Did you ever leave a job interview feeling like it didn’t go so well? Self-doubt can creep in as soon as you walk out the door. Little things nag at you like your posture, tone, and the answers you gave.
You can turn these negative experiences into positive ones and become better at interviews.
Every setback in life is an opportunity to learn, and there are multiple things that you can learn from a bad job interview that could lead to success in the next one.
Here’s what you need to do to recover from your mistakes and put yourself in a position to ace your next job interview.
Take Notes Following The Interview
After the interview is over, take a step back and think about the interview.
Write what you feel may have gone wrong. Putting your thoughts on paper after the interview gives them the most validity. This is when raw emotions come out and your thoughts are true. After a couple of days, revisit what you wrote. Look at your entries completed in the heat of the moment. Reflecting on these thoughts with a clear head can help you focus on how to develop your interviewing skills.
It also may be helpful to talk to a friend or professional acquaintance about your poor interview experience and get their feedback.
Identify Strengths
The job interview can be a crucible. It is a source of stress for most job seekers. The thought of saying something wrong or not presenting yourself correctly can be taxing in an already nerve-wracking job search. However, stress and adversity can make you stronger going forward in any job interview process.
Think about what you did that went well. Did you explain situations you were in through solid storytelling? Reflect on what parts of interviews you were most comfortable in. Think about your approach and mindset in these areas. Develop an interview strategy with this as your foundation.
Set Up A Routine
Many great figures in sports set up a routine before every game. Whether it’s because they are superstitious or not, there is a level of comfort in doing something familiar. It eases their minds and gets them into the flow of the game. Develop your own routine for yourself with job interviews.
Set up a consistent practice routine where you dedicate a certain amount of time on a daily basis to preparing for the interview. Try to do at least one mock interview with a trusted friend or colleague.
The morning of an interview, go for a run, read, or do something you enjoy that gets your mind off the interview. Develop a routine and set your own flow, and you will improve in the job interview.
Send Thank-You Notes
You should not only send a brief thank-you note after the interview thanking the company for the opportunity to interview for the job, but you should also send a brief thank-you note after receiving a job rejection.
A job rejection can be an opportunity to get some feedbackâjust don’t be too pushy about it.
In responding to the rejection, once again thank them for the opportunity to interview, express disappointment for not getting the job, but congratulate them on finding the right candidate. You can then ask them if there’s anything that you can do to improve as a candidate and stay on their radar for future opportunities.
If they respond, it’s free feedback! If not, just let it go and move one.
Everyone has made mistakes in job interviews. The important thing is to learn from them and focus your efforts on improving. Follow the tips above to recover from a bad job interview and ensure success in your next one.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
