to wonder if I have a black mark on my file after an interview

[Ceci03]

So, I did an interview a few weeks ago, for a job, different city, new place etc etc. I didnt get the job. Disappointing. The feedback I got said that I had all the qualifications on paper, and my application was very good, but that I let myself down in the interview, that I didnt sell myself. I knew it myself. I clammed up and got so nervous in the interview. So another job was advertised, same place, similar job spec, I applied, but just got an email saying they are not calling me for interview. Does anyone know, have I scuppered my chances for that place now. Will they just look at my file and not call me for interview cos I wasnt successful in a previous application? Feeling down hearted and disappointed :(

[MadisonMontgomery]

Yes I would think so.

[Ceci03]

I thought they would look at my application and decide on its merits. So fed up with myself for messing up the interview. I wish they would give me another chance - I can do it!

[ADayAlwaysHasToEnd]

I would say so. I know where I currently work they wouldn't consider you for a position for 6 month now. They say you wasn't successful last time so probably wouldn't be this time either and wouldn't want to waste your time. The 6 months would be for you to grow as a person and work on the feedback given

[ArsenicNLace]

In my experience if you fail an interview you can't apply for the same position again within six months of the interview? I suspect that's all it is.

I just think you reapplied too soon.ow you feel.

Better luck next time. I know how you feel. I have a bit of an interview phobia and seem to go to bits in interviews.

[Fiveredbricks]

Most wont let you reapply for the same company within 6-12months.

[PopGoesTheWeaz]

Why not call and ask. If anything, it would show just how interested you are in applying for a position at their company.

[JenniferJareau]

Yes it is likely. If you didn't interview well, they may see that as not being confident, something they need to carry out the role.

As a PP said, most places expect a 6 moth gap in applications for similar roles if you were unsuccessful first time.

[Ceci03]

OK. thanks. feeling so down. like I'm hitting my head against a brick wall. have failed 2 job interviews now. guess you have to just keep on keeping on. I'm actually overqualified for the jobs too - could do them in my sleep if only I could get a job. maybe I should try for something a bit higher than what I'm doing now.

[Betty777]

Try not to beat yourself up about it, we've all given crappy interviews before.

I wouldn't expect they would see you again for the same role though, not right now anyway. They didn't find anyone they liked enough in the last round clearly, and interviewing takes time. Why should they?

But never forget that even if you are hugely qualified and give a great interview it often doesn't work out - every hiring process has various factors, from who is already working there to the personality types of the team and importantly, the recruiter who's probably interviewing you - and not that much of it has to do with you. (I've had to do a lot of research into the hiring process in previous roles)

[SherlockSays]

Most places do not allow additional applications within 6 months of a failed 1st application/interview

[RhymingRabbit]

Its a bit shit though - a one off really weird, formal interview rarely shows people at their best. I know folk who have been doing a job incredibly successfully, exceeding targets, popular and efficient manager of staff, but got a bit flustered in an interview for their own job and was replaced by a total cockwomble who was shit at the job but really good at bumming himself up in interviews. We all know people who really shouldn't be doing their jobs but can talk a good game.


Take this opportunity to go and do a course on interview skills, assertiveness or something similar and ADD it to your cv/applications next time so that they can see you have taken on board your weakness and worked on it.

[MzHz]

Very often employers are wary of the over qualified- they think you won’t stay, they think you’ll be bored in minutes, insecure management think you’ll show them up...

I know it’s hard, but it’s only 2 interviews, it’s not a whole slew, so head up and keep going! You’ll get there!

[EhlanaOfElenia]

Do you know why you clammed up? It sounds like you could use some interview practice before you go to anymore interviews. You should get in touch with a job coach and set up some training for yourself.

