Needless to say, that interviews are daunting for one and all. However in any event you must try to put your best foot forward as well as have faith in your own abilities. No matter how bad your interviewer is you should not start second guessing your own abilities. Once you start second guessing your own ability you do nothing but feed your own insecurities. In the event of having a bad interviewer, here are some of the best ways in order to deal with this issue.
Tips for Handling a Bad Interviewer:
1. It is a test of your confidence:
Just because your interviewer comes across as a bad one, this might not actually be the case. This could just be a way for him to test you and to see how you react under pressure. Companies are always on the lookout for individuals who are able to handle pressure effectively. You need to remember this is a way to check your ability, so that is why you should make it a point that you hold your head up high and act in a confident manner so that you are able to blow the interviewers socks off!
2. Do not feel dominated:
Irrespective of whether your interviewer is a bad one or not, you should make it a point to ensure that you do not feel dominated at any point of time. No matter how things are progressing you should make it a point to not be suppressed. Holding your ground in the business world is very important indeed, as no matter how capable you are, chances are if you let people steam roll over you, they will and you will end up being left behind in the race.
3. Be truthful but not to the point of coming across as rude:
If you think that things are not going the way they should be, during the interview, then you should make it a point to speak you mind at all times, irrespective of what the consequences will be. You ought to make it a point to put forth your views in a clear, comprehensive as well as concise manner. If you find that the interviewer is not open and receptive to the things which you are saying, then one thing you should do is seriously reconsider about whether or not you want the job or not.
4. Look him straight in the eye and speak you heart out:
In the event of having a bad interview, you should make it a point to rise to the occasion accept the attitude of the interviewer as a challenge, rather than becoming demoralized at his behavior. If you have the qualifications, credentials, skills and ability to handle the job and you present yourself well during the interview, then the interviewer will have no reason but to give you the job. No matter what the external conditions are, you ought to do your little bit in order to get yourself noticed.
5. You ought to believe in yourself:
One of the most important things which you have to remember when facing a bad interviewer is that you must constantly have faith in yourself. This in fact is the most important thing that can help you to bag a job. Remember that just because an interviewer is a bad or unsatisfactory one, that does not imply that you will not find the job to your liking. It is of paramount importance to remember that if you do not have faith in yourself then how can you expect to convince the company to hire you.
6. If your interviewer is unprepared do not show irritation:
Sometimes it might just happen that your interviewer is unprepared and has not had the time to go through the resume which you have submitted. If this happens then you should make it a point to keep a calm disposition as if you show signs of irritation or anger then chances are that you will be creating a very bad and unprofessional impression. During an interview you ought to make it a point to be prepared for anything that comes your way and handle it with poise and grace.
7. If your interviewer is distracted, ask if it is a bad time:
If you notice that your interviewer is not giving you his undivided attention, then the polite thing to do would be to ask him or her if this is a good time or not. When distractions are constant and you find that they are making answering questions extremely tough for you, then you ought to say that you are willing to meet the interviewer at a later time. Interviews are tricky things so you must be constantly on guard as even the smallest mistake might cost you the job.
8. Do not indulge in any small talk:
Bad interviewers might try their best to divert your mind by indulging in small talk. If such a thing happens with you then you should try your best to steer the conversation towards the job. When you do something like this then you silently communicate to the interviewer that you mean business and that no matter what you always prefer to keep your focus on the task at hand rather than getting diverted towards things which are not important at all.
9. Dealing with an interviewer of few words:
In the event of having to deal with an interviewer who speaks very few words, in such a case what you ought to do is initiate a conversation on your own. You could begin by saying something like ‘Should I tell you about my experience in the field’ in addition to talking about the experience which you have, you can also talk about your qualifications and credentials. These are standardized questions during any interview so even if the interview isn’t putting forth these questions to you; you can talk about them on your own.
10. Do not accept defeat during the interview:
No matter how bad your interview is going, owing to the fact that your interviewer is bad, you should ensure that you never accept defeat at any cost. As long as you do your best and try your hardest, nothing will be able to stop you. Success is something that comes after those who try hard and have faith in themselves. If by chance you do not end up getting the job, then that does not matter at all, you should improve on yourself and chase after your dreams with greater fervour.
11. He or she is not your friend:
No matter how friendly your interviewer is acting towards you, should not decide to cross the line and think of him or her as a close friend. It is only a bad interviewer that will decide to talk about trivial issues rather than discussing company related issues. Just remember that during an interview everything about you is under scrutiny, whether it is your manner of speaking, your tone of voice, your level of confidence as well as your body language. So it would greatly benefit you to conduct yourself in a befitting way.
12. Show that you are a keen worker:
There is some truth in the common saying that actions are able to speak louder than your words, so even if your interviewer is a bad one, you should make it a point to somehow bring it to his or her notice that you are a very keen worker who is always willing to try your best at every project that is handed to you. If this aspect of your personality, displaying that you are a keen worker doesn’t shine through then you should not expect to be hearing from the company any time soon.
13. Do not let it affect your performance:
Last but not the least; if bagging the job is really important to you then you should not let even the smallest thing get in your way. No matter what hurdles might come before, you should be willing to face it head on. Chances are that your very first hurdle might come to you in the form of a bad interviewer so in any event it is up to you to show that there is no problem that is too much for you to handle. Remember that at the end of the day he or she is just a person and not a monster!
So these are some of the best ways in order to deal with a bad interviewer. So if you find yourself in such a position, then do not start to fret, try your best to keep your cool and answer the questions to the best of your ability. It is of paramount importance to keep the interview focused on the job, if not chances are that you might come across as being highly unprofessional. So no matter how bad your interviewer is you should make it a point to not let that get to you in any way.
