Interviews can be nerve wrecking for some people; and even the most hardy of us can get a little jittery to the build up of that dreaded moment, not to mention during the interview itself. Many reasons can contribute to preventing us from staying calm: we want the job so badly: “it is my dream job”; or we have to market ourselves: “I am an introvert, I hate talking about myself”; or we have to discuss weakness or negative experiences: “it is not my fault I got fired!”
The best way to have a successful interview is to prepare for it, stay focused during the interview, and be yourself. Here are some tips to help you stay calm.
The Interviewer Is a Person Like You
Yes, unless some alien has possessed the person sitting across from you during an interview, the interviewer is just a person as fallible as you. Think about this for a moment. The person has emotions like you, has a job to do—to make sure right person is hired, and will probably make snap judgments about you. Would this be any different if the roles were reversed?
So always be polite, cordial, and professional. Look for openings to smile and talk enthusiastically about your passions and motivations. Be honest and open, so that you can be yourself and talk freely.
Listen Carefully
Everyone thinks they are good listeners, but reality tells a different story. Even if you are not interrupting or cutting off someone, are you listening keenly to what is being said or asked? Or are you already thinking about your response before the interviewer has finished speaking? Or worse yet, has your mind drifted to something irrelevant, like the salary you want to negotiate when you are still supposed to be discussing your skills?
Listening is an art on its own, but for the purpose of an interview, keep it simple. Focus on the interviewer’s words, pay attention to what they mean and understand what is being asked. Listening also means paying attention to their body language. If both of you are “talking” with your hands, smiling, sitting upright but not stiffly and so on, then there is a good chemistry between you.
Think Before You Speak
I cannot stress this enough, after listening carefully, digest what has been said and formulate an appropriate response before speaking. This shows the interviewer that you have paid attention, understood the question, thought about it, and that you take it seriously.
Do not try to impress with what you say; instead, show who you are and show your capabilities. Be clear, be direct and speak from the heart.
We All Make Mistakes
We really do. It is how we deal with mistakes that matter.
When you do not understand a question and respond “wrongly”, apologize and simply state you misunderstood the question. Then respond to the actual question as you know understand it.
When you are stuck because you loose your thread of thought, just state that you lost your thread of thought. Either the interviewer will repeat the question or the last thing you said, or he/she will move on to the next question.
When you realize you are doing any of the following: sitting with crossed arms, slouching, not making eye contact, frowning, staring, frozen stiff and so on, immediately shift your position to a relaxed and friendly position. Then carry on with the conversation and smile.
Ultimately, to keep a calm attitude during an interview, you need to be prepared. Focus on the upcoming task beforehand. Remember all the necessary details like listening carefully, body language, politeness and so on, and accept that you are bound to make mistakes. Read the job description thoroughly and prepare mentally how to connect your skills and experience (or education) to what is required of you—just enough that you are not stuck (but beware of over-rehearsing, as that sounds more like a script than a natural conversation). In the end, if you are a good fit for the job, you will be asked to return and if not, then that is okay too. Keep searching. Every interview is a new experience, and every person is different—that goes for the interviewer and for you.
By: Samir Rawas Sarayji