Perfection is an overrated concept. Even those who know it’s unattainable try for it when they interview. What’s the result? Nervousness. For example, fear you won’t be liked. Fear you’ll be asked a question but won’t know the answer. Fear that you won’t be asked back. Fear that you might, and they hire the other person instead.

Frequently fear stems from lack of preparation. It can also result from being too attached to the outcome. When you really want the job, but are afraid of not getting it, you try too hard and worry too much about pleasing the interviewer. Consequently, you lose touch with who you are and sabotage yourself, bringing about the opposite outcome from the one you consciously desired. A small incident can take on monumental proportions.

Even when you’ve done your homework, know what you’re looking for in your perfect job, and are fully grounded, things can go amok, scattering your composure. And though you’re not desperate to please, you’d still prefer that nothing untoward happens with which you have to deal.

If Murphy’s Law should rear its ugly head while you’re interviewing, here are a few scenarios and how to handle them.

• You’re in the middle of a sentence, and completely forget what you’re talking about – Don’t try to recoup by talking randomly in an attempt to get back on track. Trying to pretend it didn’t happen makes it more noticeable. Instead, break the awkwardness and throw a little lightness into the situation. Smile. Say, “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little nervous. I forgot what I was saying!” Interviewers forget what they’re saying too.

• You get that incessant tickle in your throat and cough every few words – The interviewer is bound to offer you a glass of water. Don’t be shy, proud, or embarrassed. Take it and say, “Thank you.” Then smile, pause, gather yourself. Continue where you left off. Interviewers cough too.

• You burp unexpectedly – Finesse is definitely the key in this one, along with your thought process. Look surprised and aghast; you probably are anyway. Gracefully say, “Excuse me. I’m a little embarrassed by that!” Smile graciously. Resist the urge to say anything about your lunch. Put it out of your mind, and continue with the interview. Interviewers may not always burp in an interview, but they burp. And at some point in their recent life, they, too, have burped at the wrong moment.

• Your cell phone rings – Don’t answer it. Don’t find it and turn it off. Say, “I’m sorry. I thought I’d turned that off before I got here.” Then ignore it and hope it doesn’t ring again. If it does, then turn it off. Better yet, make sure you turn it off before you arrive.

• You knock an item onto the floor and it breaks – A simple “I’m so sorry,” will suffice. Don’t tag on a line about how clumsy you are. When you begin to pick up the pieces, the interviewer should tell you not to bother. If you can replace it easily, like a coffee mug, do so. If it can be fixed, offer to take it to the best repair shop around. Otherwise send some flowers or a plant the next day with a brief, handwritten note of apology. Your thank you letter still counts, and it’s a separate document in a separate envelope.


Can you detect the common thread in these instances? Gracefulness. People tend to make a mistake and be mortified about it. They babble excuses, attempt to be funny, and then silently and mentally dwell on it for the remainder of the interview. And not coincidentally, they don’t get the job.

Interviewers aren’t perfect either. They’ve sneezed and not had a tissue, they’ve been fired, they’ve said the wrong thing at the wrong moment. Keep your composure. It’s not what you do, it’s how you handle it.