You’ve prepared, rehearsed, and walked into the interview withconfidence. But midway through, you start to feel a shift. Maybe theinterviewer’s body language has changed, or the conversation isn’t flowing assmoothly as you’d hoped. The job you were excited about seems to be slippingout of your grasp. It’s a disheartening feeling, but the good news is that notall is lost. You can turn things around and salvage a seemingly shakyinterview.

Here’s how to regain control, shift the dynamic, and leave the interviewwith your best foot forward—even if it feels like things aren't going great.

1. Stay Calm and Don’t Panic

The first and most important step when you sense the interview isn’tgoing well is to remain calm. It’s easy to get rattled, but panicking will onlyexacerbate the situation and may affect your ability to think clearly.Interviews are high-pressure situations, but the key to navigating themsuccessfully is to stay composed and collected.

How to do it:

• Take a breath. When you notice things taking a     turn, take a deep breath. This helps reset your focus and calms your     nerves, allowing you to regain clarity.
• Don’t assume the worst. Just because you’re feeling     unsure doesn’t necessarily mean the interviewer feels the same way.     Sometimes what we perceive as a negative reaction is simply a neutral or     distracted one.
• Shift your mindset. Instead of thinking, “This is     going badly,” shift to “I still have time to make an impact.” A positive     mindset can change the course of the conversation.

2. Acknowledge the Misstep (IfNecessary)

If there was a specific moment where you think you went off track—whetherit was an answer that missed the mark or a question that stumped you—it’s okayto acknowledge it and course-correct. Admitting when something didn’t land wellshows self-awareness and professionalism.

How to do it:

• Reframe your answer. If you realize after finishing     an answer that it wasn’t as strong as it could have been, you can politely     revisit it. For example, “I’d like to clarify something I mentioned     earlier—what I meant to emphasize was…”
• Ask for a moment to rethink. If you’ve been asked a difficult     question and feel like you’ve stumbled, you can say, “That’s a great     question. I’d like a moment to think through my answer,” which shows that     you value giving a thoughtful response rather than rushing through.

By acknowledging a misstep calmly and confidently, you can often steerthe conversation back in the right direction.

3. Refocus the Conversation

If you feel like the interview is getting off track or heading in thewrong direction, take the opportunity to steer the conversation toward yourstrengths. By subtly shifting the focus to your key skills and accomplishments,you can bring the interviewer’s attention back to what makes you a great fitfor the role.

How to do it:

• Highlight relevant achievements. If the interview feels stuck in     a negative loop or unclear territory, bring up a specific accomplishment     that aligns with the job. For example, “I’d love to share a project I     worked on that I believe is highly relevant to this role…”
• Ask insightful questions. If the interviewer seems     disengaged or uninterested, try to re-engage them by asking thoughtful,     job-specific questions. “Could you tell me more about how success is     measured in this role?” This can reinvigorate the conversation and show     that you’re truly invested.

4. Engage the Interviewer

Sometimes the interview dynamic changes because the interviewer hasbecome disengaged or the conversation has hit a lull. In these situations,re-engaging the interviewer is key to turning things around. Asking meaningfulquestions or prompting a deeper discussion can help reset the tone.

How to do it:

• Shift focus to their perspective. Engage the interviewer by asking     about their experience or the company’s challenges. “What do you enjoy     most about working here?” or “What are some of the key challenges you’re     hoping this role will help address?” This can energize the conversation     and give you insight into their expectations.
• Ask for clarification. If a question seemed unclear or     ambiguous, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. For example, “Could     you expand on what you’re looking for in that area?” or “Can you provide     an example of what success looks like in that scenario?”

Engaging the interviewer this way allows for more dialogue and gives youa chance to align your responses with their expectations.

5. Showcase Adaptability andPositivity

When things don’t go as planned, showing that you can adapt and maintaina positive attitude is key. Employers value candidates who can stay resilientin the face of challenges, and how you handle a tough interview could say a lotabout how you’ll handle difficulties on the job.

How to do it:

• Acknowledge challenges openly. If you feel comfortable, you can     use the opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness. For example, “I realize     I haven’t had the chance to showcase my experience in [area], but I’d like     to touch on that because it’s a key strength of mine.”
• Stay upbeat. Even if you feel like you’re     losing ground, remain enthusiastic about the role and the company.     Positivity can help reset the tone of the conversation and leave a better     lasting impression. Smile, keep your tone friendly, and show interest     throughout.

6. Bring It Back to Your Key Strengths

When the conversation seems to be going off course, one of the mosteffective ways to turn it around is to refocus on your strengths. Ensure thatby the end of the interview, you’ve clearly communicated why you’re the bestfit for the role.

How to do it:

• Reiterate your top skills. If things are feeling off, find     a way to work your most relevant skills into the conversation. “Before we     wrap up, I’d like to emphasize that my experience in [key area] makes me     uniquely qualified for this position.”
• Use bridging statements. If the interviewer is focusing     on a perceived weakness or area of concern, acknowledge it, but then     bridge the conversation back to your strengths. “While I haven’t had as     much direct experience with that particular software, I’ve had great     success learning new tools quickly, and I’ve already taken steps to     familiarize myself with it.”

This approach helps redirect the focus of the interview and reinforcesyour qualifications.

7. End Strong

No matter how the interview went, it’s critical to finish on a high note.A strong closing statement can leave a lasting impression, even if theconversation had some rough patches. Use the closing to reiterate your interestin the role and your excitement about the opportunity.

How to do it:

• Reaffirm your enthusiasm. As the interview winds down,     take the opportunity to reaffirm your interest. “I’m really excited about     the opportunity to contribute to your team, and I believe my background in     [specific skill] aligns perfectly with what you’re looking for.”
• Thank the interviewer. Expressing gratitude for the     opportunity, regardless of how you feel the interview went, shows     professionalism. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I     really appreciate the chance to learn more about the role.”

By ending on a positive note, you leave the interviewer with a finalimpression of confidence and enthusiasm, which can help mitigate any earliermissteps.

Conclusion: Salvaging an Interview IsPossible

Interviews are dynamic, and even the most prepared candidates can facemoments where things don’t go as expected. The key to turning around a rockyinterview is staying calm, refocusing the conversation, and demonstratingresilience. By using these strategies to regain control and emphasize yourstrengths, you can leave a positive, lasting impression—even if the interviewdoesn’t start out as smoothly as you hoped.

Remember, it’s not always about how you start, but how you finish. Keepyour cool, take control of the narrative, and finish strong to give yourselfthe best chance of success.

‍