Be Self Confident for Job Interviews

It can be difficult being confident going into an interview, knowing that there may be a dozen or more applicants interviewing for the same position. Possessing self assurance is key if you want to help make yourself stand out from the crowd. Luckily, techniques like properly preparing for an interview, using good speaking skills, and utilizing confident body language in the interview can help you make the winning first impression you need to secure your dream job.

Steps

Preparing for an Interview

1. Spruce up your resume. Although you will most likely have submitted a copy of your resume already as a part of the application process, be sure that your resume is completely up-to-date with all relevant employment history, skills, and educational history. Your resume should be clear, concise, typo- and grammar error-free, and possess a consistent format.
   • Bring 2-3 copies of your resume printed on resume or linen paper in case something happens to the first copy or you end up being interviewed by multiple people at the same time.
2. Research the company. Hopefully you knew a little something about the company before you threw your resume out there, but in case you didn't, get to know them before you interview. Look them up on a search engine for a history and more information. Look for a business profile on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or the company website to get a feel for what the business is about and how current or former employees feel about working there. You can even look for them in headlines in the news to find out what current projects they might be undertaking.
   • Before you go into the interview, you should know who founded the company, when it was founded, who the current CEO is, what industry the business is in, and what the business's mission statement is.
   • Take notes about key information you find while researching and review it repeatedly so that you'll have it memorized before the interview.
3. Research interview questions. Although you cannot know for sure what questions you will be asked on an interview, you can take a guess. There are numerous websites that have compiled the top 10 all the way up to the top 100 questions asked in interviews. You can familiarize yourself with questions such as "Why do you want to work for us," and "What is your greatest weakness," instead of being blindsided by them.
   • Some websites will even give you tips and concrete examples for how you can try answering them.
4. Prepare and rehearse your answers. Once you have in mind the questions you might be asked, you can start formulating answers that are unique to your individual experience. Put them in writing to help yourself make your thoughts concrete and succinct. Practice saying them aloud so that you can iron out lengthy pauses, filler words (more on that later), and awkward phrasing.
   • It might also be helpful to look for a partner who can ask you questions, especially if they have industry or hiring experience.
5. Pick appropriate clothes. Before you even open your mouth, you are making a first visual impression, so it's critical that you are sending the message that you are serious about this position. Although there is no exact formula for what to wear, it's generally agreed upon that you should dress for success. Wear clothes for a position one or two steps above what you're aiming for: a crisp dress suit will very rarely steer you wrong.
   • Make sure that your clothes are clean, pressed, and as close to wrinkle-free as possible.
   • If you wear a skirt, be sure to wear hose with it.
   • You do not need to wear designer clothing by any means, but be sure that what you're wearing fits properly. If it doesn't, take it to a tailor.
   • If it's been a long time since you last went on an interview, consider going shopping to see what the current styles are, or seeking the help of a styling expert to be sure that your look is appropriately fresh.
6. Hide piercings, tattoos, and unusual hair coloring. Although it may turn out to be just fine to have body piercings in places other than your ears, visible tattoos, or non-natural hair colors, you won't know that until you have the opportunity to discuss office dress code. For the interview, you should aim to show that you can appear professional when need be, and that means removing or hiding casual expressions of individuality.
   • If your job is for a non-traditional work place like a tattoo or piercing parlor, this may not apply.
7. Freshen up. Although it should be obvious to do so, make sure that you have taken a shower, washed your hair, brushed your teeth, and are wearing deodorant for your interview. If you suddenly realize as you're walking into the office that you smell bad, you're probably going to lose your confidence before you actually shake hands with anyone. Worse, you may give your potential employers the impression that you're an unkempt individual.
