So you’ve passed the first step and scored the interview. Congratulations! Now you have to get the job. A job Interview is one of the most important stages in your hunting. Your CV stood out from the others and you got chosen, but now you have to show your real value. Interviews can be tough. You have one shot, a small amount of time and a few Q&As to convince the company that you are the perfect candidate. Stress can be tricky in these situations, and can badly affect your final result. That’s why you should get prepared in order to make your self-confidence thrive rather than shrink. Experience can help, but sometimes a high level of anxiety can make you fail despite your solid background. In order to avoid that, you will need to keep everything under control, or at least what you can.
Here you have a list of simple but effective practices to prepare yourself.
Do Your Research.
Preparation starts before the actual interview. What you can do is research the company and the role you’ll be interviewed for. Some knowledge will make you feel more comfortable and will make a good impression on the interviewer.
Apart from the company itself, you should get information about the industry. Read about the latest news on the field in order to show yourself enthusiastic about the role.
Prepare Your Answers.
As you most surely know, there are some common questions recruiters will be most likely to ask you.
Having go-to answers in the forefront of your mind will keep you calmer during the interview as you won’t be caught off guard. Of course, you can not predict all the questions they will make but at least you will know what to expect. Do not make it sound like you memorized the answers, just prepare a few talking points asguideline.
Choose The Right Outfit.
Dress for success – they said. Apart from making a good impression on your interviewer, what you wear is important for you to feel comfortable. Choose an outfit that makes you feel comfortable both in your appearance and mind. Avoid clothes and jewelry that you might fidget with during the meeting.
Clear Your Mind.
Getting to the interview with a clear mind will help you stay relaxed. Take a walk, get some fresh air. If youcan,walk to the interview location instead of dealing with the chaos of traffic.
Another good practice to relax is listening to some music. It will calm you and will even serve as a distraction for your mind. If you like, you could even listen to some motivational podcast.
Find the way that works best for you.
Plan The Journey.
If the interview is held in person in a physical location, you will need to reach the office. Make sure you know how to get there. There is always an unexpected event that causes stress such as a delayed train or a traffic jam. What you can do is do a test run of your journey. Do the route to the office before going there for the interview. You will know the exact location and avoid bad surprises. Also, remember not to go too early. Otherwise, you will be sitting in the waiting room over-thinking about your interview ahead. 5-10 minutes before is enough to make a good impression and keep you calm.
You Are The Guest.
Remember they are the ones who invited you, so they are interested in getting to know you. Try not to feel like you’re up against a judging panel. The fear of being judged can take over your confidence. See it more as a simple conversation, a two-way street. In fact, it is even a way for you to understand if you really want that role in that company. So don’t feel as you’re under interrogation, cause you have the same right to ask questions as your interviewer.
Positive Thinking.
Even if you have the feeling that it is not going really well, keep a positive attitude. When you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath to try de-stress yourself. Most importantly, remember to smile. It will make you look more comfortable and will also make you feel more upbeat.
Remember that body language affects both your and your interviewer’s overall perception of your mood. If you look confident in your moves, you will most surely feel more like that.
Interviews can be daunting, but if you manage to remain calm and show your confidence you will get through them easily. And you will get better results too.
