What to do when your mind goes blank during an interview?

Imagine that you’re going in for a job interview and you’re applying for a job that you really want. You have prepared, “you’ve been there, you’ve been that”. You’re in a good mood and you come to the interview convinced that nothing can throw you off. And then suddenly, the HR manager asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to. Your mind simply goes blank, your ears start burning, you start sweating and you feel so embarrassed!

Relax, simply said, it’s completely normal for your mind to switch off when exposed to a stressful situation. Fortunately, we all recall this situation from our college days, so we all know it’s only temporary. There’s no need to stress out even more. 

What causes these sudden memory lapses?

When we’re stressed out and need our brain to focus on the assignment, question or task, it’s completely natural for our brain to “switch off and run away”. It’s a physiological reaction to a stressful situation. Our brain simply evaluates this situation as stressful, risky or dangerous. Therefore, our brain produces less stress hormones during this process. During periods of increased stress, our brain starts releasing more stress hormones, making communication among certain areas of the brain more difficult. That’s when our mind goes blank and we experience the all-too-familiar “blackout”.  

Oftentimes, we remind you that the HR manager is also only human. Therefore, in all likelihood, he or she has also experienced this, so there’s no need to panic. However, how are you supposed to get yourself out of this awkward situation gracefully? Here are a few tips:

1. The main thing is to remain calm. If you manage to stay calm, your mind will go back to its original state faster and you’ll start remembering things quicker.
2. Take slow and deep breaths. This is also a sign for your brain to calm down.
3. Buy yourself some time by asking the HR manager to repeat the question.
4. Ask for a glass of water. Taking a sip of water will also buy you more time and help you calm down.
5. Show your true colours.

If none of the previously mentioned points help you out, then tell the HR manager the truth. Once you admit that your mind has gone blank, this helps the HR manager understand why your mutual conversation is lingering. Afterwards, you will undeniably feel relieved. This moment may even act as an ice-breaker for both of you. The empathetic HR manager will understand and may even share a personal story of a time, when his mind went blank, thereby giving you time to collect yourself and regain your confidence. This gives you some time to relax, so you can continue on with the interview.  

Such situations happen on a daily basis and all of us have experienced something very similar. Therefore, there is no need to panic too much. Just try to keep calm and if all else fails, you can always make light of the situation with a joke, leaving you feeling good at the end of the interview. Whether your mind goes blank or not, we hope you have a successful interview and get the job of your dreams. Good luck, fingers crossed. 

Do you have any questions? Contact us!