When it’s Not a Match: How to Pivot an Interview into a Coffee Chat

Interview Boss

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.

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.

We explain how to politely acknowledge the dealbreaker and shift gears without burning bridges.

Disclaimer: 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.

🏀 Shoot Your Shot - Shoutout to Sam who bought us 3 coffees!

"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.”

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