In every bad interview there is a moment when you realize that you’ve royally messed everything up. I know that feeling well. Last semester, I interviewed for a writing consultation service. Everything was going super smoothly – I was giving amazing answers, taking everything in stride. I even had relevant experience! But then there was a speed bump: I had carelessly said something the interviewer didn’t like. She latched on to my statement and focused the rest of the interview on that one sentence. I knew it was over then. I left the interview and called my mom to promptly inform her that I definitely did not get the job and that I really, really wanted ice cream.
After a bad interview, it’s super easy to want to call it quits on the job search for the rest of your life. You think: who needs employment? Answer: you do. But I know better than anyone that it’s really hard to get out of a post-bad-interview funk. It’s perfectly OK to allow yourself some time to be upset, especially if you really wanted said job. In fact, the grieving process can actually serve to refuel your motivation and foster determination and resilience.
Spin the experience as an opportunity for growth: what messed you up this time? Were you not as prepared as you should have been? Did you stumble over your words? If you weren’t as prepared as you’d like to have been, take this as a lesson: do your research from now on. If you were nervous and, as a result, super ineloquent, then make sure to do a practice interview before your actual one next time. You can ask your friends to give you some rehearsal questions or you can visit the Center for Career Development (CCD) for a mock interview and more official advice and critique.
It’s also important to realize that one bad interview may not have fully cost you the job. We are often way more critical of ourselves than others are. You may have thought your interview was bad, but maybe the employer hadn’t noticed your slip-up or stammer. Don’t lie to yourself, but definitely realize that your perception of the situation may be skewed by anxiety and nerves.
You may also save your shot at the job by writing a thank-you note post-interview (which, let’s face it, you should be doing anyway). In your thank-you note you can highlight that you were really nervous during your interview and that the interview did not fully represent you and how you operate. Further, you can state that your nerves were fueled by your excitement about this interview and the job. Make sure to get someone to edit your note to ensure that it represents you in the most positive light possible.
Finally, don’t beat yourself up about this interview if you don’t get the job. Everyone has rough days. The most important thing you can do is get back out there, learn from your mistakes, and take the whole thing in stride.
Kaitlyn Zoeller is a Peer Career Advisor from Will Rice College. She is a sophomore studying philosophy and cognitive science.
