How to Overcome Interview Jitters

I was teaching a class last week to a group of military service members preparing to transition into the private sector. At one point in the class I had a young gentleman ask me, "Why do people get so nervous in an interview? It's just a conversation!" I agree so much with that statement, I actually stopped the class to give the man a high five.

However, not everyone is so laid back about the job interview. Many of us are nervous about the idea of the job interview. No matter how much we prepare and practice, we still get the attack of the nerves. Next time you are facing the prospect of a job interview, use some of these strategies to calm your (often inevitable) nerves.

Put the Interview Into Perspective
Think of the interview as your opportunity to learn about the job, the company, and its culture. Treat the interview as a two-way street where you assess the company as much as they are assessing you. Almost all of us have been in an interview where based on your observations, or even your gut feeling, you know that this is not a place you want to work. Don't focus so much on giving a "great performance" that you lose track of the fact that you are looking for the right fit for you.

Assess Who Has More to Lose
Walking into the interview, the interviewer has much more to lose than you. All you truly have to lose is time and maybe a bit of money you spend on gas and a babysitter. However, every interview you gain experience, connections, and confidence in your ability to answer the questions. A wrong hire can cost the employer time, money, their reputation, their customers, and possibly their entire business. Think about how much more they have to lose than you next time you need to calm some of those nerves.

Practice the Three R's of Interview Preparation
The three R's stand for Research, Rehearse, and Relax. Research the industry and the company to become an expert at answering questions about why you want to work for the company and what key transferable skills you bring to the table. Prepare your interview talking points about your personal statement of value or cost-effectiveness, then rehearse it until it rolls off your tongue with ease. Last but not least, relax by revisiting the two points above. As I always tell people, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. Go out there and prepare and use your next opportunity to make your own luck!

3 Strategies to Avoid an Attack of Nerves During your Next Job Interview.

I was speaking to a very personable, witty young man last night in a class I was teaching. He said that when he goes to an interview, while they are talking in the hall on the way to the interview he is able to be himself. However, as soon as he sits down in the interview chair, he freezes up and is a nervous wreck. This is a common problem for many people when it comes to job interviews.

I would like to offer some tactics you can employ to make sure this does not happen to you.

Put the Interview into Perspective
People dread job interviews more than going into the dentist for a root canal. No pain is going to be inflicted during the interview! It is just a conversation with another person. You really don’t have anything to lose in an interview except the time it takes to go to the interview. The worst thing that can happen is that you do not get the job. You did not have the job when you walked in the door, so what did you really lose?

Assess Your Fears
What is it about interviews that you fear? Is it fear of the unknown? Prepare for the interview and this fear will be alleviated. Is your fear based on the fact that you want them to like you, or that you want their approval? The more nervous you appear, the less likely you are to gain that approval you are seeking. Don’t worry about the things you can’t control. You can control your preparation, your attitude, and the way you present yourself in an interview. If you do these things well, you have done your best and the rest is out of your control.

Preparation
I am an introverted person by nature. However, I get up in front of hundreds of people and teach job seeking skills and I really enjoy it! The reason I am able to do this comfortably is due to my preparation and knowledge of the subject. The more prepared you are to discuss a subject, the less nervous you will be. Become very familiar with your skills, the benefits you can offer an employer, and prepare several examples of times you have used these skills successfully. Take several hours to prepare this information and all your future interviews will go much more smoothly.

Four Things to Keep in Mind During your Next Job Interview

Sweaty palms, butterflies in the stomach, having a hard time sitting still? Many of us are terrified of job interviews. Are you afraid you will say something “dumb”, you won’t know how to answer the questions, or that you will be rejected? It could be any one or a combination of all three that makes us scared in the interview process. Here are four things to help you calm yourself down and prepare for success in your next job interview.

There is no question you can’t answer!
One of the biggest fears in an interview is fear of the unknown. We don’t know what questions they are going to ask and better yet, what they want us to say when we answer them. There is one subject being discussed in an interview – YOU. No one knows what skills or experience you have better than you do. Therefore, no one can answer these questions better than you can.

If you are prepared to discuss the benefits your skills and experience offer the employer, there will truly be no question that stumps you. Think of yourself as a salesperson or marketing executive whose one and only product is you. Answer every question in a job interview in terms of how your skills and experience can solve the employer’s needs and you will set yourself apart from the crowd.

You are well-qualified for the position.
Many years ago, I went on an interview for a job that was out of my career field. I asked the interviewer what it was about my skills that made me a candidate of interest. Their response was that they did not see any skills and they only interviewed me because I applied. Ouch! This type of situation would not happen in today’s job market.

Employers receive so many applications that they could never interview every candidate. Therefore, if you get called for an interview it is because you are qualified for the position – and the interviewer agrees with you! By the time you get to the interview, you have already convinced them that you are well-qualified for the position. That should put an extra spring of confidence in your step walking into the interview next time!

You will be an asset to the organization.
Do you truly believe this statement? Every one of us can bring value to a company in some way. Your job is to discover what that value is, believe it with all your heart and sell it to potential employers. If you are not quite at the point of believing this you may want to refer to my job search motto: “Fake it ‘til you make it!” This does not refer to faking qualifications or skills, but to confidence.

The one thing you must have (or fake) in an interview is confidence. When an employer sees a confident candidate they automatically assume you are a competent candidate. Convincing them of your competence is half the battle in an interview.

You are not the only one in the room with fears.
One bad employee can really hurt a business. A bad employee can lose customers, cause other employees to quit, or damage the reputation of the business. Imagine how fearful that business owner is when they are going out on a limb and hiring a new employee that they don’t know. The next time you go into an interview, keep in mind that you are not the only one who has something to lose. You are not the only one in the room with fear. Let that thought calm your nerves the next time you sit down to interview for a job.