   • Be sure that if you usually wear perfume or cologne that you keep it very light: some people are very sensitive or have allergies to strong, artificial scents.
   • If you smoke, consider avoiding doing so before the interview. Some people are allergic to it or dislike the smell, and it is strong enough that it can linger on you and your clothes hours afterwards.
8. Trial run your look. Maybe you're not used to wearing high heels, or perhaps you don't usually wear makeup, or maybe you forgot that your pantsuit has a tear in one of the legs. No matter the case, practice makes perfect, and you'll want to make sure you know exactly how everything actually looks on you before the day of the interview.
   • Make sure that the clothes you're wearing are clothes you will be comfortable and capable of moving in; you don't want to wear shoes that you can't walk in or pants that are too tight to sit down in.
9. Figure out directions and drive time. Use a computer or your phone to map out your route to your interview in advance. You'll want to know how long it will take you to get there. Waze, Google Maps, and Map Quest will all work; if you use Google Maps on your computer, you can change your start or arrival time to figure out how long it will take there at the approximate time of day you'll be traveling.
   • Be sure to give yourself an extra 15 to 30 minutes to arrive. There's an old saying that you should always aim to be five or ten minutes early and if you're on time, you're actually late; this is especially true for interviews. Plus, if you're running late due to traffic, an accident, or getting lost, you'll be adding a lot of avoidable stress.
   • If you end up early by 30 minutes or more to your appointment, wait in your car or a lobby area and use the time to prep yourself for the interview. If you show up too early, you may end up inconveniencing the office.
10. Engage in positive self-talk. Both directly before and during the preparation in the days before you go to the interview, start to talk yourself up for it. Tell yourself that you're the best candidate for the job, and tell yourself why, like citing your years of experience in the field or your willingness to work hard. By focusing on the positives and refusing to give into the negatives, you can give yourself a genuine confidence boost that only you can.
    • Tell yourself things like, "I'm an employee that works well under pressure and is extremely adaptable. In the five years I've worked in the financial industry, I have never missed a deadline and been trusted with important accounts and projects. My last boss told me I saved the firm."
    • You can draw on your resume for skills, strength, and past experiences.
    • Write down a list of positive traits about yourself.
    • Ask friends, former coworkers, or fellow peers from school what qualities they admire about you as a person and a worker.
11. Play power music. On the drive to your interview, listen to music that makes you feel inspired or confident. It's very difficult to feel nervous when there is an upbeat tune with positive lyrics playing in the background. It will make the trip more fun and help you to get rid of the negative, nervous attitude that understandably can crop up during the job hunting process. It may be especially helpful to sing along.
    • Alternatively, listen to inspirational quotes or watch funny videos on youtube--do anything that will help you to relax and feel more upbeat before going in.
12. Try some breathing exercises. A lot of nervous energy comes from feeling like a situation is out of our control. So finding something that you can easily control can be very soothing. Breathing is one such thing; by focusing on the act of breathing and controlling exactly how you want it done, you can take your busy mind off of your other stresses and start to relax.
    • Take a deep, slow breath through your nose, and release it slowly through your mouth, not unlike breathing techniques used in labor. Repeat this action at least three times, if not more, while trying to center and calm your thoughts.
    • Because this action is not very noticeable, you can actually use it during your interview if you start to feel anxious again.
13. Know that you are qualified. Back when you submitted your resume, at least one, if not several, employees in HR looked over your resume and saw potential in the listed qualities. Hiring managers usually receive dozens if not hundreds of resumes for positions, so if you have been selected for the opportunity for the interview, realize that someone already believes in you. If it doesn't work out, you haven't "failed," you've simply been given another opportunity.
14. Think of it as practice. Remember that whether or not you succeed in getting an offer for this job, you have an opportunity to practice here. If you don't get things perfect, you've been given an opportunity to see what works and what doesn't work and refine your presentation. It is not a life or death matter, and especially if you live in a big city, there will be more opportunities.

