Bounce Back after a Bad Interview

No matter how much you prepare or how well you know the rules of a job interview, sometimes things just don’t go well. We’ve all had at least one or two nightmare interview experiences, where we later wish we could rewind and have a do-over. Worse yet, we often get the most nervous at interviews for jobs we really want, which in turn can cause us to sabotage ourselves.

Unfortunately you can’t turn back time, but you can recover from a bad interview. This article shares some tips. First, it’s important to take an objective look back at the experience. We are often our own worst critics, and may obsess over little slip-ups that others barely even notice. So take an honest assessment of how things really went.

Then, if you still feel like you dropped the ball, take action to do damage control. Send a note thanking the interviewer for their time, and highlighting your strong points (especially those you may not have presented well at the interview). You can also include supporting evidence, such as samples or positive feedback/reviews that attest to your qualifications.

You might even want to lay your cards on the table, admitting that you were so excited or nervous about the job that you didn’t feel like you performed your best, and perhaps even ask for a few more minutes of their time to come in for a follow-up meeting where you can get another shot.

How do you recover from a bad interview? Share tips in the comments.

Image courtesy of SeanDreilinger