I was chatting with a former student who was going for their interview, and they were quite nervous. Nerves and job interviews go together – it’s normal to be nervous, particularly if this is a job you really want, or your bank account is beginning to look mighty slim! It’s not enough to just get your resume seen – the point of the resume is to land you the interview after all and that means it’s the interview that will determine whether you get the job. No wonder people are bundles of nerves!
Handling interviews like a pro means doing a few things: Reframing what you think of when you think of an interview, and then preparing for it and being ready to stick to the topic at hand: the job and what you bring to the table. But if this sounds too ambiguous for you, read on!
Reframe the Interview in Your Head
I firmly believe, after many years of listening to people freak out about their interviews, that a major reason we feel that way is because we feel like we are going to endure twenty to sixty minutes of being judged, perhaps by several people. That thought is really enough to turn anyone’s head and make their stomach erupt in butterflies.
Time for a reframe!
First of all, it’s important to note that most interviewers are just as worried about this as you are. They aren’t having to worry about their job (er, probably), but they are on the hook from their employer to make sure they hire the right person. They may not be well trained on the interview process, worried about sounding stupid, or even saying something illegal! It may even be something they are extremely uncomfortable doing – as uncomfortable as you are in fact.
The other thing you can start reframing is the idea that you are being judged. A better way of putting it is to think of this as part of the process to learn if the job will actually be a good fit. It’s hard to tell what a job will be like just from a job post. The interview gives you a chance to get a feel for the building, meet and greet a few of the people who work there, and get a bit of a look at what work life is like before signing on.
At this point, the interview becomes something that is more invaluable than just the job – you are not just being interviewed, you are also doing the interviewing, at least after a fashion. After all, if the interview isn’t going well or you don’t think it’s a good fit after all, you’re under no obligation to continue it or to accept a job after.
Feeling more positive?
Some Good Interview Tips
While we cannot give you the drilled down interview tips since that would involve us knowing all about what job you’re going for (and let’s face it, I’m not that good), there are some good, general tips you can use in your interview to improve your chances of landing that job.
- Mind your nonverbal communication! Good posture, eye contact, firm handshake, and a pleasant demeanor all go a long way toward improving your interview experience, even before you say a word.
- Listen more than you speak. Your interviewer will give you all kinds of information, both upfront and subtly with their body language, tone, and language used. Pay close attention and match their style and pace. And don’t talk too much – you don’t want to ramble too much or disclose things that don’t need to be disclosed. Stick to the topic at hand: the job and your ability to do it.
- Don’t appear desperate or cocky. It’s the same idea as ditching the objective statement on your resume that you want a job. Because duh you want the job, or you wouldn’t be there. They know you want the job – your job is to ensure that you display a calm, professional demeanor that would be pleasant to work with.
- Ask questions of your own. A fatal end mistake of an interview? Saying no when asked if you have any questions of your own. Assuming you were listening properly and paying attention to your surroundings, you should have questions! If nothing else, asking things like when they expect to make a decision, the types of projects that are exciting to work on, what a typical day in the life of an employee there looks like, and what that person likes about working there all shows interest in the job and an attitude of wanting to move forward with things.
And don’t feel silly about rehearsing your interview with someone ahead of time! Being able to give calm and well thought out answers to common questions is critical to mastering the interview.
Video Chat Interviews
Now, most of this stuff is pretty… traditional. How does it look in 2022? Well, there’s a chance that you’ll be doing your interview over video chat instead of in person! But being on one side of a video screen doesn’t make these tips irrelevant, it just adds another layer. When conducting video chat interviews, keep the following in mind:
- Make sure your interview is in a quiet room with neutral walls or a proper background set up on your video chat screen. Neutral is best of course!
- Triple check all of your technology ahead of time! Make sure your video works, your microphone works, and that you have a strong internet signal.
- Make sure that you can access whatever the employer is using to conduct their interviews. They should send you a link to the ‘room’ where you are to be interviewed so make sure you have easy access to it and are ready to go.
More and more companies may be doing video interviews due not only to covid concerns, but also because they can be conducted from anywhere with an internet connection and it means that potential employees don’t have to go anywhere for their interview, making the whole process a bit easier and more comfortable.
Interviews are daunting, but they don’t have to give you sleepless nights. Go in properly prepared, be calm and confident, and don’t be afraid to ask your own questions!
What was your best interview like? Any other tips to add?
