Job Interview Not Going Well? Here’s How to Turn It Around

You’re in a job interview and while the interviewer keeps talking and you keep answering, something seems off. You can’t quite put your finger on it but you’re pretty sure the interview isn’t going well.

Signs of an interview that could be headed toward train wreck status could be:

  • The interviewer doesn’t show much interest in you: she may fidget, look at her watch, yawn a lot, not look you in the eye.
  • She doesn’t ask for more information on questions that could be probed with more depth.
  • She doesn’t ask you to describe one of your most challenging Salesforce projects.
  • The interviewer doesn’t ask you any hypothetical (“what would you do if…”) or behavioral (“tell me about at time you…”) questions.
  • She doesn’t ask you when you might be available to start if offered the position and/or doesn’t mention what the next steps in his process are.
  • The interview is much shorter than you have experienced in the past.

How to Turn a Bad Interview Around

If you notice such signs, or even if none of those signs are appearing and you still can’t shake the feeling that interview is not going well, try the following:

  • No matter what, remain calm and focus on your own performance. Remember also that you could be misreading the situation. Some interviewers have a hard time looking anyone in the eye. She could be yawning because she really is tired. And so on.
  • Try to steer the interview in the right direction. If the interviewer doesn’t ask too many follow up questions (she’s not digging for more information), offer them yourself.
  • Offer specific challenges you encountered in your Salesforce work and how you solved them. In other words, focus on your strengths. You don’t want to overtake the interview and come across as dictating what questions are asked and answered, yet you need to be sure you have a chance to show your background and skills in the best light.
  • If you feel you’re rambling or your find yourself stuttering, it’s okay to pause a moment say, “Excuse me. I’m nervous and that didn’t come out as I wanted. Let me try again.”

Even a Bad Interview Can Be Mitigated Later

If you feel you can’t rescue the interview while in it (the interview ends, before you can recover), all is not lost. Try this:

  • If you were sent on an interview via a Salesforce recruiting service, call your recruiter as soon as you can afterwards to see if he could call the hiring manager, explain the situation and ask her to go to bat for you. Ask her to see if she can arrange a “second-chance” interview.
  • Send a thank you note that does far more than say “thank you for meeting with me.” Instead, think of your letter as a way to mitigate any damage that was done. (By the way, never apologize for a bad interview; don’t even bring it up.) Reiterate key points about your background and accomplishments that address the hiring manager’s needs and challenges and how you can help her meet them. Express your interest in the position and highlight anything you weren’t able to get to in the interview itself and let the hiring manager know you look forward to next steps. This lets her know you anticipate hearing from her and moving forward with the hiring process.

If you’d like help finding Salesforce admin, architect or developer positions, let me help you. Talk to my team of Salesforce-certified recruiters and they’ll work to send you to interviews for some terrific opportunities. Call me directly at 919-569-5529 or contact Tech2 Resources via our website.

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