Until...

One of the things I do when I am coaching someone on their interviewing skills is to start with a list of things they most fear or find most disconcerting about an interview. It's really interesting to hear clients' responses, some of which include:

Not knowing how to answer questions

Being asked why I am no longer employed

Talking about myself - period

Not feeling confident

Why I've had so many different jobs

Not knowing my strengths

Not knowing my weaknesses

Not having a college degree

Why my grades aren't all that good

Coming across like I'm desperate

What are your fears, if any, when it comes to interviewing? Do you relate to any of these concerns stated above? Listed below are five ideas to consider if you find yourself getting anxious about an interview, regardless of what your particular concern might be:

1. Strike the word "interview" from your vocabulary. Think: meeting; you've been going to meetings for years; view this as nothing more, nothing less than another meeting. Think: conversation with a purpose; you're there to learn about them and they're there to learn about you. It's a mutual exchange; it's a shared purpose. Think: chance to succeed versus chance to fail. Keep thinking that way until you get hired.

2. Approach your meeting with an upbeat, positive attitude. Sure, there will be lots of candidates who look similar on paper...distinguish yourself with words -- words that you intentionally choose to brand, market, promote, and share about yourself. Keep your word selection purposeful and positive; speak with energy and confidence! Smile!

3. Make it easy for the interviewer to learn about you; few people have time today to drag information out of you. Freely educate, teach and train others about you and the value you offer to them, delivering information in an organized, efficient manner. Practice too much!

4. Keep your responses relevant, essential and in support of the question asked. Say what you want to say with clarity and conviction, then stop talking. Insert a period. Think: PowerPoint...the fewer words the better.

5. Don't take the bait. By that I mean, if the interviewer says to you "Bet you're really angry about losing your job when the market is so bad," do not say "yes" and go off on a tangent of explaining how terrible things are for you right now. You will dig yourself a nice little ditch in which you probably won't be able to get yourself out of during your time together.

While there are many strategies to integrate into your presentation to a hiring manager (the person who can delete you or move you forward), do not give up, regardless of the number of times you've been rejected. Do not give up on yourself or the people with the power to hire you and help you. As my friend says, stay in the hunt until...

posted by: billiesucher

Comments

[Alan Levinson]

I have seen lots of new graduates also express the fears listed in your post.

Another way to "re-name" the interview would be to use "job discussion". I like this term for the emphasis it places on "dialogue" or 2-way conversation.

Good disucssions require each to be ready to offer valuable information, so that doesn't get the candidate off the hook for preparation.

BUT, if the candidate also prepares strong questions to ask, more focus can be placed by both parties on the POSITION responsibilities. Then the candidate can take time to craft answers to meet the needs that emerge.

[Zachary Farina]

There is one other curve-ball that HR people throw at applicants: They bluff. They insinuate that they have uncovered info and want your perspective.
I used badreferences.com to find out what my past employer tells potential employers. Now, when I enter an interview (meeting), I know exactly what my potential employer knows. I can't be bluffed.

[billiesucher]

Alan, thanks for the tip of "job discussion." I really like that! Excellent! And Zachary...good addition on the bluff comment and the badreferences.com mention! I'll check it out. To both of you, thanks so much for your thoughts! ~ BRS

[The Medical Sales Recruiter]

Great advice. Sometimes candidates do run across jerks in the interview process, but for the most part, managers are trying to do the best that they can to get the best person for their job. It is hard to swallow when you are unemployed, but people that are jerks in the interview process will be jerks to work for. Any smart manager knows that it is a small world and if they treat people poorly, it will come back to haunt them.