In our next installment of communication conundrums, dealing with situations that have gone awry, we’re talking about bouncing back from a tough interview. Now in the last video we talked about what do mid-interview if you see it’s going south and how to turn it around. 

In this article, we’re talking about how you can recover from a bad interview that you just know didn’t go well and you weren’t able to salvage during the interview.

While it may not always be possible depending on how badly you think you did it’s worth a shot to try and salvage what you can. Call it bouncing back. Call it damage control.

Now, I do want you to keep in mind that you might be acting overly critical of yourself. I see you perfectionists! And maybe it didn’t go as badly as you think. So as we dive into these strategies, do consider that you might be your toughest critic.

Let me also say this. In some interviews you just know you botched it because you were under the weather, you weren’t prepared, you had some outside distraction that weighed you down…

In that crystal-clear scenario of a botched interview, you’ll be able to fall back on these strategies. 

Let’s get right into it.

(1) Reflection

After you’ve completed the interview take some time to think about it. 

Do not worry about it. 

Instead, think of it as an outer body experience. As you’re rehashing what happened, think of it as though you are helping someone else talk about the experience. 

This is hard to do at first, because it did happen to us, but what this exercise will do is help you think about the experience in a constructive way, replete of lessons to learn. 

If you take it too personally, then you get trapped in a cycle of worry. And you’re replaying the bloopers again and again…without learning the lessons from the experience. 

What might be helpful is to make a list of things you thought you did quite well and things you could have done better. 

Laying it out this way gives you some perspective. It shows you that there were some things that were done well. It shows that it wasn’t as bad as you had fathomed!

Sometimes we make mountains out of molehills.

Even in our minds when it feels like we really botched something, that’s not usually the case… and we have to celebrate the little things that we did well in addition to keeping a growth mindset about what we can aim to improve.

This strategy allows us to (1) keep perspective (2) celebrate little wins (3) and find the areas for future growth

(2) Explain, don’t excuse

When you’re crafting a thank you email you may consider explaining why the interview really went awry. 

Maybe you were really under the weather, feverish and all. Perhaps there was something less visible going on, in the behind the scenes of your life that distracted you from performing well. 

So, in the email, it might be worth mentioning what resulted in a sub-optimal performance. It’s not about making excuses. It’s about demonstrating that you are enthusiastic about the position and how your qualifications speak to that even though they caught you on an off day. 

If you are in the position to request another meeting, then there’s no harm in asking.

Even if they decline your proposal, you should be proud of yourself for taking responsibility for this communication conundrum and taking measures to remedy it.

This strategy shows that you have self-awareness and the courage to admit to your failures. 

(3) Keep learning and find the teachable moments

No matter the ultimate outcome of that specific interview, find the teachable moments.

Remember the “needs improvement” column from strategy 1? Keep those handy.

Take these very important lessons you learned from that experience and apply it to future interviews and meetings.

You can even make a list of things you want to work on for future interviews and meetings. 

We’re all works of art in progress… we grow, we evolve. 

So irrespective of getting the job or not, you still want to take a moment to nurture the areas that need more attention. 

This will serve you well in your future interpersonal interactions (because remember, the interview is a high-stakes conversation) and you’ll also be more empathetic towards others who’re having a rough day in the spotlight. 

Happy Explearning 🐝

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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