How to overcome the dreaded "late goal" in an interview

We have all heard the phrase "expect the unexpected" and it should apply to the interview process as well.  I have had many a candidate shocked in the 11th hour of an interview process when they thought they had it in the bag.  So what went wrong and how can one anticipate the twists and turns of a topsy turvy and imperfect process?

I don't watch much soccer admittedly, but did watch the moment depicted in this picture from last night's stunning draw for the U.S. team.  The goalkeeper's expression says it all.  This was not supposed to happen as the game was literally only seconds away from being over.  The soccer pundits will dissect this game and provide their thoughts with the benefit of hindsight.

Instead of looking back and wondering why you didn't get the job after a lengthy interview process, I am here to tell you how to stay ahead of the curve.  It is certainly not a foolproof plan, but applying some of these time-tested ideas can possibly save some heartache for you at some point as you consider a career move.

First of all, don't be afraid to ask if there are other candidates in the pipeline.  Far too often people think that is an inappropriate question, and they may not want to really know the answer.  Especially if there are indeed qualified candidates that might be in the mix.  My thought is, however, that this notion should push you to perform at your highest level when interviewing and following up with the potential employer.  If there are no other candidates in the pipeline, you may relax and not really put your best foot forward.

Secondly, be educated on the interview process of the particular employer you are engaged with for a possible opportunity.  Be mindful of what next/final steps may be and try to complete additional steps ahead of time.  If they require an online application, go ahead and do that right away.  If a personality profile must be completed, ask to do that early.  If professional references need to be called before an offer is extended, be sure to have contacted those individuals to provide a heads up that a call could be coming.  Although every employer's process differs, many of these types of steps in the process are near universal.

Third, know the timeline of the interview process.  While not always a perfect science, the timeline can be projected to some extent with most interviews.  Especially if you think logically.  Right now, for instance, you should be aware that summer schedules may play a role in setting up an interview.  The HR contact could be on vacation in the coming weeks.  Or the hiring manager.  Or you as the candidate.  Look ahead as much as possible to see what possible obstacles could arise and tackle them head on early rather than late.

Finally, handle defeat as a good sport.  If you do find out you finished in second place for a particular role, be sure to handle the situation with a lot of grace.  I have seen candidates finish in second place, only to find out the first candidate ended up declining the position.  Or perhaps another role opens up down the road.  Or the employer decides to hire two people instead of just one.  As I've read some of the headlines this morning for U.S. soccer, they appear to be making some excuses for what happened.  Instead they should just be focused on their next opponent as they still have a chance to win.

Have you ever experienced the unexpected in a job interview?  How did you handle it?