Job interviews are rarely easy. Not only do we have to prove our worth but we have to overcome our nerves too. Many of us have anxiety for days and weeks before the day of a job interview. And the day itself is even more nerve-wracking. Unfortunately, our nervousness can sometimes show at the interview. While some interviewers will put us at ease, others can make us feel more nervous by grilling us with difficult questions.
What is the answer?
Well, if you’re relating to what we’re saying, one of the best things you can do is find ways to boost your self-confidence. The more confident you are before going into the interview the less nervous you will feel. You will then do a better job of creating a great first impression at the interview.
With this in mind, here are some confidence-boosting tips we hope you find useful.
Prepare and rehearse your interview answers
It’s not difficult to predict the questions you will be asked at the interview. Many of them will be similar to these common interview questions, as they are generally pretty standard. Others will be more industry-specific but you can often discover what these might be with a quick search on the internet.
When you prepare and rehearse your interview answers, you should feel better-equipped. One way to practice is to ask some friends to help you with a mock interview. Doing this will allow you the opportunity to role-play an interview scenario. You will be less nervous about the possibility of any hidden surprises. In addition, you won’t have to worry about flubbing your lines when you are in front of the interviewer.
Cultivate the way you look
You have probably heard the expression, when you look good you do good. It really is true. The right outfit and attention to personal grooming can make you feel more confident. Think about wearing something smart and professional and you will instantly elevate the way you feel about yourself.
Smartening yourself up in other ways can also be helpful, especially in those areas where you feel self-conscious about your looks. A common worry for many is their smile. Smiles are essential for making a good first impression at an interview. If this is something that concerns you, a trip to your local dental services will certainly help. Proper dental care is especially important if your teeth are crooked or discolored. You will then have more confidence to smile at the interview, and this will do much to win over the panel sitting in front of you.
Remember all of your good qualities
Many of us experience “what if” thoughts before an interview: What if I’m not right for the job? What if they see right through me? What if they don’t think I’m good enough? And so on and so on.
Thankfully, some of the questions you will prepare will be based on your strengths. What are you good at? Why did you apply for this job? These will give you the incentive to dwell on the positive aspects of who you are and not on your perceived flaws. So, list these, remind yourself of them whenever nerves threaten to overtake you, and use them to form a positive mindset about yourself before the interview. It’s a good idea to ask your friends and family members to verbally list your good points too as this should give you an added confidence boost.
Once you have given the interviewer a chance to get through all of their questions for you, you can turn things around and ask them questions. This strategy not only allows you to learn more about the role but it also shows that you are interested and have done your homework. Try asking these questions of the interviewer: What does a typical day look like in this position? Can you tell me what qualities make a person successful in this job? How do you reward success at this organization?
Will you be super-confident at the interview if you use these tips? Maybe. However, there are other things you can do to overcome your nerves, such as learning breathing exercises that can calm you. So, commit to research to learn more about these and other useful techniques to help you overcome your pre-interview jitters.
