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Screwed up my interview

13 replies

TheBlueRobin · 30/10/2025 16:21

Feel absolutely dejected.

Just come out of an internal interview, for a senior management role, for a maternity cover position. I don't sit in that team but know it really well. I just completely screwed it up. I felt that they were looking for certain answers from me and questions were worded in a clunky and unclear way, I kept having to ask for clarification and there were lots of follow up questions. I just felt I gave fluffy and unsubstantive answers and I'm so dejected as I worked and prepared so hard.

In my gut I knew I shouldn't have applied but the manager of that team persuaded me and I just thought oh okay then.

I had another internal senior interview in my team a few weeks ago (jobs are like buses) and I gave a really strong interview, really well worded answers, good examples and felt very collated. Unfortunately I didn't get that as the successful candidate had more strategic experience in another area. But they said it was extremely close.

I'm in a decent role now, but feel a bit bored and itchy. I manage a team and am seen as a strong performer. Unfortunately it's in a niche area so job opportunities are rare. I just feel a bit hopeless, if I can't get a senior job in my team or the team I work with a lot, what are my chances elsewhere? Honestly never felt so low and lacking in my own abilities.

Two unsuccesful interviews in a row has really knocked me back

OP posts:
ThemUnsYouseUns · 30/10/2025 22:29

Sorry, I have no advice, but I was in a very similar situation recently and am just sending solidarity. Still trying to process what went wrong and where to go from here.

JDM625 · 30/10/2025 22:49

I'm sorry you feel like that. Am I correct that you don't even know the outcome of today's interview? If the manager persuaded you to go for the role, they must think highly of you. You aren't hopeless OP!

I had a vaguely similar interview a few years ago. I was persuaded to go for it but dubious. I had to do a presentation and try to do slides (this was years ago). I had to keep asking them to repeat the question and I felt I did a dreadful interview. I got the job!

Let us know how you get on.

Cerezo · 31/10/2025 07:17

We’ve all been there OP, but for what it’s worth - you almost certainly didn’t do as badly as you thought you did and even if it’s not this job success will come.

It’s a million times better to be thought of as that person who is brilliant but shit at interviews than the person who is shit but can talk themselves into jobs.

Final tip - if you don’t get the job (I think your chances are good - you were asked to apply and they asked follow ups to try and elicit the boxes they need ticking, but anyway…) using “I dive bombed an interview and this is what I learned and how I acted on the feedback” is a solid answer to the competency questions about resilience in the next interview 👍

PiccadillyPurple · 31/10/2025 07:31

You might have done better than you think - it doesn't sound as though they were very skilled interviewers, so others candidates will have been in the same boat, having to deal with the clunky questioning style.

It doesn't sound as though the previous interview was unsuccessful - they chose someone on the basis of their stronger experience, not your interview performance letting you down.

If you don't get this role, you have to look at the interview as experience. If you find yourself again in a situation where questions aren't clearly worded, how will you handle it? What can you take from this experience that you would do differently? If questions are quite fluffy, it can be an opportunity to answer them with more leeway - if you go in with a list of strong examples in your head that you definitely want to present, use the unclear questions as a way of getting your examples in without having to tie them into specific, clear questions.

Ultimately you just have to keep trying. You say you're not desperate to move on from your current role, so you have plenty of time to find something else and the more roles you apply for, the more application/interview experience you have to fall back on, and it can help you clarify in your mind exactly what you want from your next career move.

Ahsheeit · 31/10/2025 10:42

If you don't get it, request a feedback session with one of the interviewers. After applying for the same role twice and being unsuccessful, I did this then aced the 3rd one. Have been in role for over 2 years now.

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 31/10/2025 10:59

You don't know the outcome yet. The company knows you and even if the interview went as badly as you think, it may not turn out as you think.

ClaredeBear · 31/10/2025 11:02

Internal interviews are the absolute worst. I’m sure you didn’t do as badly as you think - fingers crossed for you.

TheBlueRobin · 31/10/2025 17:36

Reader, I got offered the job!

Absolutely flabbergasted! My confidence and self esteem was so low after being rejected for two jobs in the last year and I really felt it was a bad interview.

I said 'Really?' when they told me. They said they liked that I considered my answers and thought before answering. Some responses could have been better developed but they could see I had a good understanding of the area.

So there we are. Large wine tonight!

OP posts:
Weirdest · 31/10/2025 17:37

Well done. This literally happened to me this time last week - had an interview and received the offer same day. I was saying to everyone how badly I did but the interviewer’s feedback didn’t echo that.

PiccadillyPurple · 01/11/2025 08:34

TheBlueRobin · 31/10/2025 17:36

Reader, I got offered the job!

Absolutely flabbergasted! My confidence and self esteem was so low after being rejected for two jobs in the last year and I really felt it was a bad interview.

I said 'Really?' when they told me. They said they liked that I considered my answers and thought before answering. Some responses could have been better developed but they could see I had a good understanding of the area.

So there we are. Large wine tonight!

Congratulations!Wine

JDM625 · 01/11/2025 09:57

Congrats OP, well done!

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 01/11/2025 14:42

Brilliant - congratulations!

ClaredeBear · 01/11/2025 19:28

That’s brilliant news - congratulations!!!

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