You can recover from a bad interview, or 20 of them, if you go at it right.
Every job seeker has a bad interview occasionally. Often you will have a great interview and NOT get the job. Your resume may be perfect for a lot of jobs, but you get no call backs.
Here is how a football coach handles a problem like that.
At halftime the team is down by 20 points. In the locker room the coach says: “Yes, we got beat in that game we just played. Now we are going to play a new game. It’s time for payback. A new game starts when you step out on that field. You’ve got to adjust the score in your mind. It is 0 to 0 now. It’s a new game. Let’s go out and give that other team the beating of their lifetime. We owe it to them.”
Remember, every time you apply for a job, it is a new game. The person seeing your resume doesn’t know or care that the last 74 people who saw it didn’t even acknowledge getting it. The person calling you on the phone can’t tell that you’ve only had 3 callbacks and not one in-person interview.
Get coaching to improve your resume, phone interview and in-person interview skills. Find out what works. If you need a certification so that your resume stands out, get it. If you get phone interviews, but no in-person interviews, find out why. Give some of those interviewers a call back and ask for their help. Half of them will give it to you.
A good many young writers make the mistake of enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope, big enough for the manuscript to come back in. This is too much of a temptation to the editor. (Lardner)
Go out and actively look for successful people to coach you. Asking a person for help can be a form of networking. The secret is to ask for help with one particular thing. Ask for help making the first job listed on your resume more attractive. Pick a small part of the job application process and ask for help. It lets the person know you are trainable, eager and looking for a job.
There are cycles people go through when they are unemployed or looking for a new job. The important thing is to accept that you will lose more often than you win. If you approach each resume submission, phone interview and in-person interview as a fresh start, a new game, you’ll quickly become the winner.
Something To Do Today
Your attitude can be adjusted. Engage your mind. Lift your spirits. Listen to books, music and shows that get your spirit soaring while you drive or exercise. Start fresh for every job application.
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Later: Feel the fear, and¼.
Signs you will be laid off or fired
Creating reality – what to do with those dreams
One hour interview prep
References
You can’t rollerskate in a buffalo herd