Interview failure... Any tips?

ivytwine

I'm not a happy panda today. Had an interview for a job abroad and thought it went really well, only to get a standard rejection today. The recruiter says they can't say why I didn't get it.

Also, they had problems pronouncing my name (an Irish one)- would that have counted against me?

But this is my second recent interview where I thought I did really well and thought I clicked with the interviewer only not to get it?

Am I being paranoid, is it just a case there's other people better suited, or is it something I'm doing wrong?

Anyone any tips on interviews or what employers really want to hear?

tbh

ivytwine wrote: »

I'm not a happy panda today. Had an interview for a job abroad and thought it went really well, only to get a standard rejection today. The recruiter says they can't say why I didn't get it.

Also, they had problems pronouncing my name (an Irish one)- would that have counted against me?

But this is my second recent interview where I thought I did really well and thought I clicked with the interviewer only not to get it?

Am I being paranoid, is it just a case there's other people better suited, or is it something I'm doing wrong?

Anyone any tips on interviews or what employers really want to hear?

well it's very difficult to offer any advice without knowing any details so I'll stick to generic advice. I doubt your name caused any problems tbh, and it's hard to say why you didn't get the job. I interviewed with a company over christmas, first interview went really well, second interview even better, and they were talking about flying me out to the US for a third interview, then after christmas ..."we've decided we're not a match". I was gutted! but had another interview shortly afterwards and got that one, so keep plugging away.

Main piece of advice is try not to guess what the interviewer wants you to say - just be yourself, for two reasons:
1. It's easy to spot a fake. If I'm interviewing someone and I think they are trying to bluff, I'll always always always call them on it, even if it's something minor. IF someone has no experience in a field, that's fine, but if they try to pretend they do, that's disrespectful to me as the interviewer, and I'll make sure to probe deeply to let them know that I'm not a fool.

2. An interview is there to judge suitability, both for them and for you. Even if you manage to successfully bluff your way through the interview, if you aren't the right fit for the job it becomes apparent very quickly and it's very stressful for you.

keep doing what you're doing and just be yourself - you'll get your break.

getz

ivytwine wrote: »

I'm not a happy panda today. Had an interview for a job abroad and thought it went really well, only to get a standard rejection today. The recruiter says they can't say why I didn't get it.

Also, they had problems pronouncing my name (an Irish one)- would that have counted against me?

But this is my second recent interview where I thought I did really well and thought I clicked with the interviewer only not to get it?

Am I being paranoid, is it just a case there's other people better suited, or is it something I'm doing wrong?

Anyone any tips on interviews or what employers really want to hear?

I was talking to a professor from Manchester university a few years ago about being interviewed for jobs,the one thing that stuck in my mind was that he said: forget the interview criteria,they have by now heard it all,and go for the .I really need this job ,:it did work for me,as I ended up with a job over people who were better qualified .

Frank Black

You should ask the companies for feedback on areas they felt could do with improvement from your interview - this is different from telling you why you didn't get the job.
Explain that you are not looking to challange their decision, but meerly looking at areas you can focus improvment on for your next series of interviews.
Most companies would be willing to do this.

BGozIE

ivytwine wrote: »

I'm not a happy panda today. Had an interview for a job abroad and thought it went really well, only to get a standard rejection today. The recruiter says they can't say why I didn't get it.

Also, they had problems pronouncing my name (an Irish one)- would that have counted against me?

But this is my second recent interview where I thought I did really well and thought I clicked with the interviewer only not to get it?

Am I being paranoid, is it just a case there's other people better suited, or is it something I'm doing wrong?

Anyone any tips on interviews or what employers really want to hear?

You should ask for feedback from any failed interviews.

Just as a general note, you say the recruiter couldn't tell you why you didn't get it, that's a bad recruiter/recruitment agency. It is in there interest to know what the employer wants, and very specific reasons why you didn't get the job, or what you didn't do well/didn't have that they needed - only so they know what the next person needs to do.

Tbh OP, I've come out of interviews feeling like a million bucks, thinking I nailed it, only to be rejected. And on jobs I've gotten, I really wasn't sure how it went and I second guess myself coming out of the interview - only to get the job offer?

