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What I Learned From My Bad Job Interview

I learned a lot

By Erin MixonPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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Last week I had a job interview. And to say that it did not go well would be an understatement. I had applied for the job about 2 months ago. I had an initial interview about a week after I applied that I thought went pretty well.

It was actually a pretty laid-back, easy-going interview. At the time everything really worked in my favor. For some reason, technology would not cooperate that day, and the zoom link would not work. And the other party that would ordinarily assist in conducting the interviews was not available.

So all these factors came together to work in my favor. Things seemed to really go well and the interviewer made me feel very secure. He said he would be in touch and follow up the next week. But he definitely gave me the impression that he wanted to hire me.

But after a month’s time I had not heard from him. So I wrote it off as maybe I just wasn’t the right fit. Time to regroup and see what’s next. Then lo and behold about 5 weeks from the initial interview, he called me up out of the blue and says that he would like to interview me again.

In my mind I thought, great… better late than never. I’m not going to lie. Because my initial interview was so laid back, I figured this interview would be similar. And in the back of my mind, I actually thought I had it in the bag and that this was just a formality and that I would definitely be hired.

Well you know what they say about assumptions. This interview was nothing like the initial interview. It just so happens the zoom link was working this day ( just my luck).

And there was not one, not two, not three…but four people conducting this interview. (I know-my luck just keeps getting better). Well this environment was extremely intimidating to say the least.

I got tripped up on the third question…started stumbling, started stuttering, and stopped mid-sentence, shook my head and said, “I can’t do this.” Then I abruptly ended the interview by slamming my laptop down as I continued to scold myself.

“I can’t do this.”

“I can’t do this.”

“I can’t do this.”

“What a joke”

“I can’t believe I just did that.”

To my surprise and horror, the zoom call had not ended. They heard everything I was saying. Talk about embarrassing.

The interviewers were extremely nice and understanding. They tried to get me to regroup and continue. They even offered to do the interview at a later time. But I was too mortified and too embarrassed to put myself through that again. So, I kindly thanked them for their time and declined the offer.

Even though it was really hard to endure that experience, after I got over the initial embarrassment and disappointment, and had some time to reflect, I was able to come to some helpful conclusions about the experience.

What I Learned

1) Stay Ready

Because my pre-interview had been so lax and informal, I was so sure that this interview would be similar. Boy was I wrong, and the result of that assumption was a disaster. This assumption led to me not reviewing my notes and preparing myself properly. It is important to always be at your best, no matter what.

2) Don’t Be Too Extra

I really don’t necessarily think embellishing is a bad thing. It’s not like you’re lying or anything. I actually think making your experience and qualifications sound a little greater than they actually are can be good. Just make sure you are actually qualified for the job. In hindsight, I wasn’t really qualified for the job.

3) Th Heart Wants What It Wants

But when it was all said and done, the most important lesson that I learned is to follow my heart. If I’m being honest, I didn’t really want the job anyway. Even as I went through the motions of applying for this job and other jobs, there was a nudging in my spirit telling me that this was not really what I wanted to do.

But I overrode the voice in pursuit of what was sensible and practical. And while getting the job would have been great, I would rather remain uncomfortable a little while longer to hold out for something in line with what I truly want and what my heart truly desires.

If you’ve recently had a terrible interview or some other mishap, just remember you can regroup and begin again. Learn from what didn’t go well and do better going forward.

And remember, always be prepared, don’t over amplify your qualifications, and follow your heart.

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About the Creator

Erin Mixon

I am a blogger and inspirational writer.

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