Waiting for your interview to start can be more stress-inducing than the interview itself. You sit in the reception area or conference room reviewing everything you know about the company, your strengths and weaknesses, and potential salary requests. Unsure of how it will go, you also begin to think about another scenario – what happens if you have a stern interviewer?
Figuring Out Their Style
Before you make any snap judgments, give the interview some time to help you get to know the style of your interviewer. They might just be a very brisk, no-nonsense personality. They might not give a lot of non-verbal feedback, but that doesn’t mean they’re overtly negative.
If after some time you’ve determined the interviewer is stern bordering on rude, you have to figure out the best way to handle it. For your reputation, the best suggestion is to remain calm and cool. Answer all their questions without a hint of snark or aggression. When you leave, this will leave them without anything bad to say about you.
Speak Up When Necessary
If the rudeness moves from questions about your work experience to personal and unethical questions, you don’t have to stay and answer. You are within your rights to explain you came to discuss your qualifications on a personal level and aren’t comfortable discussing anything else. If you choose, you can even end the interview early.
Make a Decision
Once you make it through the interview, you have to decide if this is a position you would actually want. Figure out how closely you would be working with your interviewer and ask to speak with others in the department to learn about their greatest challenges. If management or a rude co-worker consistently comes up, it might be time to pass on the job. Looking back, you might decide the job was worth it, and the person’s temperament seemed worse because you were already stressed.
Make Your Job Search Less Stressful
At Workbox Staffing, we understand everything that can add anxiety to your job search. That’s why we partner with companies to deliver the top talent. We don’t just look for bodies – we make sure we’ve found the best. Join us today to start your dream career.
