Is it possible to have bad luck in a job interview?

On the way into work this morning I encountered a black cat.  I immediately feared I would have bad luck and the first few emails I read in my inbox could be categorized as bad luck.  Or at the very least bad news.  Is it possible the two events are related?  Of course not.  But have you ever been in an interview process and felt like something went just slightly wrong that took the entire interview process off track?

The bottom line is that many things can de-rail a job interview that have absolutely nothing to do with luck at all.  But it sure might feel that way.  Recently I had a candidate that had verbally accepted an offer, was hammering out a start date, and then had to back out after a close friend was in a terrible auto accident.  Bad luck or just bad timing?

Earlier this year I had a company back out of an offer because of something quirky that was found on a background check that was eventually cleared up.  But because so much confusion had ensued, everyone decided to move on.  The candidate sure thought it felt like bad luck as it transpired on a Friday before they were supposed to start on a Monday.

Another example I can think of is when a candidate was interviewing for a job where the person currently in the role was retiring.  After a few rounds of things going quite well, the employer called to let us know the person in the role decided not to retire after all.

I could give example after example of things that can be considered bad luck.  Here's the thing about luck -- you can't control it one way or another, even if you believe there is such a thing as good luck or bad luck.  Instead I would argue the job search and interview process is usually more closely attributed to good or bad timing.  I know that is a subtle difference, but it drastically changes how you respond.

If you believe in luck, you are destined to grieve after bad luck and rejoice after good luck.  If instead you buy into the theory that it is all about timing when talking about a job interview, it allows you to free up your mind and consider good OR bad timing to possibly be good news.  Just because a role isn't available now, it doesn't mean it won't be down the road.  Or if you are not a match for a particular position today, perhaps there is another role in the future that is a better match.

See the difference?  It especially applies at the end of a calendar year when holidays, fourth quarter results, and first quarter projections can impact a job search.  Forget about the black cats, the bad signs, and the non-related issues that may seem like they impact a job interviews.  Focus on the positive and move forward with a good attitude.

Have you ever experienced bad luck in a job interview?  Could it possibly be bad timing as you look back on it?