Probably you are not the cause of the hostility of the interviewer. He might have come to the interview after a tiff with his wife, or he is not well, or he might have been pulled up by his boss and he is agitated. He might not have been taught the nuances of interview technique or maybe he is a mean person. But you have to turn the interview to your advantage. Here are a few techniques that help you take control of the interview:
Take up the miscommunications immediately: When you are faced with a quizzical eye even if your answer to one of the questions is good, don't press the panic button. Straight away ask the interviewer whether you can clarify your answer. Thus you give the interviewer a chance to explain his issue and you can make little alterations to your answer. Remember that any confusion has to be cleared immediately otherwise you can't repair the damage done to you.
Learn to counter the opposition: When you are asked to illustrate how you handled a specific problem at work, you come out with examples how you were successful in tackling the specific problem. The interviewer shoots back to say that he is not satisfied with your solution and says that problems are not solved in that fashion in his company. Turn the situation to your advantage saying that every company has a different culture. Knowing the background of this company, give another way how you handle the problem. This way you get a second chance to respond and quell the interviewer's antagonism. Thus you prove your flexibility and your ability to think fast.
Interview isn't an interrogation: If you think that you are unnecessarily being grilled, answer every question and then ask a follow-up question yourself. For example ask about the new product development the company has taken up or where does the interviewer think his company will be in the next five years or so. This makes the recruiting manager talk and paves the way for give and take of the typical interview. Know that interviews are not one-sided affairs, but they are more of a business conversation between you and the prospective employer about what you can both exchange.
When all is said and done, don't take an eye-for-eye attitude and don't be hostile to a hostile interviewer. If you do so, you are the loser. The best way to tackle a hostile interviewer is to have the wherewithal for reducing the impact of an aggressive interviewer.
