It would be nice if each and every job interview went pleasantly, and everyone running interviews behaved kindly and understandingly. In the case that the experience goes south, however, here are some exit strategies for recovering gracefully in a variety of different situations.
Unqualified for the Job
While it would be nice to only ever attend interviews for positions that are exactly in one's field of expertise, many people find success by straying from their original professional background. If during an interview it becomes apparent that the interviewee lacks skills, experience, or other abilities required for the successful performance of the job, he or she shouldn't call it quits quite yet.
It is possible that other aspects of the interviewee's experience or portfolio is enough to make up for the lack of specific knowledge. If not, consider why the company issued an invitation for an interview; the applicant's skill set and resume must have appealed to them on some level, and they should not have contacted people unless they met the basic requirements.
Offer to work on catching up to speed with certain requirements before beginning the job, or ask them what could be done to make up for any lack of expertise in a particular area to continue to be considered. It is important, then, to follow through on whatever the applicant promises to learn or do. If need be, remind the interviewer that perhaps applicants should not have been invited in for interviews if they did not meet their requirements.
Unprepared for the Interview
An interview can be painfully awkward if the applicant has not done the research, if he or she lacks required documents (resumes, references, licenses, etc), if the applicant has never practiced answering interview questions, if he or she is dressed inappropriately, or if the interviewee is overly nervous or panicky. If this happens, make apologies when necessary but otherwise suffer through it – it's impossible to know what their other candidates have been like.
Pressured for a Decision
Even a few hours to think an offer or decision over is better than deciding under pressure. If the interviewers ask for an answer to any big decision that was not expected before entering the room, take some time and space to consider the offer.
If the applicant has a spouse or significant other, he or she can say that they need to first discuss the offer with him or her. Most interviewers will be understanding of this and respect the need to make a joint decision. If the applicant is single but would still like time, he or she can politely request that they give a day or two to think things over and plan it out.
Some high-pressure decisions to make on the spot may be decisions about acceptable pay, vacation, length of contract, etc. If this comes up unexpectedly, take a minute to consider an acceptable range for the answer (30 to 35k, 4-6 weeks, 2-4 years, respectively). If they press for particulars or guarantees, politely decline by requesting time to think things over or do some research before committing to a certain figure or length of time.
A Rude Interviewer
Sometimes, the person (or people) interviewing applicants will simply be unfriendly and impolite. If this is the case, put up with his or her personality as courteously as possible. If they are insulting, applicants should hold their ground by defending basic and simple points: they made the invitation, the resume describes relevant experience, how or why he or she could do a great job. If the interviewer is truly terrible, one wouldn't want to work with him or her anyway, so shrug off the experience, withdraw the application if necessary, and move on to the next one.
The Worst in Job Interviews
If need be, the applicant should remove him or herself from the situation. Although it may be rare, there are circumstances in which an interview can be so unprofessional or unpleasant that the interviewee should directly change the subject, or even excuse him or herself and leave. These include situations in which the interviewer becomes unnecessarily upset, unmanageable, or inappropriate.
Finally, if the interview is intolerable for other reasons (the applicant is suddenly feeling ill, it is an insane work environment, etc), decide whether it is more appropriate to inform them of the discomfort or simply to bow out politely. An applicant can always contact them after the fact to communicate his or her reasons for leaving more articulately, to request a second opportunity (if there was an emergency), or to withdraw the application officially.
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