202: When it’s not a match: How to pivot an interview into a coffee chat

About this episode

<p>Sometimes in an interview, it becomes clear there’s a genuine mismatch. Maybe they're after three years of experience in an area you’ve only just become familiar with, or the role requires travel, which you can't commit to.</p><p>In this week’s episode, Sarah and Emma unpack how to gracefully pivot an interview for a role that’s not the right fit, into a valuable coffee chat instead. This one was inspired by a listener story from Carmen, who turned a dead-end interview into a brilliant networking opportunity.</p><p>We explain how to politely acknowledge the dealbreaker and shift gears without burning bridges.</p><p><strong>Disclaimer:</strong> This isn’t a strategy for when you’re just not feeling it — it’s for those rare situations where the gap really can’t be bridged, and knowing how to handle it gracefully can leave a lasting impression.</p><p>🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Sam who bought us 3 coffees!</p><p>"Wow! Thank you so much! I had an interview today for a job I really wanted, teaching children with learning disabilities, and received a phone call tonight offering me the position! I’m so grateful that I found your podcast. The few interviews I’ve had in the past I’ve normally fumbled my way through. However, this time I felt so prepared and confident with my career story, why I wanted to work there and my 'best bits'. They were super impressed when I whipped out the questions in my notebook after they asked if I had any questions for them. I didn’t even need to use my panic phrases which were also in my notebook 😂. Now I’ll go listen to the episodes about what to do once you have the job. Thanks again! P.S I remember Emma mentioned about writing down an achievement to add to her best bits. It reminded me of the app PepTalkHer that was created by Meggie Palmer.”</p><p>🎥 Check out free training - Top Interview Tips <a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.interviewboss.com.au/top-interview-tips</a></p><p>🏫 To get step by step help with your interview prep on demand check out our Interview Academy<a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> https://www.interviewboss.com.au/interview-academy</a></p><p>☕ Did our podcast help you out? Want to say thank you in coffee form? Shout us a virtual coffee here:<a href="http://www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> www.buymeacoffee.com/interviewboss</a></p><p>☎️ To book an interview coaching session with Sarah, go to<a href="http://www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> www.interviewboss.com.au/coaching</a> </p><p>❤️ Follow us on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/interviewboss/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Instagram</a></p><p>📒 Check out our website for free jobseeker resources</p><p><a href="https://www.interviewboss.com.au/resources" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.interviewboss.com.au</a></p>