How To Feel More Confident During A Job Interview
It is normal to feel nervous about job interviews (no matter how confident of a person you are).The key is to not allow your nerves to take over. In this article I put together some tips and resources that can help you feel more confident during an interview.
Do your research
Before an interview it is really important to do your research about the company by visiting their website. Another great way to research a company is visiting Glassdoor at https://www.glassdoor.com/. You can read the reviews of current and former employees and get a sense of the company’s culture. It is so easy to get caught up in wanting to be a good fit for a potential employer. What about them being a good fit for you? Glass Door can be a helpful resource for you to gather more information and assess the company’s culture.
Beliefs
This is a biggie! The beliefs we have about ourselves determine the actions we take. We have many beliefs in the subconscious part of our mind that run the show in our lives in ways we may not even realize. It is only when we become conscious of these beliefs, are we able to challenge and transform them. Becoming aware of our beliefs allows us to create powerful changes in our lives.
Two common beliefs that can impact job interviews are:
“I’m not good enough for this job.”
&
“I need to be who they want me to be.”
Have you experienced either of these beliefs? These beliefs can be especially prevalent if you are a college graduate, going through a career transition or looking to advance in your current field to a higher role. It is easy for self-doubt to try to block us when we are doing something new. Here are some powerful questions to ask yourself that can help you challenge these beliefs.
For the “I’m not good enough for this job” belief.
How am I qualified for this position?
What applicable experience do I already have?
What are my transferrable skills?
These questions can help you get clear on what you bring to the table as an applicant. This clarity can then help you challenge any feelings of not feeling good enough for the position. Writing your answers to these questions, can also help you feel more confident about what you offer a potential employer. If you feel any elements of self-doubt creep up on you, you can then remind yourself of your answers to these questions to help you feel more grounded during the interview.
“I need to be who they want me to be in order to be hired.”
This is a belief is an example of people-pleasing. Being afraid to be yourself and feeling you need to be who others want you to be can create a lot of additional stress, pressure and anxiety. Some powerful questions that can help you pull away from this mindset before an interview are.
Why do I want this job?
How does this job support who I am?
How can I just be myself?
Thinking about these questions ahead of time can help you challenge the belief that you need to be who they want you to be, by focusing on why this job is important to you. Employers are not looking for perfection. They just want to see if you are qualified to do the job. By focusing on your qualifications and the reasons why you want this job, can be helpful in pushing through these beliefs.
Take Stock Of Your Qualifications
I touched on this as a way to challenge beliefs. Journaling about your qualifications and applicable job experience can also just be a good confidence booster in general. This exercise will help you take inventory as to why you feel you are a good fit for the position. Reminding yourself of these qualifications can help you feel more grounded and focused if you start to feel self-doubt creeping.
Prepare For The Tough Questions
There are common questions that get used during interviews. You may not know what exact questions you will be asked, but there is a way to be prepared for the most challenging ones you could be asked. Like the dreaded “What is a weakness that you have?”
Here is a great article I came across awhile back that contains the top 46 interview questions that can get asked, as well as tips on the best ways to answer them. https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-questions-and-answers#currentsalary.
Preparing your answers in advance, can help you answer these types of questions more confidently.
I hope you find some of these tips helpful. Remember it is not about being perfect (nobody is). It is about being yourself and applying to jobs that you feel are a good fit for you. Also don’t forget to send a thank you email within 24 hours to anyone who was a part your email. This can make or break an employment decision.
Jennifer Shlomovich is a certified coach. Click here to learn more about her work.