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Keeping your cool during an interview
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A lot of people have really great resumes packed with an amazing GPA from a great school, a plethora of internships and work experience, a phenomenal study abroad experience, and multiple leadership positions. However, as I mention in a previous article, the interview can be the determining factor in securing a job. No wonder most people get tripped up on the interview process – everything is riding on it.
There are a select few who are very good at interviewing (and actually enjoy it - like myself).
Unfortunately, that is not the truth for most people. I have had people hyperventilate, develop bright red hives, and break out into borderline offensive sweats during interviews. I’ve had friends tell me that they have had nightmares and anxiety attacks before their interviews. That is not conducive for you to have a great job sealing interview, but here are few tips to help you out.
1. Know Thyself - It is important that you are fully aware of everything that is on your resume and that you are able to speak about them in a way that showcases your skills, qualifications, and capabilities. I have interviewed someone before and asked them to give me an example of when they had to sell someone on a product or idea. They froze up and said they didn’t have any sales experience, yet they worked in a retail store for 4 years. You put things on your resume to show that you are qualified for a particular position, make sure you can back it up.
2. Think before you speak – Not only is this important in an interview, it is also important in your daily interactions with people. You want to present yourself in the most positive light as possible during your interviews. Besides your appearance, what you say during an interview can immediately tarnish your credibility and professionalism. When you are asked a question, before you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Take a moment, replay the question in your head, take a deep breath, and then answer. It is okay to stop and gather your thoughts before answering a question, because you are being evaluated heavily on everything that you say.
3. Get to the point – This goes along with thinking before you speak, because if you take your time to answer the questions you won’t find yourself rambling. Many people spend so much time worrying about they are going to say that they do not actively listen to the questions and when it is time for them to respond, they get what I like to call “Diarrhea of the Mouth.” We’ve all been there where a simple question is asked and we go on unrelated tangents and five minutes later, we ultimately never answer the question that was asked. Make sure that you answer the questions that are being asked and lay off the random babbling.
4. Be yourself – Use this time to let your personality shine through during the interview. Your interviewers also want to know who you are and if they could you fitting in with the company culture and getting along with other employees in the office. If you seem dry, uptight, and nervous, that could signal a red (they are socially awkward) flag. So take a deep breath and not only wow them with your great experience and qualifications, but show them that you would be a true asset to the company.
Good luck and happy interviewing!
