Distractions, Interruption, Tears Oh My! Horror Stories of the Job Interview
Job interviews are stressful. Period. Presenting yourself in total vulnerability to a perfect stranger while allowing said stranger to dissect your professional life may sound like a walk in the park compared to having to think on your feet while discussing "what would you do" work scenarios and contemplating your spirit animal. Now complicate this stress with the possible distractions that can interrupt your job interview and you may think the experience has turned into a personal “blooper reel!”
Job interview distractions can be broken down into three categories.
- Distractions you can control
- Distractions you can't control
- Please-never-me distractions
1. Distractions you can control.
These are the distractions that are accidentally caused by you and take the hiring manager's attention away from you and your purpose in being there. These include tripping or spilling the contents of your portfolio or handbag all over the floor. Tapping your pen, spilling your beverage and many others. The object here is to remain calm and composed. This is just one moment of the entire interview and is very recoverable.
Leslie Becker, a New Jersey based psychologist says that "acknowledging a problem in a matter-of-fact manner can be helpful. Then move on. You want to convey that you can accept human failings or mistakes but still feel confident in yourself." So simply say, "I'm sorry" (if applicable) then take charge of the moment and redirect the conversation back to the interviewer. Do not mention the incident again.
Another distraction that can be handled with a little foresight before you enter the interview room is the dreaded wardrobe malfunction. Hopefully your interview outfit will not fail you but with overcoats and large-strapped backpacks and handbags a random button may come unbuttoned presenting not only an embarrassing moment but a very large elephant in the room. If you see the interviewer hastily and nervously divert their eyes from the failed button area, just admit it came unfastened and button it back up. No giggles or smiling about it. Then again, exert your power and refocus back to the conversation without leaving a potentially awkward pause. How you handle this says a lot about you.
One wardrobe malfunction we won't discuss is the oh-so-embarrassing zipper being open. In this case, remember the aforementioned elephant? Better ask that elephant to have a seat next to you because no one in the room is going to mention it. Enough said.
2. Distractions you can't control.
Some distractions can come out of nowhere and you have no control over them. You do however have control over how you handle them. Building fire alarms go off and electricity fails. The interviewer may receive an emergency call or have to leave the room. Here is an interesting distraction-- I was told of one candidate who had just completed his interview and left. The next candidate came in and their interview began. A knock on the door revealed that the first candidate had returned with a dozen white roses and told the hiring manager that he wanted to be his friend! Awkward, right? Imagine how the candidate felt having his interview interrupted in such a strange manner.
Another distraction you can't control is if the hiring manager has an embarrassing moment. If this occurs, simply follow their lead. If they act as if nothing happened then you do the same. If they laugh or make a joke of it then you may too, but not too much. For this type of distraction you have to allow the hiring manager to guide you, be it to the fire escape or allowing their apology for extraneous distractions.
3. Please-not-me distractions.
These are the worst case scenario distractions that will unfortunately cause you to remember the interview for the rest of your life. Nerves are a fact when it comes to a job interview. People handle stress in various ways but for some it can become physical. A candidate may have a coughing fit. Not just a few coughs but the prolonged cough you dread getting in church where you can't catch your breath and tears stream down your reddened face. Nervous blinking may cause a contact lens to become dislodged. Some may have a gastrointestinal issue that may rear its ugly head at the most inopportune time.
There is nothing you can do in these instances but confidently apologize for the interruption and excuse yourself to handle the situation. When you return, be bold in your composure and regain control by refocusing the conversation back to where it was. Don't mention the incident again. Embarrassing yes, but your self-asserting confidence can save the day.
An interview has an ebb and flow to it. The interview conversation has a momentum that needs to be maintained in order to be productive for both parties. Distractions and interruptions take away from this momentum. So remember to always remain calm and composed at all times. This shows you are not easily flustered and can roll with the flow. When needed, redirect the conversation back to the hiring manager, always being persuasive while showcasing your talents, accomplishments and expounding upon your branding statement. You may not be in control of the interview but by asserting yourself, you are exhibiting that you can handle any situation.
You are not the first and will not be the last to have distractions interrupt an interview. It's all about how you handle them. Who knows, the distraction that you handle with overwhelming confidence and aplomb may well be a distraction previously experienced by the hiring manager and may create a bonding moment separating you from the other candidates.