So don't worry too much, all you can do is try find out what you fell down on. Then pick yourself up and keep going. You will get there!

witchgirl26

I think the comments above are all very good. I went through the interview process this time last year & one week had 6 interviews & didn't get one. That will make you start questioning things but the feedback I got (definately ask for the feedback in relation to interviews as most places are happy to help) was that my interviews were good but there was just someone who was more qualified/had more experience in that particular field.

The recruiter should be able to tell you why you didn't get the job & if they aren't, then maybe try a different recruiter? I had 4 working for me at one point as well as self-searching.

I doubt very much that your name had anything to do with it, as with the level of immigration in this country, a difficult to pronounce (from paper) name is no excuse. You just ask the person how they pronounce it & copy that. I had to do it for an interviewer but felt they appreciated that.

Interviewers want to hear you, not some drabble that your recruiter has trained you to speil out, just you. What you think and you're experience. If you smile naturally, do that & don't try to be over serious. Engage with the interviewer. It doesn't always mean you'll get the job but at least if you do or don't, it won't have been a false representation of yourself. Good luck!

ShaShaBear

My OH went for an interview yesterday, and somehow during the questioning it rolled around to why he thought he was still unemployed despite job-searching for the past 6 months. My OH said he honestly didn't know, he was underqualified for some positions, and overqualified for others and that he had finally decided that the company must be looking for something they were not willing to disclose in the advert, lest everyone claim to have "it". They then went on to ask him why he felt he would be more suited for the job than the two candidates that went before him (my OH could hear their interviews from sitting outside the room and knew neither of them were experienced). He told them that our wedding is booked for November next year, we are already behind on payments and that we were hoping to start a family due to my impending health conditions, but financially we could not. He went on to say "You might have ten people more qualified than me, but I guarantee you that you won't find anyone more willing to work".
After that, they asked him about whether he would be willing to receive training (which OH said the other two applicants were not asked) and he was also asked would he have any issue with doing a particular job in addition to the work he applied to do (again which the others were not asked). He honestly told them he would sweep floors at this stage, but being given a chance to do what he enjoys is simply a bonus.

We're waiting to hear back, but I agree at this stage that there is absolutely no shame in admitting to an interviewer that you are in desperate need.

ivytwine

Hey everyone thanks for the reply. Met up with some pals for tea and feel a lot less miserable.

I think I should clarify what was said in the email. Basically they said due to the volume of candidates they couldn't give individual feedback on why anyone failed. It's a private school in Asia, I wanted to go teaching. It's a bit annoying as I had to go up to Dublin for it, stay overnight etc.

Getz and shashabear, what you both said about wanting the job and expressing that to the interviewer struck me. I'm a fairly laid back person, I mean I do work hard, very hard, but nothing really bothers me much on the surface at least. Maybe that comes across and gives a wrong impression that I'm not enthusiastic enough?

I'm not used to it as up until last year I passed any interview I'd taken!

Shashabear, hope your partner gets the job!

ShaShaBear

ivytwine wrote: »

Hey everyone thanks for the reply. Met up with some pals for tea and feel a lot less miserable.

I think I should clarify what was said in the email. Basically they said due to the volume of candidates they couldn't give individual feedback on why anyone failed. It's a private school in Asia, I wanted to go teaching. It's a bit annoying as I had to go up to Dublin for it, stay overnight etc.

Getz and shashabear, what you both said about wanting the job and expressing that to the interviewer struck me. I'm a fairly laid back person, I mean I do work hard, very hard, but nothing really bothers me much on the surface at least. Maybe that comes across and gives a wrong impression that I'm not enthusiastic enough?

I'm not used to it as up until last year I passed any interview I'd taken!

Shashabear, hope your partner gets the job!

I would always have assumed that confidence and a positive attitude in an interview was key, but with the economy the way it is, there is huge competition for jobs - the highly qualified are struggling just as much as others. If you, or I, or anyone can appeal to an employer's sense of charity and goodwill, what's wrong with letting them know that, not only can you do the job well, but your home life depends on you doing it well.

I can't imagine there's a harder worker than a man with a baby on the way, or mouths to feed.
I know if I were interviewing, and both applicants had equal qualifications and experience, but one had two kids and one on the way, I would want to help the poor man out. My mindset would be that the other confident and experienced guy with no family responsibilities will have no problem finding a job, and isn't relying on it as much as this other guy.
Mind you, that's just my way of thinking :rolleyes: