Does
the mere thought of a job interview set off a flurry of butterflies in
your stomach? If so, you’re not alone. Interviews make virtually
everyone nervous, because it’s easy to feel that your worth is being
judged and your entire future is on the line. The truth, though, is
that lots of bright and talented people have many unsuccessful
interviews before they land a job. So here are some suggestions for
conquering your jitters and improving your interview experience.
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Recognize that an interview is just a structured conversation. And you
are an expert on the topic!
An interview is not an
inquisition. It’s simply a conversation about you. Since you know more
about yourself than anyone else, you have the necessary information.
You just need to determine the best way to present it.
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Develop your talking points.
Anxiety is due in part
to feeling out of control. One way to regain a sense of control is to
determine in advance what you want to tell the interviewer. Like
politicians and celebrities, you need to develop “talking points” – that
is, the information about yourself that you most want to convey. Then,
as you respond to questions, you look for opportunities to include your
talking points in the answers.
Sample talking points:
Having a leadership role in a major project, being able to work well
with many different types of people, knowledge of many software
applications, experience on cross-cultural teams, or any other aspect of
your knowledge, experience, or personality.
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Monitor your “self-talk”.
Self- talk refers to the
silent commentary that constantly runs inside our heads. We often
unconsciously increase our anxiety with negative self-talk. People who
are nervous about interviews have thoughts that sound like this: “I know
that I’m going to screw up that interview. Interviews always make me
nervous, so I probably won’t be able to answer the questions very well.
Then I’ll make a bad impression and lose the job.” This is an excellent
way to talk yourself into failing!
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Create a personal pep talk.
To reduce
anxiety, drown out that negative commentary with a personal pep talk!
For example: “I’m a real expert in my field. I have a lot of knowledge
and experience that would be very useful for this employer. I’m smart,
capable, and I can work well with almost anyone. This interview is not
a life-or-death event. It’s just a chance to have a conversation about
my experience and background. And I know more about that than anyone!”
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Do your homework on the potential employer.
The more you know about
the organization, the more prepared you will feel. And the more
prepared you feel, the less nervous you will be. So check out their
website, Google them, and try to network with people who have worked
there. Include relevant information in your answers to show the
interviewer that you did your homework.
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Visit the interview location.
If you’re not familiar
with the organization, drive to the site before the day of the
interview. This will eliminate worries about getting lost or
questions about the length of the drive . Seeing the place will
increase your feeling of familiarity, and familiarity reduces anxiety.
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Rehearse Q&A’s with a friend or family member.
Rehearsal may be the
most helpful tactic for reducing anxiety, because practice increases
your comfort with answering questions. Many interviewers ask similar
questions, so get a list of common ones (Sample
Interview Questions) and have a friend role-play the interview with
you. When you don’t like your answer, just stop and repeat
until you’re happy with it.
If you are extremely
nervous, practice with a full dress rehearsal! Wear a suit, sit by a desk, give
your friend a different name, and go through the whole thing from
entering the “office” to departure.
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Ask the scheduler if there’s anything you should be prepared to discuss.
When someone contacts
you by phone or email to schedule the interview, ask if there’s anything
you should be prepared to discuss. You may or may not get useful
information, but sometimes even an assistant can give you a heads-up
about critical topics.
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Practice physically relaxing on command.
Because there truly is a
mind-body connection, physically relaxing will help you mentally relax.
To calm down before an interview, take deep breaths or progressively
relax muscle groups.
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Energize yourself on the way to the interview.
Make your drive to the
interview an upper! Listen to upbeat, high-energy music or a
motivational CD. Practice your personal pep talk and tell yourself how
well-qualified you are for this position. Your goal is to arrive in a
positive, self-confident frame of mind.
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Assess the interviewer’s experience and comfort level.
Anxious applicants are
so focused on themselves that they usually neglect to size up their
interviewer. But this is a critical step. Some interviewers are highly
experienced, while others are not. Managers who seldom conduct
interviews may be more nervous than you are!
Veteran interviewers
will confidently direct the discussion. They know where they want to go, so
you just need to focus on working your talking points into your
answers. But with novice interviewers, you may need to take more initiative. For
example, some may do all the talking, which defeats
the entire purpose of the interview. In that case, you can say “Would
you like me to tell you about the project I led last year?” or “If you
like, I can review my experience working with this type of software.”
In other words, help them get to know you.
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Feel free to ask for time to think.
If you are asked a
particularly difficult question, it’s okay to ask for a little time
before you answer.
For example: “That’s a very interesting question. Let me think about
that for a minute.”
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Remember that a hiring decision is not a verdict on your value.
If you don’t get the
job, don’t overreact. It does not mean that you’re worthless as a
person. It simply indicates that you weren't viewed as the best
choice for this particular position. And that could be true even
if you are extremely capable, since the interviewer will be looking for
a particular "fit" with the company, the culture, and the management.
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If you don’t get the job, you may actually be better off.
Since you can’t see the
future, you don't know what would have happened if you got this job.
Perhaps you would have had a horrible boss or dreadful working
conditions. And perhaps you will land a much better position in the
future!
