Serious question, did anyone else's first client meeting totally flop?

I had my first big client meeting at a coffee shop downtown last Tuesday and I froze up when they asked about our timeline. My boss stepped in and saved it, but I felt awful the whole drive back. How do you handle those awkward silences when you blank on an answer?

3 comments

3 Comments

wells.karen7d ago

Did you prep any backup answers or just wing it?

diana_black7d ago

Did you ever stop to think that maybe winging it is the best way to stay sharp? I barely prepped at all, just glanced over my notes for five minutes before the interview. If you prep too much, you sound like a robot reading off a script. They asked me about a time I messed up at work, and I just told them the truth, no fancy story. The interviewer actually laughed and said they appreciated my honesty. So yeah, winging it worked better than any backup plan I could have made.

reese_nelson6d ago

Did you read that study about how too much prep can actually hurt your performance in high pressure situations? I remember seeing something about how overpreparing makes your answers sound rehearsed, and interviewers can pick up on that pretty quick. Sounds like you found the sweet spot between knowing your stuff and staying genuine.