Bombed interview. Spiraling

[u/KeynesCrackpot]

Ugh venting to get this off my chest. I feel pretty senior (7-8 years of experience) but haven’t interviewed in the past two years. I feel like I shouldn’t be bombing technicals.

Company asked for a take home assessment to be completed in 3 days, over the weekend. Asked HR how this should be formatted, no response before the deadline. Responded to everything with written responses, submitted, interview was scheduled two weeks later.

I follow up with HR three times asking if the focus on interview will be on the take home, no response. I have a busy work week with no time to prep and my heart stops when they ask to present this during my interview.

It’s a terrible start and I’m shaky. I couldn’t figure out the question one guy was asking, spent 5 minutes clarifying before I understand and rattle off responses. He smiles and says “that’s perfect”. That’s probably the only highlight.

It’s downhill from there with them guiding me through responses. This is an area of financing that’s my weak point, I’m not actively managing it in my current day to day. I know they’re gently guiding me through mistakes but it feels awful.

I realize some of my simple calculations are messed up. My sensitivity tables are likely showing extreme values but I can’t explain it well. I miss high level questions.

I’m just so overwhelmed and upset. My feedback at my current job is good, but i feel like I’m viewed as a team player that will get work done at the expense of my own growth/upward learning. Sigh. I’m spiraling and can’t stop thinking about how badly I bombed.

[u/Loganslove]

It's your first interview in 2 years. For me, interviews are like tests, and I'm horrible at test. I can barely remember my name. The thing is, im great at what i do, and i know the answers to the questions they ask, but for some reason, i sound like a dumbass with no experience for about the first 10 interviews. Then i get my groove going, and i nail the interviews.

I end up with the job i don't really want because i applied to the good jobs first.

So my advice is to apply to the jobs that don't pay what you're looking for so you can get the interviews down. When you are prepared and you'll know when that is - that is when you go for the job you want.

Not everyone will agree with this, but it works

[u/KeynesCrackpot → u/Loganslove]

Thanks. I’m also a terrible test taker and just have terrible nerves. I think I’m just spiraling and wondering if I’m any good at my job anymore..or if I’ll never able to interview elsewhere because my current job’s skill sets are too niche. Sigh.

I’ll try to keep interviewing for stuff I don’t really care about and see how that goes.

[u/tautous2 → u/KeynesCrackpot]

I find I spiral for a day. Then I’m ready again. Apply for everything that seems a likely good fit. That way you always have hope

[u/KeynesCrackpot → u/tautous2]

thanks for sharing. I’m still spiraling and rethinking really terrible parts of that interview….sigh. I’ll just brace myself for the rejection email and be ready to move on