Dealing With Interview Situations

Summary: Here is advice on how to deal with two common interview situations.

I don’t think my interview went well. What can I do to lessen that first impression of me–do I ask for another interview?

A: It is hard to lessen the impact of a first impression. It would be better to ask for a chat with the interviewer to understand what you did wrong and to ask for suggestions to help you in the future. This may turn into another opportunity, but is should initially come across as though you really want to improve on yourself and your interview skills.

I was late for an interview and didn’t know how to explain it. What should I have done?

A: It is hard to explain being late especially when most people have access to a phone. If you think you are going to be late, it is better to call in advance and say that you may be running 15 minutes late. That way, even if you are not, you have still given yourself an extra margin, which will be more understandable if you call in advance.