Just had an interview and feeling rubbish from it !

[Nottie54321]

Anyone else feel terrible at interviews? I have been out of work for 16 months and really wanted this job. It’s for a clinic administrator and I felt like they disliked me from the minute I walked in! :(

Interviews were back to back so I could hear the woman’s before mine and they were asking so many questions and seemed so chatty but seemed really ‘off’ during mine like they had no interest whatsoever. It was over within 20 minutes they barely asked any questions at all. Just come out feeling rubbish! They took someone in directly after mine too so must have lots of candidates.

Always feel like the ones I prepare for the most end up being a pile of sh*t.

Sorry rant over!

Sorry just need a rant to random strangers on mums et

Been out of work for 16 months due to maternity leave and having my baby (not out of work for no reason)

Yes! I feel like this quite often after interviews. Like they've already picked someone and you're just interview fodder. It's humiliating. My friends shrug and say, oh, that's interviews, don't take it to heart.

On the other hand, twice I've walked into interviews and they say, straight up, you've got the job. They decide before, for or against. The interview itself seems unnecessary! Ugh.

I had an interview like this on Monday. I felt he was really trying to catch me out with things. Haven't heard yet but I'm sure it will be a no. (If by some crazy chance I got the job I don't think I'd even want to work for him). It makes you feel so rubbish doesn't it. We'll just have to keep trying and something will work out

I think it's if your face fits a lot of the time. I went for a job recently that I was well over qualified for but really wanted. I didn't get it but they said there were a lot of applicants, that I was one of the stronger candidates but didn't sell myself. Then the same role came up a couple of weeks later but this time there were 2 roles, so I checked it was ok to apply again. Thought the interview went well although one of the panel gave me very little eye contact. This was someone whose patients I have gone above and beyond for over the past four years- I do understand could have autism of something possibly. There were around seven candidates this time so I thought the chances were good with two pots. No-one contacted me as they said they would and then two weeks later I have realised I was unsuccessful when I saw one of the posts re-advertised. I contacted the lead panel interview to be told I didn't get the job because they thought " I would over step the mark/ boundaries of the role " !! I was honestly mortified ! So much for taking onboard the feedback from the first interview to sell myself ! It has honestly made me feel so crap about myself. Anyway I have landed a role in a better band now so all is well but yes I am hating interviews.

@Doona

Yes! I feel like this quite often after interviews. Like they've already picked someone and you're just interview fodder. It's humiliating. My friends shrug and say, oh, that's interviews, don't take it to heart.

It is humiliating and hard not to take it to heart when you have put a lot of effort it. I have had about ten interviews over the past few weeks and feel like the stress of it is tipping me over the edge. Have been offered a decent position now so all is ok but so many rejections also is humiliating.

I have a wonderful colleague who is terrible at interviews! Shockingly bad - yet incredibly competent. Equally we all know people that interviewed so well but are frankly terrible. Interviews aren't always an accurate judge of what type of worker you'll be. It is a hurdle to get through tho

Sometimes they already have an internal candidate on temporary contract in mind for the post advertised , but they have to advertise for equal opps, and Sometimes they favour a candidate from application form sue to specific bit of experience or skill set. The thing is you won't know this when applying or at interview - as there's always someone better and someone worse ! so please don't take it personally . Your day will come when you are the best candidate, just keep applying.

You'll feel a bit better if you treat it like a fun exercise, as it'll make you relax and smile more during interview. Just keep going! Keep applying,

Interviews you can practice at, so do ask for some feedback if you don't get the job.

@Ikeptgoing

I have a wonderful colleague who is terrible at interviews! Shockingly bad - yet incredibly competent. Equally we all know people that interviewed so well but are frankly terrible. Interviews aren't always an accurate judge of what type of worker you'll be. It is a hurdle to get through tho

Sometimes they already have an internal candidate on temporary contract in mind for the post advertised , but they have to advertise for equal opps, and Sometimes they favour a candidate from application form sue to specific bit of experience or skill set. The thing is you won't know this when applying or at interview - as there's always someone better and someone worse ! so please don't take it personally . Your day will come when you are the best candidate, just keep applying.

You'll feel a bit better if you treat it like a fun exercise, as it'll make you relax and smile more during interview. Just keep going! Keep applying,

Interviews you can practice at, so do ask for some feedback if you don't get the job.

I have had a couple of interviews recently where they have asked for a presentation, interview and written test and whilst it is a lot of work I do feel it helps people like me who aren't great at interviews but are very knowledgeable and competent.

