5 Tips to Make the Most of a Bad Interview

If you have ever suffered through a bad interview for a job, you can take some comfort in the knowledge that you are not alone. Just about every applicant has had an interview that, for whatever reason, didn't go as well as it could have. Sometimes the fault rests squarely with the applicant, but other times it is out of his or her hands. Use these job interview tips to recover from a bad interview.

Take comfort in the knowledge that a bad interview is not always the candidate's fault. Many times, the interviewers themselves may be inexperienced or simply not have had the training to conduct a successful interview. In these cases, it is up to the candidate to try to salvage the interview and gently but firmly get it back on track.

One of the most important job interview tips, and one that applies to both good and bad interviews, is to be prepared with specific examples that illustrate your skills and competencies as an employee. In a bad interview, you may find yourself peppered with generic questions that invite forgettable answers, but don't fall into the trap of giving equally generic replies. Look for opportunities to insert an anecdote from a previous job or give a specific example of a time you demonstrated an important skill even if the interviewer does not ask you for one. Remember, with the exception of the question and answer period at the end of the interview, you should be doing the majority of the talking during the interview, not the person doing the hiring.

While generic questions are a common pitfall of a bad interview, you may also find yourself on the receiving end of riddles or seemingly-irrelevant questions. These types of questions were in vogue in the tech sector some years back and have since spread to many other industries. If you find yourself confronted with a question about how many manholes are in Manhattan or how many times the traffic light on the corner changes from red to green each day, don't despair. Just do your best to play along with the question and use logic to come up with the best answer you can. Even if you're way off base, hiring managers use questions like these to get an idea of how you think, not to make sure you know the correct answer off the top of your head. While many recruiters agree that questions like these are hallmarks of a bad interview, just consider them another opportunity to reiterate why you're perfect for the position.

Applicants who are nervous about potentially bad interviews can take some comfort in the fact that they are not always at fault when things go south. However, it's important to know how to salvage a bad interview from an inexperienced interviewer. Don't hesitate to assert yourself and steer the conversation in a direction that is more beneficial for you as a candidate.

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