Navigating an interview process can feel like walking atightrope—especially when you find yourself connecting easily with oneinterviewer but struggling to build rapport with another. It’s common toexperience different dynamics with various people during interviews. You mighthit it off with a hiring manager but find yourself at odds with a panel memberor another team lead.

When this happens, it’s important to remain professional and maintain apositive attitude throughout the process. How you manage these differentinteractions can ultimately affect your candidacy and the impression you leavewith the hiring team.

Here’s how to handle interviews when the rapport varies betweeninterviewers.

1. Stay Professional, No Matter What

Whether you click with one interviewer or not, maintainingprofessionalism is essential. A great connection with one person should notlead to over-familiarity, and a lack of rapport with another should not causefrustration. Employers pay close attention to how candidates handleinterpersonal dynamics, and maintaining professionalism throughout willdemonstrate your maturity and adaptability.

How to do it:

• Stay even-tempered: If you feel a great connection     with one interviewer, keep your excitement in check to ensure you remain     focused and composed. Similarly, if you’re not hitting it off with another     person, keep a calm demeanor and don’t let it affect your overall performance.
• Avoid being too casual: Even if the conversation flows     smoothly with one interviewer, don’t let the interaction become too     casual. Stay on-topic and professional to ensure you’re still presenting     yourself as a serious candidate.

Why it matters: Your ability to remain professional, regardless of interpersonaldynamics, shows emotional intelligence and resilience—qualities that employershighly value.

2. Treat Every Interviewer Equally

When rapport varies between interviewers, it’s natural to feel more drawnto the person you connect with. However, it’s crucial to give equal attentionand respect to everyone you meet. One of the interviewers with whom you didn’thit it off could play a significant role in the final hiring decision.

How to do it:

• Give everyone your full     attention: Whether you’re in a one-on-one interview or a panel discussion,     address each person respectfully and engage with their questions, even if     you’re not connecting on a personal level.
• Avoid showing favoritism: Don’t direct your answers or     attention solely to the person you get along with. Ensure you’re spreading     your eye contact and attention to everyone in the room.

Why it matters: Treating each interviewer with equal respect and focus demonstrates thatyou’re a team player who values diverse perspectives, which is crucial forroles that require collaboration.

3. Adapt Your Communication Style

When you hit it off with one person but struggle with another, it couldbe due to differences in communication styles. Some interviewers might be moreformal, while others are more laid-back. Adapting your communication style tomatch the tone and preferences of each interviewer can help bridge any gaps inrapport.

How to do it:

• Mirror their communication style: If one interviewer is more     reserved or business-like, keep your answers concise and formal. On the     other hand, if another person is more conversational, feel free to engage     in a more relaxed, yet still professional, tone.
• Adjust your body language: If an interviewer seems serious     and composed, mirror their body language by maintaining a straight posture     and making strong eye contact. If another interviewer is more expressive,     feel free to nod, smile, and engage in a more animated conversation.

Why it matters: Flexibility in communication shows that you’re versatile and able towork with people who have different personalities or working styles, which iscritical in a collaborative workplace.

4. Acknowledge Differences, But Don’tOverreact

It’s normal to click with some people more than others, and you shouldn’tfeel discouraged if you don’t immediately connect with every interviewer. Insome cases, the differences in rapport might simply reflect varyingpersonalities or roles within the company.

How to do it:

• Don’t take it personally: If one person doesn’t seem as     warm or receptive, don’t let it shake your confidence. They may simply     have a different style or focus on more technical or business-related     matters.
• Stay composed: Avoid overanalyzing the     interaction during the interview. Focus on answering the questions     thoughtfully and don’t let your discomfort with one person affect the way     you engage with others.

Why it matters: Interviews can be stressful enough without adding unnecessary pressure.Accepting that different personalities are part of the process can help youstay calm and focused.

5. Find Common Ground with EveryInterviewer

If you feel like you’re not connecting with one of the interviewers, lookfor ways to build rapport by finding common ground. This could be related tothe job role, company culture, or shared professional interests.

How to do it:

• Tailor your answers to the     interviewer’s focus: If an interviewer seems less engaged, try to tailor your answers to     their specific area of expertise or role within the company. For example,     if they’re more technical, emphasize your skills and knowledge in that     area.
• Ask thoughtful questions: Show interest in their     perspective by asking questions about their role, team, or experience at     the company. This can help create a more balanced dialogue and give you a     chance to connect on a deeper level.

Why it matters: Actively trying to engage an interviewer who seems less receptive candemonstrate your initiative, curiosity, and ability to navigate complexinteractions.

6. Stay Positive and Avoid Complaining

If an interview didn’t go as smoothly as you’d hoped, resist thetemptation to dwell on it or mention it to others in the organization.Maintaining a positive attitude throughout the entire process is essential, ashiring teams often compare notes after interviews.

How to do it:

• Focus on the positive     interactions: After the interview, reflect on the parts of the conversation that     went well. This helps you maintain a positive outlook and avoid dwelling     on any negative or awkward moments.
• Keep a neutral tone: If asked how the interview went     by other interviewers or recruiters, avoid criticizing or pointing out any     discomfort you felt. Instead, focus on what you learned from the interview     process as a whole.

Why it matters: Staying positive throughout the process ensures you don’t undermine yourchances by allowing a negative interaction with one person to overshadow youroverall performance.

7. Evaluate the Overall Experience

At the end of the interview process, reflect on how you felt during thevarious interactions. If you found yourself clicking with only one person andfeeling disconnected from others, consider whether this reflects somethingabout the team’s dynamics or the company culture.

How to do it:

• Ask yourself if it’s a good fit: Were the differences in rapport     a reflection of diverse personalities within the company, or did it signal     potential challenges working within the team? Consider whether you’d feel     comfortable working with the people you didn’t immediately connect with.
• Trust your instincts: While you don’t need to be best     friends with your future colleagues, feeling a general sense of connection     and alignment with the team is important for long-term success and job     satisfaction.

Why it matters: Evaluating the overall fit helps you make an informed decision aboutwhether this is the right company for you, beyond the specific role you’reapplying for.

Conclusion

Interviews often involve meeting with multiple people, and it’s normal tohave varied experiences when interacting with different interviewers. The keyis to stay professional, adaptable, and focused throughout the process, evenwhen you hit it off with one person but not another. By treating eachinterviewer with equal respect, adjusting your communication style, and stayingpositive, you can navigate these different dynamics successfully.

Remember, no interview process is perfect, and connecting with everyperson isn’t always possible. What matters most is how you handle the situationwith professionalism and grace, ensuring that you leave a positive impressionacross the board.

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