3 Last-Minute Interview Issues That'll Totally Throw You Off If You Are Not Prepared

By Michelle Wanjiku
When it comes to interviews, you are supposed to show up well prepared having done your research and ready to answer whatever question you are asked. However, sometimes not everything goes according to plan and something can happen that completely throws you off.
What are some of these things that can happen when you attend an interview that can throw you off and how do you handle this and ensure that this unexpected thing doesn’t ruin your chances of getting the job?
Here are some of the last minute issues that can come up
1. Interviews with more than one interviewer
Imagine walking into an interview room with one copy of your CV expecting to be interviewed by only one person only to find five people seated there waiting. You immediately become nervous which then means that you most likely won’t be at your best during the whole interview.
When you receive a call to attend an interview, you usually start preparing for an interview with one person. Unless you are informed earlier, very few people actually expect a panel interview.
Panel interviews can be scary because you have more people that you need to impress and they are all looking for different things in a candidate. Your challenge is to show them each of them that you are a great fit for the job.
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How to handle this
The first thing you need to do when you are invited for an interview is to print out multiple copies of your CV. It’s better for you to get there and find they already have their own copies than to be asked for copies and not have any.
Carrying a few copies will ensure that even if you encounter a panel interview you won’t stress out over having fewer copies. After all, even if you don’t get to use them in that particular interview, you could always use them in the next.
The next thing you need to do is ensure that you prepare yourself mentally for the possibility that you might find it is a panel interview and prepare accordingly to pass such an interview.
2. The Hard-To-Impress Interviewer
According to Cynthia Wangeci a recruitment manager at Corporate Staffing Services, sometimes an interviewer will hide the fact that they think you are a great fit for the role by asking tough questions and not showing how enthusiastic they are.
Even if they are impressed by you very few interviewers are willing to openly show it.
How to handle this
What you need to ensure is that you don’t let the lack of enthusiasm from the interviewer discourage you. Make sure that you don’t let the lack of enthusiasm keep you from giving your best answers.
3. The Time Mix-Up
Imagine arriving for your interview 30 minutes early, happy that you don’t have to worry about being late and appearing irresponsible or unreliable. Only for the receptionist to ask you why you are late and didn’t communicate. You thought your interview was at 11 am but it was supposed to be at 9 am.
There is so much information out there on what to do when you are late for an interview but there is very little information on what to do when you completely get the time for your interview wrong.
Your first reaction to such a scenario would probably be panic and then walking out because there is no way you still have a chance of getting the job.
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How to handle this
However, what you need to do is calmly apologize for the mix up; explain yourself and ask if the interviewer can reschedule to a time convenient to them.
You need to remember that the interviewer is also human and more often than not, they will understand and either reschedule or conduct the interview the same day.
Lastly,
Proper preparation for an interview you attend is important and you should always take your time to do some research beforehand. However, you should also be prepared to face some unexpected situations and ensure you handle them in a manner that doesn’t ruin your chances of getting the job.
If you are serious on passing your next job interview, then book a mock interview coaching session today.