That sounds like a horrid experience but please don’t take it to heart. Interviews are as much for you to see if you like them as for them to see if you’re good for the role. Try to go into it with the perspective that you are also interviewing them, people who are so rude as to only give you 20 mins and a company that hasn’t developed a fair system where every candidate gets an equal chance, isn’t somewhere you would want to work anyway! So they have done you a massive favour by revealing their true nature right away.

Additionally, having just interviewed for a role, there are sooooo many different reasons people succeed - and often there are particular skill sets that the interviewer is looking for that weren’t really well defined in the JD. We rejected lots of wonderful candidates who would be brilliant in heaps of roles, just not the role they were applying for with us. I would never want a rejected candidate to feel that just because they weren’t the right person for this particular job at this time, that they weren’t brilliant for other roles!

Hold your head up high, you’ll find your match.

If you feel you lack interview skills then there are so many online resources to support CV writing and question answering!

Make sure you are preparing STAR answers that demonstrate you can do all the attributes on the JD.

No interview should make you feel like that. I do feel some organisations (Especially in the public sector) forget that it's a human with feelings who has a vested practical and emotional interest in the outcome. Not just a task to be completed.

I have been interviewing, both for my clients and me, for a gazillion years and calling people to say they weren't successful is still an upsetting part of the role. But one that needs doing swiftly and honestly and with some compassion. Even if you weren't successful you should be left with a positive feeling about the process if not the outcome.

@Phormiumjester

No interview should make you feel like that. I do feel some organisations (Especially in the public sector) forget that it's a human with feelings who has a vested practical and emotional interest in the outcome. Not just a task to be completed.

I have been interviewing, both for my clients and me, for a gazillion years and calling people to say they weren't successful is still an upsetting part of the role. But one that needs doing swiftly and honestly and with some compassion. Even if you weren't successful you should be left with a positive feeling about the process if not the outcome.

I have had some lovely feedback from some jobs, feedback which highlighted where I had done well and which answers were great. Others like the one I described above where they said they thought I would be overstepping the boundaries of the role as if they would have preferred me to dumb myself down are just frankly upsetting, especially as I couldn't actually think of any questions where this related to !

Im glad other PPs are being supportive too OP

I hope they tell you soon and give feedback. Nerves are a killer at interviews but they do get easier. I've been on interview panels and tried to encouraging especially when I can see someone is overwhelmed with nerves.

When I get a question I interview I rally get stuck on but know I know, I say that. I say

"I'm so nervous I can't think right now. That's an excellent question. I would read your policies, you'll have training I can request and sometimes it's best to spot what you don't know and to use your initiative and /or line management supervision as appropriate to find the answer out. I'm very quick to learn"

Thanks everyone for your responses. Had to rant earlier! It wasn’t the fact I felt it went ‘bad’ as such I just felt they didn’t really ask me anything or give me a chance to speak about much- it was a very rushed pointless interview just felt like a massive waste of time for something I was really looking forward to. Felt very confident going in too! I feel like they already had someone they must have liked a lot before meeting me. Definitely didn’t get it as they said they will let candidates know by tonight and haven’t heard (not shocked though as they can’t hire someone they know nothing about!)

@Doona yes that’s exactly how I felt ! Oh wow that would be great though no waiting for the call afterwards !

@beenaroundtheblox ah that is rubbish. At least you know you wouldn’t want to work for someone like him now anyway, I really can’t stand interviewers like that. I hope you find something soon! It’s a pain.

@Babyroobs that sounds a horrible stressful process and terrible they didn’t let you know. It’s so bad that company’s find that acceptable to leave people waiting without an answer especially if there was 7 of you in the last stage an email or phone call would take minutes. Glad you have found something now though no more job hunting (hate it!!)

@Allsort1 ah thank you for that message it was lovely and I’m sure your right! It does show what they must be like. Massive let down but onwards and upwards. I will take them points on board.

OMG I had an awful recent experience. I'm a teacher and it was for a job at a place I've worked before. And yet still I had a massive case of imposter syndrome! I spoke a load of old crap in the interview. And I knew I was talking shit but couldn't think of anything good to say.

My lesson was ok but I followed a woman who got a round of applause from the students so I sort of gave up tbh.

So annoyed with myself, I really wanted the job and I also really need a job but can't find anything else as perfect. I know I'm going to end up applying for loads I really don't want but have to as I need to get a permanent contract 😭