As much as you prepare, research, and rehearse, sometimes you just can't avoid a bad interview. I once got lost going to an interview, arrived over an hour late, then spilled my lunch all over me when my host took me to the company cafeteria. I left the place feeling like a dog with my tail between my legs. Needless to say, I didn't get a job offer. Sometimes the interviewee just seems to have it out for you. I had another interview with an accounting firm that seemed almost hostile toward me. I found it strange they would invite me for an interview as though there was some interest in me as a job candidate, when the interviewer was checking his watch incessantly, talking about how important he was to the firm, and allowing little time for me to respond to his questions or ask questions back. He then brought in a partner to tag-team me, making the interview feel like an inquisition. Despite leaving with the feeling that I would never get a call back, I was invited for a second interview and eventually received a job offer from the firm. Given the less-than-welcoming attitude of the firm's employees, it was an easy decision for me to decline their offer.
Whether you are having a bad day or your interviewer seems to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed themselves, we've all experienced interviews where we left feeling beaten up and inadequate. One rough interview can be damaging to your psyche, particularly if you have an entire week or season of interviews lined up. In bouncing back from these negative experiences, it's important to remember that you always have a second chance. Don't assume that one awful interview performance with a particular company will show itself in subsequent interviews with other organizations. Fortunately, your next potential employer has no idea you had a bad previous week and completely flopped with another interviewer. Treat each and every interview as a clean slate.
As painful as it can be, you need to review your mistakes as objectively as possible in order to work on areas of improvement. If you feel you performed badly in your last interview because you hadn't prepared any questions, or failed to conduct sufficient research about the company you were interviewing with, be sure to go above and beyond in these areas next time. The first example I mentioned above taught me that being logistically prepared for an interview is just as important as being mentally and technically prepared. After that experience, I always ensured I knew how to get where I needed to be, that I had the appropriate attire, and that I allowed more than sufficient time to arrive. By putting my best foot forward from the moment of arrival, my clumsiness disappeared as well (meaning no more lunch mishaps).
Even if you do have a bad interview with your dream employer, don't sell yourself short and assume you are out. Some mistakes can be overlooked. As an auditor, I once hosted a group of interviewees and found many of them to fumble through the initial icebreaker and meet-and-greet session. It seems nerves had gotten the better of most of them. But as the day of interviews, lunch, and panel discussions progressed, they all seemed to increase in confidence and competence. The group turned out to be one of our most impressive recruiting classes in several years.
If and when you have an interview experience that leaves you cringing, just remember that you start anew each time you go into an interview with a new organization, that every negative experience is a learning opportunity, and that you still have a chance to turn things around.
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