How to face a rude interviewer

What do you do when you face a rude interviewer? Do you opt for leaving the interview with your self-respect intact? The best way is to be tactful and courteous. Instead of running away from such interviews, take the following advice and excel.

Don't take seriously every remark: Very often we misinterpret an interviewer's remarks because of work pressure and the consequent emotional imbalances. Before coming to any conclusion, examine the so-called disrespectful remark. Issues like age, religion, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation are clear cut. But some are not. If you think the interviewer's remark is really obnoxious, take the help of the following strategies and if it is not, forget about it and continue with the interview as if nothing has happened.

Your priority: As you have toiled to get this far (to the interview), you must keep your focus on what you are offering the company. If the interviewer's remark is not palatable, take a deep breath and look for reasons to make the best of the interview:

• You can think about joining the company after the interview is over.
• The interviewer isn’t the sole representative of the company.
• After all, you may not be working with the interviewer.
• Maybe, you are being tested for your response to a challenging situation.

Be on the track: It is very difficult to be polite with a rude man. Still you can bring back the interview on to the track.

• Be patient. Perhaps the interviewer may recognize his problem and try to be polite.
• Brush aside the unpalatable remarks and talk about your skills and accomplishments.
• Put a question to the interviewer that shifts the focus to an area that interests him.
• Always keep you cool and show your sense of humor.
• If you are constantly interrupted and contradicted, seek clarifications or ask for feedback.
• Be polite when you give your opinion.

Last resort: When you have done your bit to save the interview, don’t hesitate to thank the interviewer and politely express your intention to leave. Don’t at all comment on his behavior. If you intend to say something or draw his attention to something, be courteous.

Learn a lesson: Before forgetting this rude encounter, think about what you have learnt from it and use the experience to improve your performance when you face difficult interviewers.

The best thing is to practice how to deal with negative interview situations. Take the help of somebody who will give his honest opinion and arrange for a mock negative interview. Thus you may be successful to deal with a disrespectful interviewer if you again face one.