Common Interview Bloopers and how to Avoid Them

There are endless ways to sabotage yourself in an interview .It's bound to happen when you get so much advice from friends, family or "Do and Don't" articles. Although you might get some worthwhile advice, nobody gives you helpful tips on what to do when the meeting goes sour. You're left to figure it out by yourself. This article will give ideas on what to do when the interview goes off the rails. This is a public service article, because some articles don't prepare you for the worst. And the worst ain't pretty.

1." Always remain positive during an interview." (Famous advice.)

This is good advice as far as it goes. However, it doesn't go far enough. It should be "Remain positive as long as circumstances remain positive."
I have an example of a really stupid blooper which I made , to my regret, ages ago.

I arrived, promptly, for an interview held in an outlying area, at considerable inconvenience to myself. I found it hard to believe that the interview panel which was to meet with me was not on hand. They couldn't attend until they'd recovered from a rather wild celebration on the previous evening. After waiting for two hours I was feeling insulted and furious. Then they all straggled in, (all eight of them) clutching booklets of suggested questions to confound and confuse the job applicant. For the next hour and a half, I was subjected to rapid fire questioning from the panel. They were studying a course on how to take on the responsibility for running their own municipal affairs. This interview was part of that course, and they left no question unasked. I wasn't offered a glass of water at any time. My mouth was so dry I started to sound like a drunk. My words were slurred and choppy. By the time I stumbled out of that room, I was barely lucid. Now, that was an interview blooper, all right.
When I look back on this incident, I wonder if it was all part of a test to see how much bad treatment a prospective employee would stand for. Because, you see, they hired me, and in the year I spent there they expected me to be a to be a real doormat and put up with all their demands, unquestioningly.
If I were to be in a similar situation today, I wouldn't let them away with it! I would speak up about their rude behavior and withdraw my application. That's my advice to you. If there's nothing positive about the interview circumstances, why pretend that everything is A- O K? Don't be a doormat!

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Common interview bloopers and how to avoid them?
We want to hear your view. Write now!