Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC

Say you arrive at an interview late, or spill coffee on your shirt, or, worse, forget the recruiter’s name as you greet him/her.  Should you throw in the towel?

Employment coaches say it’s never too late to salvage a job interview.  It’s how you deal with your gaffes that can make or break your chances.  Here are several tips for rescuing a less-than-perfect performance:

If the problem is wardrobe related, like torn stocking or embarrassing stains, make sure the interviewer understands that you’re not oblivious.  Try making light of the difficult morning you had, noting the problem, and then quickly move on.  An unzipped fly, however, is best left unmentioned, as making a joke about it will only make the recruiter uncomfortable.

Showing up late to a job interview obviously does not impress, so make sure you acknowledge the gravity of your error right away.  Don’t immediately start blaming traffic or other circumstances, either.  Take responsibility by admitting you didn’t plan your day effectively.  Then state that tardiness isn’t typical behavior for you, and it wouldn’t happen again were you to be hired.

Anxiety can make people talk too fast or too loud, make their hands jittery, cause them to lose their train of thought, etc.  If you find that nervousness has caused you to knock over a vase or utter some sort of embarrassing comment, apologize with good humor and explain that you’ve been preparing for days for the opportunity to interview, which has caused you to feel overwhelmed.  Then move on and don’t recall the incident later.

Finally, some interviews just seem to go flat.  The recruiter’s body language and demeanor suggest a lack of interest in you as a candidate.  Instead of rattling off you accomplishments to someone who doesn’t seem engaged, keep your comments brief, ask follow-up questions yourself, and tell an interesting story.

-adapted from Smart Money