Overcoming tough interviews

There are plenty of things that can go wrong in an interview. The good news is that there are tips and tricks that you can use to overcome a tough interview situation, and we’ve put together just a few to look at.

The awkward answer

The interviewer asks you a question and you fumble through it, or you say something not quite right. If you find yourself in this situation, you’re doing well to realise it in the heat of the moment. There’s not much you can do AFTER the interview. So if you can catch yourself partway through an awkward answer or you say something you feel is not quite right, you have an opportunity to correct it, but the time frame is short. Take a deep breath, and rephrase your answer. You can actually say, “I don’t feel I communicated that as best I could, would you mind if I answered that question again?” Be cool, calm and take your time and don’t shrug or laugh it off. Be sure you say what you want to say the second time around, because you won’t get the opportunity again. The interviewer might even make a note of your dedication to getting it right.

Feeling written off

If the interviewer starts to lose concentration you might feel like they’ve written you off. It’s up to you to re-engage them if you want to be considered for the position. Ask questions, make them feel important by asking about how they feel about their position and the company. Your interviewer will be forced to focus back on you and the interview at hand.

You’re over-qualified

If you’ve been looking for work for a while, you might consider taking a step back to get work. If you were made redundant from a Parts Manager role, you might apply for Parts Interpreter roles, especially if finances are tough. This can be tricky to overcome in an interview, and you may be deemed as over-qualified. In this instance, if you want the job you need to make it very clear to the interviewer. Focus on what you can bring to the role from your Parts Manager experience and paint those skills in a positive light.

In all of these situations, it’s up to the candidate to make the most of the interview. Use the opportunity to sell yourself and be prepared for those awkward situations that can happen so easily in a high intensity situation such as an interview.

Share this blog

Create an email alert

Have alerts sent straight to your inbox and never miss out on an opportunity.

By subscribing you agree to AUTOrecruits Privacy terms.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.