11 Ways to Turn Job Interview Jitters into Poise
People often get the jitters when going into an interview. There are things you can do to relax and develop.
Remember that the interviewer wants to speak with you. The person believes that your experience makes you qualified for the job. Since you are there to discuss your experience, there is no one more qualified than you are to discuss your experience. You are the expert on your work.
Rehearse before you go to the interview. The night before the interview, read your resume. Write notes about your accomplishments. Write specific titles of the people with whom you have worked. Write the specific skills you have used to create your accomplishments. Read your scripted notes to another person.
Try to expect questions that the interviewer might ask. You never know what questions might come out of an interviewer’s mouth, but you can look at your experience for possible questions or objections the interviewer may have. Focus on situations in your background that might make you feel uncertain about your skills and employment history. Write those situations in the form of questions and write your answers.
Review the job spec and do an overlay of your job experience and the requirements of the job. In areas where you lack experience, do not try to lower in your mind or in the mind of the interviewer that your lack of experience is not important. Instead, think of ways that your experience specifically crosses over job requirements and think of things that you have done outside of your jobs that give you the skills that the job requires.
Research the company thoroughly. List five reasons why you want to work for this company. List five reasons why this company should hire you. Tell the interviewer that your purpose in making the interview is to show the benefits for the company and for you in your working for the company.
Research the interviewer. Tell the interviewer positive things you know about their background. Use their name throughout the interview. The most important word you will say throughout the entire interview is the interviewer’s name.
Remember to take a deep breath and relax. Take a deep breath before walking through the door of each interview. Closing your eyes and meditating before the interview can help you relax. However, if you are waiting in a lobby with other people, closing your eyes is not the best idea. Some people might find that behavior a bit odd. What you can do is focus on slowly relaxing each muscle in your body.
Clear your schedule to arrive early and have time if the interview runs late. Take time pressure off yourself. Allow yourself the time to enjoy your interview. Create poise through focusing on the people and the interview subjects.