Have you prepared for a job interview beforehand only for it to go not so well as you had hoped?

Question

I have had 2 weeks to prepare for mine and it is happening tomorrow morning, yet I still feel like I'm not ready. I have been going over possible questions that they might ask and coming up with answers,etc. I did this last time too with my last interview, and even though it did help a little, I still messed up on one or two questions and was so annoyed with myself. I'd like to hear other peoples experiences too, would put me at ease a little, especially to know that I'm not the only one who has botched things up on the day no matter how much preparation!

Thank you to everyone who answered, all good answers!

Answer 1

When I first started interviewing for jobs out of college, I was just like you. I was motivated to do well. I rehearsed and prepared will all diligence and energy. And, you know what? It took me months to land a job. Over the years, I have interviewed for many more jobs and interviewed people to hire for many jobs as well. These experiences have taught me a few things that have helped me "perform" better when I an in a position of being interviewed.

First, I have learned that even if you could anticipate every question in an interview and have the perfect answer at your command, it really wouldn't be the reason you got offerred the job. Unless you are extremely conniving, people will know when you are simply telling them what you think they want to hear even when the answers seem "perfect". People aren't looking for perfect answers in an interview because there are no perfect answers to the important interview questions that become the difference makers for the person eventually chosen for the job.

Another thing that helps to keep in mind when being interviewed is that, in all truth, there are probably hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of people who are just as qualified and deserving of this job as you may be. The reality is, only one of those many, many qualified candidates can have the job. What you need to know is how do you become the candidate selected from among all the qualified and deserving applicants.

To understand how to be successful in landing a job offer, you need to understand the process from the point of view of the person(s) making the hiring decision. You need to understand that every hiring decision is viewed as a $1,000,000 investment. Including salary, benefits, training and turnover costs every employee in any company represents a commitment of, at least, $1,000,000. And, no company can stay in business for long making bad decisions involving $1,000,000. To minimize their risks in making a $1,000,000 decision companies look for particular qualifications and characteristics that they believe will make an employee successful. Some of those qualifications are technical in nature and are related to experience and education. But, the difference makers are those things about the candidate that give the interviewers peace of mind. Interviewers want to feel good about the people they hire. Perfect answers don't make interviewers feel good about you. YOU make interviewers feel good about you.

Most of the people you will interview with will be your potential future co-workers. And, they want to have some sense that you will be a good fit to work with. This means they want to be comfortable with you as a person and not just as an answering machine, they want to like you.

So, do your preparation, because if you are prepared you have no reason to fear. Then, just be yourself. YOU are going to win a job offer, not your answers.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

This is a good question.. I like to give myself a "pause" before I answer a question from an interviewer to give myself a chance to think of my honest answer... A number of yrs. ago I was interviewing at MBNA to be a customer call rep.. I had a ton of retail sales experience and call center exp.. I even had 2 interviews for this particular position.. I remember the point where I completely "blew" the interview.. The guy asked me "why I had taken 3 yrs. from a customer service job/position." That was easy enough to answer, had I given myself the "pause" and said, " I was going to school part-time and I wanted a job with steady 7am-3pm hours..." Done, however I blurted out I was taking a much needed break from customer service and management.. Which also was true, however not quite the answer they wanted... So, I didn't get the job.. Not that my answer was BAD so to speak but, not the answer they wanted.. So, my advice to you is simply be honest, but not too honest.. Don't let em' see your full hand so to speak... Good luck tomorrow you will do fine !

Answer 3

Look, don't concentrate on particular questions. Just know who you are and what you want. Think about those two areas and revolve your answers around those.

Don't get uptight about the process. An interview is simply a conversation. That's it. Carry a smile on your face. Have a confidence about yourself, and that's half the battle. Think of it that way and you'll be fine.

P.S. I've botched up plenty of interviews. For being a conversation, it was painful, like being on the first date that you know is bad after the first five minutes.

Just remember you won't have to see those people again, so move on.

Answer 4

The reason you miss up isn't because you aren't prepared. It's because you're nervous and are putting to much pressure on yourself. Prepping is good but you also need to be yourself. I think it's important to select the clothing your going to wear in advance. Making sure everything is clean and pressed. Make sure you have polished/clean shoes , have clean hair, teeth, nails all that stuff. The one thing women over look is their purse or handbag. Make sure it compliments the outfit and that it's in fairly good condition . Show up early so you don't feel stressed for time. Don't not show up with coffee or a juice drink. If the offer you a beverage polite say no!!! Have questions prepared to ask them. Take a folder with a few copies of resumes and a piece of paper with the questions you want to ask and usually they say. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself....have something prepared..run it by friends. My Mom interviews people for a large company and she tells us stories...they are really turned off by gum chewing, and women playing with their bra straps. Good Luck!!!

Answer 5

Yes I have messed them up. I'm shy too. It is hard & sometimes you can over prepare also. Try to relax & not get yourself too worked up. It is serious but just remember the more natural you act the better for the interveiw. They are just human & expect a little of your natural personality to shine through. That is important. Stay calm & if it's meant to be it will be. I found that everyone I messed up was a blessing in discise!! The job was no good.P.S. Good Luck, knock em dead!!