you and me, kid” type of the interview– the one-on-one. At the start of the interview, she quickly realized that it was going to be a challenge to manage that interview.
Lesson learned: Interviews are unpredictable. One never knows the broad range of topics that will be covered and the type of formats that may be presented. Familiarize yourself with all interview settings.
Sally tripped over her answers because she was not ready for the series of questions. She focused on issues that weren’t relevant and provided little information on what was pertinent. She began to ramble and appeared under-qualified for the position.
Sensing that she was interviewing poorly, Sally began to lose patience with the process. She withdrew mentally from the interview, and as a result, appeared disinterested.
Lesson learned: Most interviewers expect candidates to be nervous during an interview, and they rarely will forgive you if you fail to demonstrate a sincere interest in working for them. Most hiring decisions are based on whether the interviewer feels a connection to you. The failure to establish a bond immediately is usually beyond repair.
After the interview Sally realized that the questions she had been asked were not difficult. She had been overwhelmed by nervousness and that had clouded her ability to communicate clearly and to the point effectively.
Lesson learned: Even if you have the “right stuff,” nothing is guaranteed. Don’t get caught off guard; prepare for interviews; do your homework.
