Summary

The author reflects on a job interview experience for a client manager and data analyst position, where despite feeling confident, they received feedback that they appeared disengaged and tired, leading to a realization of potential missteps during the interview.

Abstract

The author shares their personal experience of an unsuccessful job interview process for a role that aligns well with their skills. Despite having two successful phone interviews, the final interview via Zoom, which involved a system demo, did not go as well as expected. The author believed they demonstrated technical aptitude and interest by asking relevant questions. However, feedback from the interviewers indicated that they seemed unengaged and fatigued. This prompted the author to analyze what went wrong, identifying misunderstandings about the purpose of the demo, a possible mismatch between their introverted nature and the expected extroverted behavior, becoming too comfortable with the interviewers, and not adequately showcasing client management skills. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding the interviewer's goals, aligning with the job description, focusing on the interviewers, selling oneself, and dealing with the inherent subjectivity and randomness of the hiring process. Despite the setback, the author values the feedback received and encourages a positive outlook for future interviews.

Opinions

The author believes that each job interview is unique and that one can become myopic, missing cues from interviewers.
They suggest that debriefing and self-analysis are crucial after an interview, regardless of feedback from the interviewers.
The author reflects that they may have incorrectly assumed the focus of the system demo and should have clarified its purpose.
They acknowledge that their introverted nature might have been misinterpreted as disinterest, highlighting the challenge of fitting into roles that require extroverted behavior.
The author admits to becoming too comfortable during the interview, which may have led to a lack of focus on the interviewers and the sales aspect of the role.
They emphasize the importance of demonstrating how one would interact with clients, especially when client management is a significant part of the job.
The author points out that interviewers have preferences and that the best candidate does not always get the job, acknowledging the randomness in hiring.
They express frustration with the common lack of feedback in the job application process and the value of feedback when it is provided.
The author encourages self-credit for aspects of the interview that went well and maintains a positive attitude for future opportunities, suggesting that persistence will lead to a company recognizing one's value.

Bungling The Job Interview

And working your way to recovery

I’ve been out of work for about 485 days. I guess you could say looking for a job is my job. If there were a degree in job hunting, I would almost have my doctorate.

You would think I would be getting better at interviews, but a recent experience reminded me that each is different, and sometimes you become myopic. These are strangers, and you may miss their cues. Or they may not give them. That doesn’t stop them from making judgments, which is the point, after all.

It’s vital to debrief. If you get feedback, it certainly makes it simpler, but even if you don’t, go back and analyze yourself. You can learn a lot to use going forward.

It was my third interview with this company. I already had two phone interviews, both with company executives. They went well. This interview was to be a systems demo. The company sells a product that mines health claims data for large self-funded insurance plans.

The position I was interviewing for was part client manager and part data analyst. That combination is an excellent fit for my skill set and interests, so I was excited about the position.

The interview was over Zoom, as is common these days. It was a demo of their system. I thought it was to make sure I had the technical skills to use their system. I focused on what the person performing the demo was doing. It was a good system, quite intuitive.

I asked questions throughout the demo that I believed showed I was not only focusing, but thinking through ways it could offer value to clients. I was excited I had the technical aptitude necessary for the job and knew I could use the system well.

We ended the Zoom call, and I felt good about it. That is until I talked to my recruiter. The people who were interviewing me thought I wasn’t engaged enough. That I appeared tired. (I wasn’t.)

I had bungled the interview. How could my impression be so different than theirs?

As I have analyzed things, I believe I have figured out at least some of what went wrong.

I never asked them the purpose of the demo. I assumed the focus was whether I had the technical skills to operate the system and run the reports that would be part of my job. Maybe I was wrong? Possibly they just wanted my reaction much as a client would react when shown what the system could do. While I thought I had expressed my enthusiasm, I never focused on an analysis that encapsulated my thoughts from more of a sales perspective.
Though a strong introvert, I am often drawn to jobs that require extrovert behavior. When dealing with data, however, my mind is more in introvert mode. I suspect I appeared pre-occupied as I followed the demo, even though I asked questions throughout the time. I focused on the data, and my mind was already in overdrive of all that I could do for clients.
I was too comfortable. Their style was casual, and I had already had an interview with one of them, so I thought, “we’re all friends here.” They were evaluating me for a job. I should have paid more attention to them, watching for cues as to what they were looking for and finding opportunities to demonstrate I had all of the skills for the job.
Client management was a large part of the role, and I did not give them a picture of how I would interact with clients. Once again, I was too focused on the data.

When interviewing, there are several things to keep in mind.

Make sure you know the company and interviewer’s goal for each interview.
Keep in mind the job description. Make sure your behavior addresses all components of the job.
Don’t forget the people interviewing you. They must always be the focus. Don’t let any of them fade into the background. It’s especially easy to do this if one is quieter than the others. Often they have the loudest voice when the interview is over.
Remember, you are interviewing for a job. It’s up to you to sell them on you. You need to be operating on all cylinders.
Everyone brings their preferences to the table. They have an idea of the kind of person they would like to hire. You may not be the picture in their head.
There is always a component of randomness to any hiring process. The best person does not always get the job.
One thing you learn by actively watching job boards. Some pick wrong. In a short amount of time, the person they hired disappears from their website, and they have the job open again. One friend who got a job I had applied for lasted only three months there and told me “I saved you from a horrible situation,”

I was very disappointed I did not get this particular job, yet I am grateful I got feedback so I can use this experience to prepare me for other interviews.

One of my biggest frustrations in the job hunting process is the lack of feedback given. Usually, no one told me I did not get the job, let alone why. Even after I follow-up, there are no answers.

So when you do get feedback, don’t let it discourage you. Analyze it. Let it empower you for the next one.

If you don’t get feedback, analyze what you know. You were there.

Always give yourself credit for what you know you did well. Interviewing can be demoralizing, and that can impact your performance in future interviews if you let it. If nothing else, you showed up.

There will be future interviews, and not all end poorly. One day they will notice what you bring to the table and know you are the right person for the job. Isn’t that the kind of company you want to work for, anyway?