You have finally gotten a call for the long awaited interview.
You’ve been applying for jobs for months.
You’ve been struggling to get the attention of certain companies for a long time.
And finally, a breakthrough has come. You’ve been called for an interview at a company you admire.
What should be your attitude?
A) You are filled with dread and fear as the interview date approaches. You feel if you don’t get this job, it’s the end of the world.
B) You say to yourself: “I will try my best. I am qualified and I have confidence. But if I don’t get this job, I can always try again and find something else. There are plenty of jobs there I am qualified for.”
C) other (post in comments)
The problem is that most people are in the first category. They go to a job interview as if it’s a life and death matter; that if they don’t get that job, it’s the end of the world, and they won’t have another chance.
This causes you to be nervous and stressed. The interview turns into a fear zone and you become terror-stricken.
You may also feel subordinate to the interviewer instead of as an equal, which is usually the cause of all the negative feelings.
You become a nervous wreck: palms sweating, hands twirling, words stuttering.
The result is a less than optimal interview, with you underperforming than you normally would.
And of course, you don’t make the impression needed to get the job.
A lot of people go through this experience in job interviews.
And this becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
Your fear of the situation makes you underperform, causing you to miss an opportunity.
Past failures then affect future interviews, making you dread the occasion.
The issue is that this makes success in a job interview very difficult.
How can you change this?
Here are some tips:
1. See the interviewer as your equal. The hiring company needs you as much as you need the job. This is an exchange of benefits and no one is doing you a favor.
2. Think of the interview as one of many and you can always apply to other jobs and get more interviews lined up.
3. Keep in mind the needs of the employing company, your skills that will help the employer achieve their goals, and remember what your skills are worth in the job market.
By having the right mindset and knowing your worth, you can ace any interview with confidence and also get the job package you desire.
