My meeting was a disaster!

(It's been a long time since I last wrote. Thanks to all of you who wrote in or spoke to me and mentioned that you would like me to continue posting. I am back, and I sure hope to be regular)


Twice, in the recent past, I have had candidates meeting with some senior executives from the hiring company and telling me that the interaction was a disaster.


And how could they tell?


There were the obvious clues :

• the chemistry was just not there
• it seemed like they had already made up their mind with someone else for the role
• the meeting was scheduled for an hour, but they wrapped it up well before that
• the company executive was focusing on gaps rather than trying to understand the things I have done

These are usually clear indicators that you are not making the cut for the role.

So what does one do when this happens?

Usually there's not much one can do. But there are some things you could.

• Chemistry, or the lack of it, is one of the primary reasons why company executives reject candidates. But they won't tell you that. Feedback shared, if any, will usually be about how they liked you but found someone who fit the bill better!
  But the thing about chemistry is that it is a 'two way street'. The onus on making the chemistry work, rests as much upon you, as it does on the interviewer.
  More often than not, our personal biases, insecurities and fears come into play.
  The key, I think, is to be aware of this; to acknowledge the importance of 'chemistry' and trying to mentally prepare yourself before the meeting so that you are in a positive frame of mind. I know its easier said than done!
• Be prepared : Preparation and professionalism shows, and it helps win over tough interviewers. Very often, the hiring manager/ interviewer gets turned off if they feel that the candidate is not well-prepared and doesn't seem to be serious about the opportunity or committed to the process.
• Ask for feedback! You could ask the consultant who positioned you as a candidate, or you could ask your contacts in the company. But be graceful about the feedback, even though you might be convinced that the company executive has got you all wrong and you haven't got a chance to defend yourself.
• Sometimes, the interviewer is only one among multiple individuals who are meeting you, and your meetings with all the other company executives go exceedingly well enough to counter the one bad interview you had.
• Give it time! Sometimes the company comes back for one more round of discussions.

The best way to look at this situation is that, if the chemistry didn't work out even during the courting stage, then you possibly wouldn't want to risk working with this manager! Maybe there is a better match for you out there somewhere.


Of the two people who spoke to me about their disastrous meetings, one heard back from the company, because all the other executives who had met him were very impressed with him and were keen to get him on board.