Long Awkard Pause

Have you ever been interviewed on the phone and have been asked a question that needs multiple answers, such as "Name two of your strengths and two of your weaknesses" and completely drew a blank for say a weakness and had a minute or two pause? Something similar to this happen to be me today but I was on break at work.

I returned a missed phone call hoping it was one of the jobs I applied for and it was... The HR lady basically said this "Hello name, Do you have a second to talk about the job you've applied for?", Not expecting interview questions I said sure. She asked a few questions about my resume and what the job would be like... then she landed some interview questions... which one I bascially froze and could not come up with an answer. After a minute I gave a half-ass answer and the short interview continued with some better questions/answers and a few laughs.

So I would like to know if anyone here has ever been "Called-Back" or offered a job after a mistake you made at an interview occurred. Because obviously pausing and completely drawing blanks is not a good thing.

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Comments

dynamik

Yea, those types of questions are pretty common. Nobody's perfect; I don't think anyone has had a flawless interview.

If you needed time to think, you should have some something along the lines of, "Please let me think about that for a moment," instead of just leaving them hanging.

Anonymouse

A few months ago I had a phone interview for the system admin for some company. I had a lot of pauses and didn't know how to answer a lot of questions. The guy seemed to not like me and also seemed to be mocking my knowledge. I ended up getting a call for an interview with his boss. His boss actually seemed to like me. I got a job offer months later and ended up turning it down because I was in the process of finding something to give me more hours.

jryantech

dynamik wrote:

Yea, those types of questions are pretty common. Nobody's perfect; I don't think anyone has had a flawless interview.

If you needed time to think, you should have some something along the lines of, "Please let me think about that for a moment," instead of just leaving them hanging.

I like this, "Please let me think about that for a moment"

I'm still a bit shook up and feel I failed. But I suppose it helps with future endures

SRTMCSE

jryantech wrote:

So I would like to know if anyone here has ever been "Called-Back" or offered a job after a mistake you made at an interview occurred. Because obviously pausing and completely drawing blanks is not a good thing.

I got my previous job after nearly passing out in the interview. It was a great job and I was so embarassingly nervous that I thought I was gonna puke, the director of IT asked me twice if I was okay, LOL. In hindsight I don't know what I was so nervous about, but it was only my second Network Admin position and I really wanted and needed the job (had a baby, just got engaged, etc)

blargoe

dynamik wrote:

"Please let me think about that for a moment," instead of just leaving them hanging.

That's what I've done. They usually respond positively to that. Pause, think, and answer is much more preferable to rambling, and they (normally) will understand.

darkerosxx

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

Yea, those types of questions are pretty common. Nobody's perfect; I don't think anyone has had a flawless interview.

If you needed time to think, you should have some something along the lines of, "Please let me think about that for a moment," instead of just leaving them hanging.

I like this, "Please let me think about that for a moment"

I'm still a bit shook up and feel I failed. But I suppose it helps with future endures

Don't feel like you're a failure. That's the point of the question...to catch you, surprise you, and see how you dig yourself out.

undomiel

Practice makes perfect. These HR interviewers basically all draw from the same pool of questions so you will likely see some form of the same questions over and over. Note them down. Do some google searches and note down other questions. Write up answers for them on a piece of paper. If you're on the phone then take a quick look at your notes. It is better if you memorize your answers though. That way you'll have them ready for the in person interview. Always try to make a story. Always try to wow. Even when they ask about your weaknesses turn it into a story of how you learned from them and are going to overcome them.

learningtofly22

I've also heard to use, "Can we come back to that question?" to give you time to think and keep the conversation rolling.

remyforbes777

The best advice I can give is always try to turn your weakness into a potential strength. Call on past experiences where you didn't know something but now you have a firm grasp on the technology. I would say that one of my weaknesses used to be..........but since then I have studied the technology and although its my weaker area I am gaining strength in it. Something along those lines.

bighusker

In my experience, most companies will be considerate enough to call you informally and then schedule an "official" phone interview. I don't think I've ever had a company call me out of the blue and ask a bunch of tough questions. With that said, if I suspect an incoming call to be an employer responding to my application, then I will generally just let the call hit my voicemail. I never want to be caught off-guard, and I'm usually at work any way.

As far as the bad interview is concerned, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I really **** up a few questions on a recent interview. My big sin was that I started ragging on an old boss in response to a question about previous bad experiences with supervisors. I am usually too savvy to fall into those traps, but I let my guard down after a long day of interviewing with 8 different people. I didn't even realize what I had said until I was thinking over the interview a few days later. Either it didn't come across as bad as I remembered, or I just got lucky....either way, I still got an offer. My point is that there's a good chance that your interviewer doesn't
remember your "akward pause" as much as you do. People have a tendency to really dwell on the bad aspects of their interview, even though it might not be that big of a deal to the interviewer.

Sie

As others have said I wouldnt worry too much, all of us get stuck for an answer ever so often.

I would recommend calling them back when you free though.

undomiel

bighusker wrote:

With that said, if I suspect an incoming call to be an employer responding to my application, then I will generally just let the call hit my voicemail. I never want to be caught off-guard, and I'm usually at work any way.

I'll second this tactic. I hate answering with the caller being in control and not I. Not to mention that I dislike talking on the phone anyhow. In person interviews are so much easier. It keeps my pacing under control.

I once took a call from a recruiter while at work by accident. I was expecting a call from the repair shop on my car. Boy was that awkward. All the more reason to let these things go to voicemail first. They will generally always leave a voicemail. If they don't that just means they'll call back again later. Then they'll leave that voicemail.