We’ve all been there. The moment during an interview when you realise you said the wrong thing, or maybe should have said something but didn’t. It’s easy to dwell on your mistakes, but the team from Ceek has put together a few things you can do to avoid and recover from interview blunders.
Negative answers
During a job interview, most of the time, it’s about answering questions. Some are on the more personal side, like what you enjoy doing during your free time, while some are professional, like whether you know how to use a specific system. It’s normal to not know the answer to everything (we’re not robots after all), but there are certain expectations that the people hiring you will have.
Do your research beforehand and predict the questions you may be asked. You can predict these by looking at the job requirements. Then prepare answers for your predicted questions:
For example: if the question is about a specific system you don’t know how to use, think about what you can do instead.
Instead of:
“WordPress? I’ve never used it. I don’t know how to do that.”
Say:
“WordPress? I have never needed to use it in my other positions, but editing websites is something I do on a regular basis. I would be happy to do some research and adapt my skills where necessary.”
Talking negatively about your current employment
When someone actively decides to change jobs, it could be due to a number of things. Some feel they are not progressing as much as they want to, some are unhappy with their salaries, and others may not be fitting in at their current workplace.
It’s normal, and it’s safe to say that most people have, at one point or another, felt frustrated because of their boss or colleagues. The topic of why you’re looking to change jobs will inevitably come up during an interview, and if one of your reasons is the latter, we strongly suggest that you water it down. The person hiring you could potentially take this as a lack of loyalty.
Instead of:
“My boss does not take me seriously and I feel stuck at work.”
Say:
“I feel that I’m not reaching my full potential at my current job.”
If change is not your thing…
We know that change can be scary, and we also know that a lot of people are uneasy about the idea of changing jobs or careers. However, pointing this out at an interview is not ideal. Having said this, we don’t want you to outright lie or make yourself seem like a person you are not, so re-wording is key.
Instead of:
“The thought of being out of my comfort zone scares me.”
Say:
“I need time to adjust to a big change, but at the same time I’m excited for a new journey.”
It’s not all about you
When it comes to an open position, both the potential employee and the employer have a number of tick boxes. While we encourage you to find a job that ticks all your boxes, being adamant about certain requirements during your interview, is not a good idea. A potential employer might be very put off by you making demands, especially if they aren’t attainable.
Instead of:
“I want to work remotely.”Say:
“While I do have my own preferences about how I work, ultimately the priority here is the company. If there is room for remote working, I’d like that. I’d be glad to explore the potential of it together with the company.”
To sum it up
Cleaning up your job interview mistakes is no easy feat, but if you do make a mistake, don’t beat yourself up. We’re all human after all! By adding a positive point to your initial response, you can turn things around.
At Ceek Recruitment we help our candidates be the best they can be. If you’re looking for your next career opportunity, get in touch with us today and search with Ceek!