[Ihaventgottimeforthis]

Why don't you get in touch with them OP and explain that?
If it was your social skills and personal engagement in the face-to-face that let you down, then a phone call or request for a meeting with HR could help that.
You can say what you said here - I understand that I didn't perform at my best in the interview and appreciate the feedback. I feel I can do much better and am very keen to work for your organisation, could I have an opportunity to demonstrate my skills & potential to you etc etc - it's always worth a shot! If you can do that well, then it might wipe the poor interview performance from the record. In my experience companies like people with a bit of gumption and who won't just give up.

[hedgeharris]

i read a stat somewhere that you need about 13 interviews to generate a job offer - you need to keep going. People often overthink bad job hunting experiences but you know what went wrong, write that company off for 6 months and get back to applying to other places. I get nervous - practice the interview more, it does help. You can ask for beta blockers from the GP if you are really nervous in performance situations.

[hedgeharris]

yeah I agree, those kind of interviews reward confidence rather than achievement - but life rewards the confident for the most part.

[DarlingNikita]

I'd call them and ask if it's policy that they won't allow another application within a certain time frame.

If the answer is yes, then you'll know. If it's no, then I'd say honestly that you know very well you let yourself down in the interview, you know you could do that job (as they said) and could do this one, and ask them if they might reconsider your application.

You've nothing to lose.

And pps saying a lot of companies won't let you apply for the same position again within x months –the OP doesn't say it's the same position, she says it's another job with a similar job spec.

[Enb76]

Can you get some interview practice in. I'm interviewing for a job next week so am going through all the most likely competence questions with STAR -

Situation: Describe the situation that you were in or the task that you needed to accomplish. You must describe a specific event or situation, not a generalized description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for the interviewer to understand. This situation can be from a previous job, from a volunteer experience, or any relevant event.
Task: What goal were you working toward?
Action: Describe the actions you took to address the situation with an appropriate amount of detail and keep the focus on YOU. What specific steps did you take and what was your particular contribution? Be careful that you don’t describe what the team or group did when talking about a project, but what you actually did. Use the word “I,” not “we” when describing actions.
Result: Describe the outcome of your actions and don’t be shy about taking credit for your behavior. What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? Make sure your answer contains multiple positive results.

Being good at interviews is learned!

[nickEcave]

I finally got a job offer recently after 6 interviews in 2 years. You have to keep going and try and learn from the interviews that go badly. My interviews were all for administrative jobs in higher education which use competency-based interviews and these are actually quite straightforward to prepare for but take a lot of time. Basically, you identify up to 15 competencies the employer is looking for which should be fairly obvious from the person spec. So things like: problem solving, working to deadlines, oral communication, team-working, dealing with difficult customers. You then need to provide a scenario for each competency, showing how you demonstrated that competency and what the results were. I used to always clam up in interviews but once I had loads of these scenarios worked out in my head (I revised them on flash-cards like I did for exams years ago) I was much more confident.

[Ceci03]

hi nickEcave I just sent you a pm tx

[JenniferJareau]

I've known people be dismissed as they interviewed well but couldn't follow through when they actually did the job.

[amusedbush]

I've had ten interviews in the last year and I've been the reserve candidate or top three or "appointable, but..." at all of them. It's so disheartening I've started looking outside of my current sector.

[amusedbush]

nickEcave

All of the interviews I've been to over the last year are in HE. I've been in the sector for seven years but for some reason I just can't crack the next pay grade.

It's so, so competitive and there just seems to be someone who pips me to the post every time.

[Nononononono33]

I’ve not come across the 6-month rule in my field, I interviewed once in July 2018 at a company and just missed out (apparently) and they told me I was welcome to reapply when another position came up. It did in October and I applied and was called back to interview. Unfortunately that was when I really fluffed it up. I won’t be applying there again simply to save myself from further embarrassment...

I am no longer counting how many failed interviews I have had in the past few years but it must be coming up to 20 now. Thankfully I am in a decent job at the moment but I can’t see myself moving any time soon.

[Enb76]

@amusedbush

All of the interviews I've been to over the last year are in HE.

Does where you work allow secondments, that's how I've jumped up the pay grades.