All job interviews can help you to grow. Even if you didn’t get the job, you can still turn the experience into a valuable lesson. You just need to listen to the feedback you get from the employer or recruitment agency about your performance and skills.

Here are five ways you can learn from every job interview going forward.

1. How To Learn From Job Interview Feedback: Don’t Be Nervous To Ask For Feedback

Job interviews can be a little stressful, but try not to be too nervous to ask for feedback. This is because some job interviewers are very busy, so they may not think to give you any feedback at the end of the interview. Simply ask politely if they would like to give you any feedback about the interview, and if they say yes listen carefully. Don’t be defensive; instead, try to take the feedback on board, even if you don’t totally agree with it!

2. Speak To Your Recruitment Agency

Are you working with a recruitment agency (such as ours) to increase the number of job interviews you are being offered? If so, speak to your agency to find out if they can give you any feedback for future interviews. This could be general interview advice, or they could have specific skills based advice for you. For instance, they may suggest that you rearrange your CV to prioritise certain skills.

3. Understand That Feedback Can Be Constructive

Some people dislike receiving feedback as they feel like they are being criticised, but in reality feedback is an important tool that can help you to grow. After all, there is a reason the phrase ‘constructive criticism’ exists!

If you struggle to receive feedback, remind yourself that there is no reason to take it personally. The other person is taking time out of their day to give you advice and tips, and if you take the advice you are more likely to ace an interview in the future. So try to listen, even if you do feel a little miffed.

4. Give Yourself Feedback

You don’t have to exclusively rely on recruiters and interviewers to give you feedback; you can also give yourself feedback. Spend some time reflecting after a job interview. Ask yourself which questions you answered well and which questions could have been answered better, and think about what you would do differently next time.

5. Write Down Areas To Work On

Finally it can be useful to write down certain areas that you want to work on. Maybe there is a short course that you could do to improve a certain skill, or maybe you would like to work on your confidence. Spending time addressing your weaker areas is a great way to improve your overall performance, so you are more likely to land your dream job interview in the future. Good luck!