Job interviews can be an unnerving experience, especially when you are fresh and don’t have past employment experience.
According to the latest stats, job searching is the most difficult task for 73% of job seekers. More or less, it seems like an obvious finding, right?
But what if the applicants are highly qualified but lose their cool due to the hostile interviewer sitting in front of them? If you pass the stress test, finding your place at a new office becomes easier.
Moreover, one should try to give their best, regardless of the situation
Ten Super Ways To Handle A Hostile Interview
To deal with a hostile interview and save yourself from the recruiter, here are some expert opinions.
1. Breathe and take your time
As soon as you realize that the interviewer is bombarding abrasive comments and using an offensive approach towards you, try not to do the same. This is your chance to create a polite first impression.
You have to resist the urge to reply with aggravating replies and stay cool and composed. Rather than trying to match the interviewer’s pace, you should take a deep breath to collect yourself. If it doesn’t work for you, don’t hesitate from asking to take a quick restroom break.
Usually, interviewers are rude, and this is a popular way to assess the candidate’s reaction to the situation. So, this is where you need to be very calm because your interviewer might be evaluating if you can work under pressure or not.
2. Don’t react immediately
As already mentioned above, you should delay your response. I am saying this because you are already nervous, and you need some time to process things.
The anxiety urges you to respond instantly, but replying late is much better than replying with a wrong answer that pisses off the interviewer.
The simple solution is to think before you say something. Rushing through the conversation won’t benefit you in any way. Stick to your logic and understanding, and maintain a calm tone as you speak.
3. Don’t hesitate from asking questions
Without knowing all the details, don’t assume that you can provide a meaningful response.
The three most common questions a candidate should ask are:
- Can you tell me more about the teams working in my respective department (Team related question)
- Can you please define some traits that the candidate for this position should have? (position-related question)
- How would you describe the workplace culture? (Organization-related question).
This would be your chance to direct the questions back to the person interviewing you. You simply don’t need to refrain from asking for missing information. This would be your chance to ask for elaboration and get the full details that will help you proceed with your answer.
4. Get to know the interviewer
Lack of familiarity and information about the personality can sometimes put you in trouble. The best way is to ask some questions and gain some control back. How to do this?
There are a lot of questions that you can ask, but I have mentioned a couple of them that fits into a stressful interview:
- I would love to know a bit more about your career path. How did you start? (Personal question)
- How long have you been with this organization? (Job-related question)
If you succeed in getting the interviewer to talk about themselves, I bet you can easily slow down the pace of the interview.
5. Don’t take anything personally
There could be some legitimate reasons (i.e. work burden, relationship issues, personal matters) why an interviewer is behaving so harshly and not treating you the appropriate way. There’s a huge possibility that this approach is part of the hiring process.
For example, many salespeople have to deal with problematic customers, so they should know how to deal with stress.
Don’t take it to heart and stick to your objective while professionally answering every question they ask. Repeatedly remind yourself to act and behave like an experienced professional if the interviewer is not acting right.
6. Focus on your work and strengths
I personally believe that job interview anxiety makes us feel like unqualified failures. To combat this feeling: ask yourself, what are the top three reasons you deserve this job?
When you have a purpose, you can use it as a tool to encounter panic. Plus, focus on your strengths because this is what you should be conveying about yourself. Don’t focus on what the interviewer is thinking and assuming about you because you can’t be a performer and the audience at the same time.
So, always talk about your achievements (big and small) because this is your responsibility.
7. Tell a story to prove your point
Understand that you don’t need to provide the right answers in this interview. Instead, you need to engage yourself in a unique thought process and generate a response based on the needs of the situation. For instance, tell a past incident of how you politely refused your friend when he asked you to sell or buy personal statement.
In other words, you need to utilize your problem-solving skills here rather than trying to formulate the correct answer.
8. Appear confident and be optimistic
The more confident you look, the easier it will be for you to deal with any negative situation. Plus, interviewers aren’t grading you on your qualifications and experience.
They’re also grading you on your body language, which includes your posture, eye contact, hand movement, smile, and vocal inflection. A strong personal presence (in person or remotely) can play a huge role in developing your reputation.
For instance, crossing your arms mean that you are stressed and in your defense mode. Try to sit straight, maintain appropriate eye contact, and wear a smile throughout the interview.
You should be positive in terms of your answers. You can sometimes go for the counter questions as well. But do not forget to be polite.
9. Leave the table politely
If things get out of your hand or the interviewer crosses the line, tell the interviewer that you think you’re not a good fit for this position. The best thing you can do now is to exit the situation. If you have made it to the last moment of the interview, remain polite for a few more minutes and leave the room with full coolness.
Don’t forget to thank the interviewer for their time and opportunity. These are simple manners.
10. This is not the last job on earth
As per expert opinions, a hostile interview is, most of the time, a gimmick that managers employ to find the right candidate- one who can multitask and remain calm in stress.
However, if you passed the stressful interview and received an offer, follow your gut feeling because it never lies. If your intuitive abilities are telling you to reject this offer, then move on and find a better fit.
The interview also reflects the company’s culture, and there’s a possibility that the company operates this way all the time.
Don’t settle for less because you are qualified, and there are other jobs out there. If there are no jobs in the market, only then would it be understandable.
While Summing It Up…
A hostile interview isn’t a new thing for job seekers. If you can’t withstand the interview stress, then don’t blame yourself. A half-hour session isn’t enough to decide how you deal with stress and difficult people. The tip is to remain positive and unemotional during the interview. Take some deep breaths and showcase your strengths. I know you can do it. Best of luck!
