Be Yourself On Interviews

Interviews are stressful and scary. Will they like you? Will you wear the right thing, say the right thing, or just get the whole thing right? When I speak to my clients about why they did not get a job they wanted, they tell me they were nervous. They could do the job and do it well, but the interviewer didn't see it. Or, them. If this is happening to you, and companies aren't seeing the real you, it's because you are not showing it to them. It's important to be yourself on interviews. If you pretend to be someone else, or employers do not see the real you, you may (or may not) get the job, but it won't be too long before you are looking for another one. So, How Can You Be Yourself? Follow These 4 Steps Below. 1. Let Go of Fear If you are more concerned with getting it right, then you will end up getting it wrong. Interviews are a two way street. Employers see if they like you and you see if you like them. If you just want to be "selected" for the job, then you don't get to shine. Let go of what could happen wrong and focus on what on could go right. You are perfect for the job. You know it in your gut. So go in there and show them what you got. It's OK to be afraid; you just don't want that fear to get in the way. 2. Prepare, Over-Prepare, and Then Let It Go It's important to prepare for an interview. You want to know about the company, what they do, and what you can do to help them reach their goals. But at some point, preparation stops and you take over. Think about a time you had a challenging situation at work. You thought about the solution and came up with a way to tackle the problem. But at some point, you had to let that all go, and "you" took over. That's when you were the most effective. You can't plan for everything, so don't. Trust that you will do great on your interview, and you will be able to handle whatever unexpected challenge comes your way. Your reward for trusting yourself, and being yourself, is a successful interviewing experience. 3. Be Helpful Everyone wants to be seen as someone who can do a job well. But if the interview is only about you, and you are only concerned about you, the interviewer will be wondering about them. Take the focus off yourself and instead put your energies on the person you are talking to. Find out about them; what they want and what's important to them. Sometimes when I debrief a client after an interview, I ask what the interviewer struggled with the most. Most don't know. When you go into helpful mode, you forget about yourself, and your concentration shifts to the other person. This is when the real you comes out. 4. Ask Questions Interviews are a give and take. You are asked questions and then you ask questions in return. Answers to your questions help you feel better. And, they take the edge off. Most people are afraid of the unknown. Although you may want the job on paper, the company, its policies, and the people who work there are unknown to you. Questions help you get answers that put you at ease. And when you are calmer, the real you can come out.