How to handle a weird interview

What happens when an interview goes south? We can all lose confidence in the face of a condescending interviewer in spite of our great resumes, well-written cover letters, and cute shoes. Here are a few ways to recover.

Cover your bases beforehand 

I was in an interview where my interviewer gave me his laptop and asked me to pull up my Facebook page. Before your interview, go through Facebook’s privacy settings: If you think your photos would be best suited for your college friends’ eyes only, change the settings.

Don’t get flustered

If your interviewer seems condescending or facetious, try not to get flustered. More often than not, he was in a bad mood before you even came in. Keep this in mind as you try to survive the rest of the interview. If you are asked a question that you don’t know the answer to, remind yourself of how hard you studied up on the company and don’t be too hard on yourself. If the interview is filled with long, awkward silences, maintain open, relaxed body language and keep a smile on your face. Answer the questions and offer additional information when it’s useful and relevant. Don’t concern yourself with figuring out what you are doing wrong. You might not get the job, but based on the interviewer, maybe you don’t want it.

Reach Out

As soon as you leave the office (and you’re down the block!) call your mom, best friend, roommate, whomever! Tell them the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sometimes all it takes for us to feel better is to have someone say, “Wow. That’s so weird. That has never happened to me before.” Get it off your chest, and then don’t stress. As long as you feel confident that you were adequately prepared, you have nothing to worry about. On to the next!

By Helen Lee