Salvage a bad interview with these tricks, and more tips for job seekers

Hello, job seekers! Welcome to my newsletter focused on helping you land your next job. Whether your background is in retail or real estate, I’ll be surfacing tips and insights that can make every job search more successful. Be sure to join the conversation with the hashtag #GetHired.

How to navigate a turbulent job interview

Scheduling a job interview is often a thrilling and terrifying experience. You got a foot in the door, but it could end up slamming in your face if the interview ends on a bad note. I recently asked you to tell me about your worst job interviews. You delivered! I received dozens and dozens of stories about uninterested hiring managers, surprise aptitude tests and oddball questions.

Sarah Johnston, a job search strategist and former recruiter, helped me sift through your comments and offered advice on how to navigate similar situations in the future.

Uninterested and unprepared interviewers

Uninterested and unprepared interviewers were the most common issue mentioned in your stories. “I can just immediately tell this guy never even looked at my resume or LinkedIn page,” wrote Samuel Hagan.

While it may not be a pleasant experience, Johnston told me that job seekers should not use the interviewer’s shortcomings as an excuse to slack off during the conversation. You should continue to showcase that you’re an interested and prepared applicant even in front of a lackluster interviewer.

“No matter what person you’re meeting with or what personality you’re meeting with, you still have to demonstrate your best,” she said, adding that you can then use the experience to evaluate if the position or company is a good fit for you.

Unexpected questions and tests

Many of you also mentioned being caught off guard during interviews by surprise questions or tests. “I was given four pages of strange questions,” wrote Rawel Batista. Jason Wojcik said he was given a series of random tests during one interview. “You get an excel spreadsheet with aggregated data with a lengthy formula with … obscure functions in it,” he wrote. “You have 30 seconds to troubleshoot the problem and produce the correct formula.”

The possibility of out-of-the-blue questions or tests is one of the many reasons to prepare as much as possible for job interviews, said Johnston, who also writes her own newsletter and is the owner of BriefcaseCoach. “Spend a lot of time preparing for the questions you’re going to get,” she said. “If you just completely bomb the test, at least you performed well for the other 90% of the interview.”

Realizing you’re not the right candidate

Some of you also mentioned realizing in the middle of an interview that you are not the right fit for the job. Johnston advised finishing the interview as you would for the perfect job. Marlene Sharp said she once got sent to audition alongside two experienced stuntwomen despite her unfamiliarity with the field. “No one appreciated my blatantly obvious comedic improv ability on display that day,” she wrote.

“You can finish the interview, go home, reflect on it and send a follow-up email,” said Johnston, adding that job seekers can use the opportunity to recommend a friend or peer for the job if they’re a better fit.

Similar follow-up emails can be used to help fine-tune a rocky interview. Johnston said those follow-up notes are opportunities for job seekers to correct something they said during the interview, add something or express how interested they are in the job.

Additionally, she said that people can try using their networks to salvage a job interview gone bad. A connection or friend can reach out to one of their contacts in the company vouching for your work ethic and character, for example.

Still, Johnston told me it’s best for people to reduce the risk of a bad interview by preparing as much as possible. “I don’t think you can over-prepare,” she said. People can rehearse standard questions ahead of time. They can do background research on the interviewer to find common interests. The job seeker can also see if the person has written any blogs or been on any podcasts.

“I think you’ll be more relaxed if you can make conversations,” said Johnston.

Have you ever endured a rough job interview? How did you handle it? How would you react in the above situations? Join the conversation.

The follow-up:

In the last edition of #GetHired, we talked about how to expand your job search to other industries. Dozens of you responded with your own stories of success and struggle in trying to find work in a new field. Read more about those experiences here and join the conversation.

Other news to help you #gethired:

You can find a good job without a four-year degree. Netflix, Nike and Twitter have all hired people without college educations. More and more companies are following in their footsteps by shedding requirements for such credentials. Those moves are opening well-paying opportunities for a wider pool of talent, according to Joe Milord. Here’s what people are saying about the changes.

Overcoming the challenges of phone interviews. Employers are increasingly turning to phone interviews in this tight job market to get to talent before another company. Phone interviews present unique challenges for job seekers who need to work overtime to stand out among the other voices on the end of the line. Fast Company suggests that a person provide succinct answers during phone interviews and be direct about why they want the job. The person should also recreate an interview-like environment and avoid reading from a paper. Here’s what people are saying about the interview tips.

Creatives should tailor their job search materials to meet current demands. Haris Silic, an expert in the world of creative recruitment, told LinkedIn’s Andrew Murfett that an increasing number of designers are struggling to find work. They can improve their odds of success by updating their portfolios and leaning on their professional networks for job search support, he added. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

Beating the job search blues. Prolonged job searches can take a mental toll, but The New York Times says there are some steps job seekers can take to overcome those negative thoughts. People should act like job searching is their job by setting specific rules to take breaks and lunch hours. Job seekers should also set winnable goals, such as sending out a certain number of cover letters or resumes during the day or week. People should set aside time to learn new skills and socialize with friends. Here’s what people are saying about the suggestions.

Up Next:

We’ll be talking about how you can overcome job search roadblocks caused by the artificial intelligence and computer programs companies use to sort applicants. Have you run into any problems due to those systems? Do you have any questions about those programs? Let us know by publishing a post or video using the hashtag #GetHired. Your response could be highlighted in the next newsletter.

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