Common sense tells most of us the bare minimum for attending a job interview. You should always be on time, you should look neat and tidy, you should speak clearly and make your point, and you should make eye contact. However, there are times when things get out of your control. In this article, we will look at suggestions to help you when things start to go wrong. We will look at ways to get your momentum back and turn tragedy into triumph.

Something to avoid at all costs is arriving late to an interview. This sets the wrong tone and puts you in a negative light. However, sometimes things happen that are beyond your control. If you fear that being late is inevitable the first thing you should do is inform the company. Let them know why and when you are likely to arrive. If your lateness clearly isn’t your fault then it shouldn’t count against you in the interview. Everyone has been stuck in traffic because of an accident or had some other mishap causing them to be late, the interviewers should sympathize.

Something you should also avoid is going off on tangents that have nothing to do with the question asked or the position. People tend to do this when they are nervous. If you feel like this is likely to happen or has already started, stop, take a deep breathe and try to relax. Interviews are not designed to be fun but they shouldn’t be torture. Take sometime to gather your thoughts so you can express them clearly.

Finally, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions. Many candidates fear this because they think it will make them look incompetent. However, better to understand the question and give a good answer then pretend you understand it and look like a fool. There is no harm in asking the interviewer to restate something if you are unsure. This shows you are listening and take pride in your answer.

Interviews can be stressful. It is easy to say, relax and concentrate but much harder to actually do. Things can happen that are beyond your control to set things off on the wrong foot. However, your damage control skills can help get your through. Through careful explanation and taking the time to stop and think, you can quickly regain your momentum and make that interview a success.