Really messed up in an interview.... wwyd?

[lifesabitchandthenyoudie]

Argh I've realised where I c*cked up to a question; feeling really fed up because I'd got the answer prepared but I didn't connect it with how they worded it and just rambled some waffle that I thought sounded ok - but now I know what they were looking for!

I really really want to email them with 'in response to your previous question, this is how I should have answered...' in a (vain) attempt to at least not look quite so dumb! And maybe rescue the situation?

What do you think? Please stop me from making an even bigger twit of myself!

I wouldn't. Best of luck, I have one tomorrow.

Honestly? I wouldn't. It might not have gone as bad as you think.

Honestly, why not? If you say it in a way that sounds confident... "I thought more about your question X and I wanted to add that..."

Just include it in your follow-up thank you email.

I've had a candidate do this and they got the job as a result

I would follow up in your thank you note and say that X question got you thinking and you wish you’d had chance to say Y. Keep it fairly brief.

It wouldn't hurt to try. Where I work we wouldnt be able to use the info to increase your score because only info given at interview can be counted towards your final score. However, if we were umming and ahhing about you skills in that area, or were stuck bw you and another candidate who'd scored equally then it might be enough to tio the balance.

I wouldn’t. You’re probably overthinking it.

It’s very frustrating but you probably should put it down to experience.

I always think well of candidates that email after an interview. But I would definitely word as it you are elaborating on your answer not admitting to a mistake.

Thank you guys!

I agree I'm overthinking, but then again I note that several who have interviewed people have suggested I do; I like the follow-up email idea, I think I'll draft one, sleep on it (and check this post in the morning) and maybe send it then...

I’ve done it and got the job. I just emailed my thanks the next morning, said that on reflection I was unhappy with one answer and should have mentioned and that had wanted to correct myself because had this been a work meeting and not an interview I would have followed up with a correction if my information was inaccurate. You have nothing to lose.

This happened to me. I’ve posted about it loads of times. I was interviewing for a local government administration job. One of the interviewing panel asked me some questions about me as a person, then another member of the panel asked me if there were any new skills I would like to acquire. Obviously in relation to the job. I was still in the ‘talking about me as a person’ mode and declared that I would like to learn to make balloon animals from balloons.

I will never forget the looks in their faces. And I didn’t get the job.

Hope you have better luck than me, OP .

If a candidate did that, I'd assume they went home and googled the answer.

I think everyone who has ever done an interview will feel this way about at least one question when they begin to process the information after they leave the interview. It's normal not to give your best answer and sometimes they are looking for you to give your honest answer rather than the one you learned off which is why it is not always obvious from the question they ask. I'd leave it and do something relaxing and wait and see.

@Jacaranda75 That's hilarious, I'm laughing out loud, you have made my day! I would totally want you on my team.
But in all honesty, a good interviewer should have prompted you by following up the question to ask about skills at work.

Definitely email. I had an interview for a job I really wanted but misheard a question. It was only afterwards when I was thinking back that realised my mistake. So I emailed them to explain and got the job!

Do not email them!!

You can recover from a bad interview, they mught hire you anyway.

But you can’t recover from them deciding you are weird for emailing over more answers long after the interview is over.

@Jacaranda75

This happened to me. I’ve posted about it loads of times. I was interviewing for a local government administration job. One of the interviewing panel asked me some questions about me as a person, then another member of the panel asked me if there were any new skills I would like to acquire. Obviously in relation to the job. I was still in the ‘talking about me as a person’ mode and declared that I would like to learn to make balloon animals from balloons.

I will never forget the looks in their faces. And I didn’t get the job.

Hope you have better luck than me, OP .

🤣🤣🤣

Balloon animals - I’m crying with laughter here. Thanks for that story, I’ve had a shitty day and that’s really cheered me up.

I’ve never come across this before and worked in recruitment for years. However, doesn’t mean don’t give it a go if that’s what you want to do. I’d make a call though because things can move fast and they may be ready to call another successful applicant. But when making your call, keep it light, say you aren’t happy with one of your responses would they let you give some more detail?
Sometimes you have to just accept that it’s not gone well, been there myself so I do have sympathy. It’s a learning curve and you can be sure you’ll get it right next time.

I think it depends really on how you felt the interview went overall. If you had a good rapport/discussion with the interviewers and you could couch it as you were elaborating on something you discussed, I'd do it: it shows you're intelligent and keen.

If overall you don't think it went well and then you send an email which sounds like you're apologising for a mistake it will probably only highlight the fact that the rest of the interview wasn't great.

@BlueLines81

Balloon animals - I’m crying with laughter here. Thanks for that story, I’ve had a shitty day and that’s really cheered me up.

Me too

Just writing "balloon animals" in the career aspiration box of my appraisal document...can't wait for my line manager to read it 🤣

I would like to learn to make balloon animals from balloons
That is magnificent - they should have hired you on the spot

I think it's a good idea to send a follow up note thanking for the interview, summarising why you have the right skill set and motivation, and offering the answer to the question but without implying that you might have messed up the answer at the interview, rather as a way to reiterate key points.

Ok well I don’t think it was as bad as balloon animals! Thanks for that

But it was similar; I just got waylaid thinking it was personal rather than professional skills they were asking about. Otherwise I felt it went well; and as some have said, what have I got to lose? I might gain a great job! I’ll see how it feels in the morning. Thank you all for your most excellent input, I know who to turn to when I need advice about bodies and stuff in the future!