Are you afraid of an interview?
Have you ever experienced elevated heartbeat, sweaty palms, inability to focus, and nervousness before an interview?
The interview process for getting a job is one of the most uncomfortable experiences for many people. This is especially true if you have never undergone the process before, or it has been a long time.
Keep in mind that there are many factors that go into the hiring process, and confidence is a significant factor among them. You can shape the interview outcome by maintaining proper confidence from the time you enter the room until you leave.
Following are six strategies to stay confident during the interview and reduce nervousness to increase your chance of a successful outcome.
1. Maintain Eye Contact
A great way to boost confidence is to maintain eye contact with the person speaking to you. By engaging with their eyes, you can relate with them and answer them with greater confidence.
By listening and speaking while maintaining eye contact, you will feel more confident.
2. Deep Breaths
If you are feeling stressed before the interview, take a few deep breaths. This will help you relieve excess stress. This is a job interview. You are not trying to disarm a nuclear device. Lives will not be lost if you do not get the job.
So, keep things in their proper perspective and take a few deep breaths before going in.
3. Dress to Impress
Being confident in your appearance will show during the interview. This means that you should dress for the occasion. Ask your interviewer what is their dress code and then arrive in the appropriate attire.
Before leaving for the interview, check to see that your clothes are clean and in good condition. Check your hair and correct any small issue before walking into the interview. Once inside, your good appearance will speak volumes for you.
4. Give your 100 percent
It’s important that you give it your all when you are in the interview. This means that you want to leave nothing behind. One of the biggest regrets that many people experience is when they leave the interview feeling that they did not give it their all. Do not be one of those people.
Instead, channel your fear into positive energy, so you can be at the top of your game when you are being interviewed.
5. Say, “I do not know.”
One of the biggest mistakes that many people make when being interviewed is pretending to know an answer when they do not know. It not only affects the interview; it saps away at your confidence. The answer to the questions that you do not know is simple.
Say, “I do not know.”
It’s okay to not know the answers to all the questions that will be asked. Of course, you should be familiar with the basic requirements of the job. But not knowing the answer to some questions is not a big deal.
Answering when you have no clue will dampen your impression in front of the interviewer. Instead, admitting that you do not know is a better choice.
6. What Can You Contribute?
Confidence comes from your abilities and your belief in how you can contribute to the workplace. Before the interview, learn a little more about the company and the job that you are trying to obtain. Look for areas in which you can contribute and keep them at the forefront of your mind during the interview.
Remember, you may not be the best qualified in terms of experience, but you may have attributes that the company needs for this specific job.
From learning new skills to working longer hours to your ability to work with others are all things you can contribute to the company.
Knowing about your abilities and your strengths give you confidence and help you to crack interviews.
Always remember, “Confidence is the key. Sometimes, you need to look like you’re confident even when you’re not.”
