Tips to Deal With a Hostile Interviewer

Most hiring managers speak to candidates in a conversational manner, encouraging everyone to share relevant information. Unfortunately, you may encounter a hostile interviewer or two during your career, so it is important to be prepared for tough questions. A hostile interviewer typically behaves in an aggressive manner to see how a candidate responds. Follow these tips to ensure you can handle this type of interview in a professional manner.

When an interviewer starts behaving in a hostile manner, one of the worst things you can do is avoid speaking up about your accomplishments. In some cases, a hostile interviewer behaves in such an aggressive manner as a way to test your confidence and resilience. If you show the interviewer you are not afraid to stand up for yourself, you have a much better chance of getting the job. Before you go to your interview, practice staying calm while responding to aggressive questions. Performing visualization exercises can increase your confidence and help you get a handle on this type of interview.

To avoid a bad interview with a hostile interviewer, work on your posture ahead of time. Slouching or hunching up in your chair does not show confidence, and it can make you look weak in the eyes of the interviewer. If posture is a concern, practice sitting up straight and putting your hands on your lap in a relaxed pose. When you first meet the interviewer, make sure you stand up straight and give a firm handshake to communicate your confidence and power.

The way you answer the questions posed by a hostile interviewer says a lot about how you handle high-pressure situations. If you speak so quietly the interviewer can barely hear you, it is going to look like you lack confidence. When a hostile interviewer asks you a question, demonstrate your confidence by projecting your voice, enunciating your words clearly and avoiding filler words such as "uh" and "um." If you answer each question in a confident manner, the hostile interviewer might switch to a different interviewing tactic.

In some cases, interviewers behave in a hostile manner because they have difficulty developing rapport with people. If this is the case during one of your interviews, it is up to you to build rapport with your interviewer. Do this by asking questions whenever you have the opportunity. Ask the interviewer how she got started with the company or how she decided to pursue a career in your industry. These questions can melt some of the proverbial ice and get the interviewer to be a little less hostile.

Looking for a job is difficult enough without having to deal with a hostile interviewer, but it is something you need to anticipate. If you encounter an aggressive interviewer, save yourself from a bad interview by maintaining your confidence, speaking up about your accomplishments and asking the interviewer questions.

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