You’re here because you’re worried you failed your last interview.
Or maybe you just got notified that you’ve been denied a job offer, and you’re not sure what steps to take next.
Even though you believed the interview went well and that you were well-prepared for it, the result was not what you had anticipated.
We’ve all been in your shoes. Many of us have had a bad interview that we can’t get out of our heads. To this day, we’re thinking about what we should’ve said and what could’ve gone better. Unfortunately, none of us can go back in time and say what we should have said. So, it’s time to move forward and grow from our failures.
Understanding Interviews
We are all aware that a failed interview is not a comfortable experience, and it may be easy to feel disappointed if you already have a number of rejections in your job hunt. But don’t beat yourself up.
If you fail an interview, try not to be too disappointed and too hard on yourself.
Interviews are simply intended to determine whether you are the “right fit” for the open position. You won’t always be informed of the factors considered while making a hiring choice. Even though you did a fantastic job, there can be other variables at play. Many of these factors are out of your control.
What is in your control? How you react and what you can improve to hopefully have better success next time.
There are several things that can help you succeed in an interview, from your resume’s format to your ability to maintain eye contact during the interview. You may also even need to improve your use of basic non-verbal cues, like keeping eye contact and composure under pressure.
Take the time to learn from your mistakes after a failed interview; this might enable you to succeed in your next one.
What Do You Do After A Failed Interview?
Think About The Way You Acted During The Interview.
The style of the interview is another frequent cause of rejection. Even the most confident people can get very anxious during interviews. Because you are being questioned in person, even the smallest mistake or, worse, the interviewer’s attitude can harm your odds.
Even some of the most skilled, confident people you know suffer under such tight observation. Many people forget the benefit of preparing and taking time to practice their responses. And some people, when nervous, overthink responses and freeze up.
Take note of some of the problems you believe you may have faced and how you acted in your previous interview so you can take steps to prevent these in the future.
For example, if you exhibited guarded body language, slouching, and had a terribly weak handshake, these show the interviewer that you’re not very confident. Therefore, in order to avoid these negative assumptions during your next interview, attempt to sit straight. You can even go as far as wearing a brace under your suit jacket that forces you to sit better.
Show The Interviewer How Valuable Feedback Is To You.
You have to be willing to accept feedback regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. Despite the fact that it might be challenging, this is crucial for your growth.
Applying through a recruiter may make it simpler for you to get a response because they often have established contacts with businesses and you can usually count on them for open feedback after interviews.
Make it clear to the interviewer how crucial feedback is to you. This will demonstrate your dedication to personal growth. Attitude and a willingness to adapt are key skills many employers seek.
Learn Ways To Properly Follow Up After Interviews.
The greatest method to demonstrate professionalism and eagerness in the position following an interview is to send a follow-up email. You will be setting yourself apart from the competition because most individuals won’t do this extra step.
Analyze The Questions Asked And Your Responses.
Consider the questions you mistakenly answered wrong or inappropriately in your previous interview and look at areas where you can enhance your responses and change how you presented them.
Lack of technical understanding is by far the most frequent cause of rejection. If you realize you did poorly on your interview because you lacked the knowledge or experience required to answer the questions, you could invest time or money in some additional training. Training may be available for free online, or you may have to take an online or in-person course.
Keep Your Resume Up To Date.
Check your resume carefully for errors, and if you find any, fix them right away.
Make sure your resume includes the most recent details on your accomplishments, experience, and education. Use proper grammar and ensure you’re optimizing your resume with the most relevant keywords.
Avoid Using Overused Buzzwords.
Additionally, refrain from attempting to “stand out” by using inconsistent formatting and flashy typefaces. Use traditional typefaces, such as Times New Roman, Roboto, Arial, or Calibri.
Keep Improving Yourself.
Maintaining your skills and expertise is important, particularly if you are unemployed at the moment. This might come in the form of a volunteer job at a firm of interest, mentoring, a charity project, or part-time training (if applicable).
Stay engaged by always seeking opportunities for continued growth. By constantly improving, you will improve your confidence, increase your focus, and gain more discussion topics for networking and interviews.
Narrow Your Search.
The job market is becoming more and more cutthroat. Organizations before the recession had bigger expenditures and less efficient internal operations. As a result, they had greater hiring flexibility. They would consider an applicant to be a good fit if they met most of their requirements.
These days, companies can no longer afford to hire you unless you are closely aligned with their requirements due to the tighter standards. Of course, there are always exceptions.
However, keeping this in mind, make sure you’re narrowing your search and applying for jobs that you’re aligned with or that you believe you possess the skills to exceed as you move up in your career.
Work Hard And Have Faith In Yourself!
Don’t feel guilty if you apply to a lot of jobs and don’t get any responses, invitations to interviews, or job offers. Success often comes with challenges, and we don’t always have control over everything. However, perseverance will always be rewarded.
Just be cautious of applying to too many jobs at once. This only makes it more challenging when it comes to keeping track of everything. We suggest making an excel document to better track where you applied, how you found them, and what makes you a great candidate for that role so when you’re getting calls from recruiters, you’re better prepared.
Prepare Better For The Next Interview.
The value of conducting your research before a job interview is sometimes overlooked by applicants. Set aside a significant amount of time to prepare yourself for future interviews.
Employers prefer candidates who have done a fair amount of studying to better understand the company. Ideally, candidates will have, at minimum, looked through the company’s website and have a basic understanding of the company’s long-term goals, customer base, and products or services.
Key Takeaways:
No one likes to fail. But through failure, we all learn something that helps us perform better next time.
Learn from your failures and use some of these tips to excel in your next interview!
Need help understanding how these tips can apply to you on a personal level? Contact us to book a coaching session.