I feel miserable. I blew my job away at failing a simple job interview!?

Question

It was a technical interview. I was asked a simple programming question. I knew the answer related to loops, but I hesitated to answer. The reason I didn't answer it was because that (1) too simple for me to believe (2) interviewer showed me many methodologies before asking me the question; I was thinking that he might want to show me some tricks to do that question.
This was the only interview I got after my sending out my resume for a few weeks. I have left job market for years and encouraged myself to go back to career. My resume showed a lot programming experience and I used to work in a reputable company. The interviewers had a meeting after my interview and seemed to be angry at me. (From the email interviewer(s) sent me, I can sense the angry.) I sent an email explaining why I missed the point. However, I feel that they think I lied. I lost my reputation. It is very hard for me to get any interview because I have an big employment gap. Advise & Help!!

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I was deeply moved that you kind people answered my question and tried to comfort me at midnight.
It was exactly as Urbancoyote said:
I froze and couldn't talk when I really wanted the job that I felt might slip away from me. I knew If I answered that question right, I could very possible get
that job. I froze and was afraid I was wrong, and I couldn't say anything.
Urbancoyote still quit job at age 53 ?!
You are somebody I want to learn from!
Like Kate reminded, I need place more laid back. Obro's comment is encouraging: "Just let it go .. and keep trying. Eventually someone, somewhere will likely recognize and value your skills. "

Thank you all. You all like genius. I am touched and get comforted. I'll continue
sending out resume to get next interview!

Dapperdoll, thank you for your feedback. We both need keep prepared, keep trying, be couraged, and go get A GOOD EMPLOYER and a GOOD JOB, no matter what!
Good luck for both of us!

Answer 1

Overmotivation!

We freeze and can't talk when we really want something that we feel might slip away from us.

So the interviewers "won" at putting you under pressure to test you. Don't worry about what they think of you -- they aren't your bosses. Who wants to work for bluffers who like to intimidate strangers?

It looks to me that you're doing fine with your job search so far.

There are two steps to getting a job: sending out resumes (and the purpose of a resume is to get an interview --OK? Stimulus = resume and Response = interview).

The second step is the interview. The purpose of an interview is to get a job offer. Ideally, you get so many interviews that there are several job offers, and pick your choice.

Since you know how to produce resumes that get interviews, you should be proud that you are now only one step away, one 45 minute to hour encounter, from being hired.

My advice:

1. Keep a spreadsheet of all your resumes (an job descriptions for each resume sent out), the date mailed, and all your scheduled interview dates and times. How many resumes do you have to send out to get an interview? That's how many resumes you should be sending out each week. Is the trend to get more interviews or to get fewer interviews? If the interviews are shrinking in number, rework the resume. To get a job, you should be doing at least an interview a week. Keep track. If you're only doing one or two interviews a month, you're not in the habit of thinking and talking quickly to strangers under pressure, so you have to send out a lot more applications!

2. Plan every interview thoroughly. Immediately find, buy, read, and complete all the exercises and writing tasks in Ron Fry's book, "101 Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions." You'll be surprised how much planning is needed for successful interviews. Fry wants you to memorize a couple of 30 second statements you can use in interviews.

3. Attitude. You must pass the attitude screen and be the person the interview panel guesses that they hope they think they want. You don't WIN this contest, you FAIL to get booed off stage -- don't seek perfect, seek to PASS. And they way to do that is to memorize these six statements and act like the person who cherishes this for 45 minutes while in the presence of the interviewers. You don't have to act like this while writing your resume, you don't have to act like this once you get the job, just pass this attitude screen DURING THE INTERVIEW ITSELF. Here it is:

a. I loved my father and my mother, but my father a little bit more.

b. I like things pretty well the way they are.

c. I never worry much about anything.

d. I don't care for books or music much.

e. I love my wife and children.

f. I don't let them get in the way of company work.

This is true whether you're a man or a woman -- you loved your father a little bit more. You love your family but they DON'T GET IN THE WAY of work.

Answer 2

Are you sure they were angry? Often, if interviewers decide not to accept a candidate, they appear much more serious when they return to let the person know that they didn't get the job. This seriousness can easily be mistaken for disappointment or anger, though it is really a sign of respect because the interviewers know that it is a serious matter for you.

If they really were angry, then it might not be so good to work for that company anyway. You would constantly need to worry about the next thing that they might get upset about if they didn't see things exactly the same way you did.

I know this is disappointing to you, but try not to let one bad experience define your expectations. Just let it go if you can, and keep trying. Eventually someone, somewhere will likely recognize and value your skills.

Answer 3

I know how you feel....I'm pretty down in the dumps too. I recently moved to a new city and have been searching for an Executive Assistant job for almost 4 months now...and have been on about 20 interviews. I'm very qualified but left a pretty decent paying job and I've told them I'm very negotiable on my salary...I feel like giving up sometimes, but I keep trying!! The gap's getting bigger and bigger on my resume too which doesn't help matters....not to mention the pocket book. You have so much time on your hands but can't afford to do anything. Good luck to us! Someone will give us a chance, surely!!

Answer 4

Been there , done that , so just remember . . .
There are lots more jobs out there .
You do NOT loose your rep from 1 interview .

For your gap , say you were on extended sabbatical .

The interviews were used to a rapid fire paced work environment .
Apply at someplace more laid back , Not so type A .

Good Luck !

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