When job searching, there are many reasons why you may change your mind about an opportunity by the time an interview offer comes around: for instance, maybe you further researched the company and decided it might not be a good fit. Maybe you got an interview or an offer for a better opportunity, or decided to take a counter-offer (which we don’t recommend—here’s why). These are just a few of the reasons why one may decide to turn down an interview—but is that a smart move?

Regardless of your situation, you should always consider attending an interview anyway. At the very least, practice makes perfect, and the only way to get true practice for an important interview is to go on more interviews. However, since it’d be inconsiderate to take an interview with an employer who is genuinely seeking a great hire just for the sake of practice, it’s important to always go into it with an open mind.

To do so, keep these in mind—the following are a number of other things you can take away from an interview, whether you have high hopes for it or not:

An opportunity to be proved wrong. Whatever made you decide to almost turn away from this interview, you could have been misled or perhaps you judged too quickly. Or, if there was a single factor that became a deal-breaker, there may be a benefit that outweighs it that only the interview will present. Remember, job postings and the limited communication you have with a hiring manager pre-interview are mere fractions of the whole picture, and may not be great representations of the job or company you’re potentially interviewing for.

New connections. When you interview, you’re making the acquaintance of a hiring manager in your field as well as, in some cases, several other professionals such as managers and potential team members. Whether the position is right for you or not, meeting these people in person gives you the opportunity to make a good impression and follow up with a thank-you email and a well thought-out LinkedIn invitation.

Good word of mouth. Put the work in now to impress the interviewer, and whether you take the opportunity or not, you could be rewarded for it in the future. Many industries are smaller worlds than they seem, and you never know who you may run into again or who they know.  It’s very possible that someday you could interview with the same person at a different company, or with someone who knows or works with them. Putting as many good impressions of you out there can never hurt while job searching and furthering your career, so why not take the opportunity to do so?

A better idea of your preferred fit. When it comes down to it, a position could sound perfect but the company might not have what you’re looking for, or vice versa. Knowing what you want out of a job and the company you’ll eventually work at are vital to a successful job search and making a rewarding decision, and going on numerous interviews helps you identify and reinforce, or adjust, those needs.

Insight into what hiring managers are looking for. In addition, going on interviews will give you a better sense of what hiring managers are looking for in a candidate. As our 2015 Regional Hiring Outlook shows, the job market is a two-way street requiring employers and professionals to be aware of each other’s needs. While every interview and employer will be different, there are always some consistencies in the types of candidate characteristics that are in-demand.

A glimpse at different interviewing styles. Of course, since all interviews are different, it’s important to get a feel for different interviewing styles before tackling an interview for, say, your dream job. The job search process is forever changing, as are the interviews that are integral parts of it, so even seasoned professionals with many years of work and job search experience need to stay on top of shifting trends. Often, we have more to learn than we originally suspect, and going on more interviews can help remedy that.