Mistakes happen all the time to every human, as humans we are also prone to forgiving people for these same mistakes. Everyone makes them, so they are better understood due to the commonality between the two parties. A mistake during an interview is another story, lots of times employers really try to hone in on people during interviews to see what they are like. Not only do they do that, but they also try to crack down and see if the person they are interviewing is confident. By doing this it not only shows that the person is reputable, but that they are also reliable and trust themselves when presented with relevant information.
Mistakes during an interview can possibly jeopardize the way an employer views one as a person. I do think that there are ways of remedying this issue, but the author of the passage does not really touch on effective ways to handle this. They just really just honed in on the thank you notes, and I do not think this is a bad idea. I would’ve appreciated some more info on the in person during the interview mistake remedy ideas.
I feel that in order to prevent mistakes, one of the best ideas is to prepare what is going to happen before hand. I really think that doing the due diligence is the best way to improve not only the strength and confidence one has going into the interview, but it also makes the person being interviewed look smarter and more trustworthy to the employer. One other way to really make up if one makes a mistake during an interview is to try and fix the situation, like the passage says, in the moment. Stalling and putting something off until later not only looks bad, but it gives a bad rap. The employer is going to have time to let the thoughts marinate and that will only make their opinion possibly become more negative. Address the issue within the moment and fix it there, it will get rid of future issues and make the problem solved.
Making up for mistakes during the interview is possible, but if it is just a small couple errors then it would not be a good idea to point them out because the interviewer may not have even noticed. I agree that due diligence is key to interview success. If you do not get to know the company or position before your interview it most likely won’t go well. Overall preparation is the best remedy for mistakes.
I agree that mistakes can be very intimidating when entering the interview process. Personally, in a thank you email, I would only address my major concerns and avoid talking about minor mistakes. For instance, if my graduation date was wrong or if I misspoke entirely I would want to take accountability for this. Ultimately, the best decision would be to prepare intensively for the interview and to be able to identify mistakes immediately. Do you think owning up to mistakes shows a company that you are reliable and trustworthy? I feel like this would show immense respect and accountability.
Whenever I made a mistake during my interview, I did not delve into it and just moved forward with the content I was speaking. In my follow-up email, I would acknowledge my mishaps that showed the recruiter my humility and willingness to get better being open about mistakes makes you stand out as you are teachable.
Mistakes are inevitable in our lives. Especially in high stress situations like job interviews. I agree with you that to remedy those mistakes in an interview are not talked about as often. It can be scary to think that you have to be perfect and mistakes are frowned upon. I do think too that preparing is the best way to avoid that and it does make them look smarter and confident. Have you ever had an experience where you messed up and were not sure how to fix the issue?