Five Uncommon Interviewing Hacks I Use To Overcome My Fears
Become an interview pro by using these techniques to your advantage
Interviewing for a job is never fun for many professionals. You do all you can to get yourself to the point of finally meeting your potential employer, and then you begin to panic.
You begin to fret about whether your performance will impress the panel. Cold sweat starts pouring down your skin as the interview date gets closer. It’s like finally getting to meet a blind date after a couple of weeks of talking online.
If you feel this way, then congratulations! You are not alone in this situation.
Despite attending many interviews during my career, I still feel a bit nervous. Although, they are well under control these days, as I have a few hacks to overcome easily.
I hope these techniques will help you as I share them with you.
Come with me.
1 — Prepare! Prepare!! Prepare!!!
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” — Arthur Ashe
I wish there were other secrets before this one.
None, unfortunately.
There are no two better to reduce your interview fears other than putting in the effort to prepare for the interview.
The more prepared you are, the more confident you become and the less you feel scared.
Always put preparation above anything else. Prepare by putting in your best. Work towards it like it’s the first and last interview in your career.
- Research the company
- Research the role
- Research the panel.
- Find out everything you can about the role
2 — Push The Pressure To The Other Side
“If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.”
— T. Harv Eker
I will share a premium technique you don’t hear often.
Most candidates believe they are the ones who need to do well. They imagine they are the ones who need to impress the other party.
They begin to do all their homework to ensure they impress the panel and come off strong after the interview.
I will tell you an insider secret.
Employers are also under pressure to perform.
They want to ensure they get the perfect hire for the organization. They have put money into the recruitment process and want to reward the investments.
A hire who does not eventually perform will do them no good.
Why?
They must start the process again. This process takes a lot of time and effort. I have been on the inside arranging interviews and can tell you that hiring managers and HR are doing all they can to ensure they deliver a great candidate.
Here is my point:
There is pressure on the other side. Use it to your advantage. Push the pressure to the employers. I intend to relax better once I have this understanding. It calms my nerves, and I eventually do well in the interviews.
Give it a try.
3 — Imagine The Worst-Case Scenario
“I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.” — Charles Swindoll
In the end, you want to get the job, right? I know. We all want a positive outcome after an interview. We want to receive the golden “Offer Letter” email,
An interview process can go two ways: you get hired or don’t.
Worst case scenario, you don’t, and you keep interviewing.
Imagining the worst-case scenario works for me. It helps to calm my nerves.
Therefore, continue to accept interview invitations while interviewing. This way, you don’t commit yourself to a job you are yet to land.
4 — Practice Important Questions
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” ― Abraham Lincoln
We are in the century when certain things are predictable
Job interview questions are one of them.
If you have attended a couple of interviews, you‘d have probably observed a common theme. Certain questions are constant. These are questions that often begin and end an interview.
For example, you’d most likely be asked:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you a great fit for the job?
- Do you have any questions for us?
Practicing these recurring and important questions before the interview will give you an edge and help improve your confidence levels.
I have realized that the more prepared I am for an interview, the less I panic. So, I encourage you to do likewise.
5 — Assume The Panel Are Your Friends And Engage With Them Properly
Going for an interview can be stressful. Another strategy to calm my nerves is to assume the interview board is my friend. This technique helps me improve my confidence since my mindset has a picture of entering a room where my friends are waiting for me.
Once you have this belief, I can communicate and engage with them like friends. This interview is no longer one-sided but two-sided. I make it more engaging by asking interesting questions as I answer the questions from the panel.
Finishing Up
Attending interviews is like getting on the seat. For many of us, it’s not so much fun.
I have not come across anyone who enjoys interviewing for jobs.
An upcoming interview can cause you to lose sleep.
Take it easy. You can be in control by preparing, pushing the pressure to the other side, imagining the worst-case scenario, and practicing key questions.
Let me know what other strategies work for you.