People make mistakes during interviews all the time. After all, everyone’s human and prone to occasional errors or lapses in their thought processes. But whenever someone finds themselves making a mistake during an interview, they should correct it as soon as possible. Nobody wants to lose the chance to get their dream job. That being said, below are some common blunders that occur during interviews and ways job applicants can recover from them.
Missing the Phone Screen
Whether an applicant wrote the wrong time down, had an emergency that made them late, or simply failed to realize the interview was on Central time and not Eastern, they must get back to the interviewer as soon as possible and reschedule. In addition, the applicant must apologize for the error, explain what happened, and take full responsibility for it.
Losing Train of Thought
It’s easy to get distracted and nervous during interviews while trying to maintain a professional image and demonstrating keen interest in the job. Someone may be thinking about their next question, for example, and fail to hear what the interviewer says. When this happens, it’s best to re-engage with the company representative by maintaining eye contact, leaning in, and making an extra effort to listen, according to The Balance.
Not Knowing Answers to Certain Questions
Let’s face it. Some interview questions are designed to trick people into volunteering too much information. And rather than make a mistake, it may be better to mull the question over and answer it later. When this occurs, the applicant can ask if he could think about the question and send his answer by email. The important thing is to follow-up with an intelligent answer to avoid being excluded from the job.
Following Up Too Much After Interview
Everyone gets excited when waiting to hear if they got the job. It’s human nature. But there is such thing as overdoing it with the follow-ups. So, whenever a person has been contacting a hiring manager too much as to whether she’s made a hiring decision, it’s best to back off a little. The applicant should then ask the hiring manager for a timeframe in which she will make a final decision. Moreover, it would also be appropriate to ask when to best call the hiring manager should the decision take longer.