When you're REALLY nervous for a job interview, it can work against you. You might not realize it, but your nervousness can actually make you overcompensate and appear arrogant, which can hurt your first impression. Instead of risking looking overconfident during interviews, apply these tips.
Talk About Your Mentors
If you're worried you'll sound like you're bragging during an interview, take some of the focus off of you by talking about your mentors. Show them that you're open to new perspectives and respect the expertise of others. This will take some of the pressure off you and highlight that you're willing to learn from others (A.K.A, you're probably not a know-it-all).
Ask Great Questions
One sign of looking arrogant is talking too much about yourself. Yes, you're expected to talk about yourself during interviews, but the best interviews are two-way conversations between interviewee and the interviewer. When you do this, you appear more interested and genuinely excited about what they have to say. So, pepper in some insightful questions about the role, company, or the interviewer.
Find Your Self-Confidence
The truth is, if you're overcompensating, you're trying to make up for that lack a lack of self-confidence. And that lack of confidence contributes to that overwhelming nervousness you're feeling. So, find ways to increase your self-confidence. Whether it's showcasing your strengths or passion for the industry, find a way to boost your self-confidence.
Don't let "accidental arrogance" kill an opportunity. Use these tips to nail that first impression!
Are you in the process of searching for a new job but can't seem to get the callbacks you want? You could be making some big job search mistakes. Don't worry, though! We can help you identify what you're doing wrong in your job search, and how to fix it. Here are seven common mistakes job seekers make:
1. The Aimless Search
If you're sending out resumes without knowing what your ideal job is, you're wasting your valuable time. So, before shipping off another application, be sure to sit down and define what type of job you're looking for. This way, you'll have a more focused search and can create a goal-oriented resume to match.
2. Bad Interviewing Habits
Do you have bad interviewing habits? In other words, do you assume you're on a first-name basis with interviewers? Or do you slouch in your seat? If so, be sure to learn about appropriate body language and ways to address interviews so that you can always come across as a confident candidate with plenty to offer.
3. Bad-Mouthing A Previous Employer
Many interviewees get stuck with the question, "Why did you leave your previous employer?" While you may want to say that your previous boss was a jerk, this is not the time or place to mention it. So if you're asked this question, just say you were looking for new opportunities to broaden your horizon.
4. Not Attending Job Fairs
While job fairs may feel like impersonal functions for individuals who are desperate for work, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, some great networking opportunities can be found at job fairs, not just with company representatives but other job fair attendees.
5. Wearing Unprofessional Attire
When interviewing, company representatives are watching your every move, including how you're dressed. If your attire is too casual, sexy, or plain outrageous, your amazing resume or interviewing skills may do little to get you hired.
6. Forgetting To Follow Up
Another mistake to avoid is not following up with an employer after your interview. To make sure you remain on the employer's mind, send a follow-up e-mail of about three or four paragraphs that summarizes your skills, reiterates your eagerness to be hired, and thanks the entire staff for their time.
7. Sending An Ultra-Long Resume
Although your professional history may be so amazing that you want to share every piece of it, it's important that you avoid creating a resume that stretches out too long. By focusing on related positions and highlighting the top moments in your career, you can easily reduce your resume to two or three pages.
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to make mistakes when conducting your job search. The good news is that these mistakes are avoidable if you are aware of them. By following the tips above, you'll find job search success in no time!
It's completely normal to feel nervous before a job interview. But once you're face-to-face with the interviewer, you know you'll succeed. You're qualified. You meet all the requirements for the position. And...you really want the job. Your nerves will go away because you have confidence in yourself.
But, what if those nerves worsen once your interview begins? What if you struggle to stay confident during job interviews?
When you lack confidence in yourself, hiring managers pick up on that quickly, and it can greatly hurt your chances of receiving a job offer. Here are three tips to help you stay confident in a job interview.
1. Write Down All Your Answers (And Read Them Out Loud!)
Interviewing, like everything else in our lives, becomes easier once it feels like a habit—something that we do all the time without overthinking it. The best way to make an interview feel natural and conversational is to practice.
Write down all of your answers to as many interview questions as you can. Then, read them out loud. Read them until you could say them in your sleep (that's when you know you're prepared!).
This will not only help you feel confident answering difficult interview questions, but it will also help you identify which answers you need to work on.
2. Visualize Your Interview Success
If you can visualize yourself succeeding in a job interview, your actions will follow. It's not really "faking it until you make it." It's more like conditioning your body to think of a job interview as a positive experience, rather than a negative one. Turn that nervousness into excitement!
Visualization is one of the keys to being more confident in your interviews. When it comes time to shake the hand of the hiring manager, it'll feel like you've done the interview a thousand times, because in your head, you have!
3. Do A Mock Interview With A Friend
Practicing the interview beforehand is a great way to gain confidence. By doing a mock interview with a friend or colleague, you'll get the feedback you need to ensure you're going into the job interview polished and well-prepared. Your friend can offer constructive criticism and some much-needed words of encouragement.
Never do a mock interview with a family member. Your family is very biased. When you do a mock interview with a family member, they are often either overly critical or complimentary, both of which won't do anything to help your confidence and performance when you get to the actual job interview.
Friends and colleagues, on the other hand, will give you honest feedback. They'll challenge you to perform better. Some professionals have a hard time taking feedback without taking it personally, and that's okay.
Just think of the feedback from your mock interview as feedback that will help you feel more confident when the big day comes—feedback that will ultimately help you land a job.
Everyone is more confident when they're comfortable. These three tips will help you stay confident in your next job interview and feel comfortable answering any questions the hiring manager decides to throw at you.
Acing an interview is easy when it feels like second nature!