Using Good Speaking Skills

1. Ask good questions. An interview is an opportunity for you to find out information about the position and the company that you can't get elsewhere. Coming prepared with a good list of questions shows the interviewer that you're interested in learning more about the position and that you are serious about the job. It also shows you're not afraid to ask questions and willing to do some legwork of your own to get answers.
   • What kinds of benefits do they offer?
   • What's the dress code?
   • What are they looking for from the person to fill the position?
2. Use your listening skills. An interview is essentially a conversation, and you will likely need to adapt some of what you have previously rehearsed to fit properly. Carefully listen to their questions and the answers to any questions you pose so that you can use that information to your advantage.
   • Anxious people often feel the urge to fill silences or to talk too much; try to keep your talking points filtered down to one idea if possible to avoid rambling and to allow the interviewer plenty of speaking time.
   • Try finding out what an employer is looking for and needs and trying to sell yourself as being a fit; "I'm so glad you're looking for an employee that is happy doing filing work and working independently. At my last job, I had a large project that involved completely reorganizing the office's filing. In addition to self-starting and managing my time and prioritization with other projects, I also regularly would ask what else I could do once I completed my tasks."
3. Avoid filler words. Words like "uhm," "ah" and "well" are what we call filler words. They don't add anything to a conversation or mean anything, they exist solely to give us more time to think. This can show hesitancy or nervousness. This is why it's important that you practice what you will say on an interview first as much as possible.
4. Don't lie. Interviews are about selling yourself, not who you would like to be. Usually as part of the hiring process you have to sign a document that states you haven't lied on your application and that you can be fired if it is discovered you falsified information. For your own peace of mind during the interview and later down the road, it is better to be truthful. If you didn't do something or don't have a certain set of experience, just admit it.
5. Spin the negatives. As much as possible, you want to give your interviewer the impression that you are a confident, positive person. So even if you have to respond to a question negatively, or there is no positive answer, to try to think of ways to turn it around.
   • If you don't know how to use a certain program or piece of equipment, say "No, I've never used that and I don't know how, but I taught myself how to use all of these others, and I'm a very fast learner."
   • If you don't have experience for a certain job responsibility, say accounting, say, "No, I don't have any experience as a bookkeeper or an accountant, but I do do all of my own taxes and I balance my own checkbook. I also have some limited knowledge of Quickbooks and experience with Excel, so I'm sure I could learn."

Utilizing Confident Body Language

1. Greet your interviewer. This is the first time meeting your potential employer, so it's important to make a good, polite, and friendly impression. Make sure that when your interviewer comes into the room you stand up. Be sure to smile and be sure to reach out for a good, proper handshake, which should involve a firm, but not aggressive, grip and two solid shakes. Say hello, smile, and make good eye contact.
   • Make sure that your hand pumps are not too aggressive and that your grip is not too tight, as this can give the impression that you are needlessly controlling or a bully.
   • Similarly, do not give a weak or totally limp handshake (sometimes referred to as a "dead fish" handshake) as this gives off the impression that you are timid, weak, and uninterested. It can also communicate that you don't really want to touch the interviewer, which is insulting.
2. Maintain good posture. Standing or sitting tall with your head held high and your shoulders back reflects inner confidence, power, and status. Meanwhile, slouching can look anxious or sloppy. Your legs should be spread far apart and centrally balanced when standing so that you don't look like you might want to run away.
3. Maintain good eye contact. While it's important not to stare and you may be shy, it's expected that you should maintain good eye contact. This shows that you're paying attention to them and not thinking about something else. Try making sure that every time you look at someone, you can take note of the color of their eyes to improve eye contact.
4. Stay relaxed and still. Twitching or dancing feet, hands that don't stop moving (aka fidgeting), and making extremely wide gestures can make you come across as nervous or agitated. Try to keep your gestures while talking smaller, and particularly when you are silent remain as still as possible.
5. Remember to smile. Frowning communicates negative feelings, and even an unsmiling but not frowning face may indicate that you are tense or struggling. Smiling is friendly and will help you build camaraderie with your interviewer because it is contagious; it also shows that you're upbeat and happy to be present. You might even find that smiling will help you feel better.

Warnings

• If you encounter a question that you are not prepared for, do not blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, carefully pause and give yourself a moment to collect your thoughts before proceeding, keeping in mind that you should only try to express one idea at a time.

Related Articles

• Prepare for a Job Interview
• Leave a Job Interview in a Manner Which Increases Your Chance of Success
• Use Creative Visualization to Get a Job

Sources and Citations

See also

• Conduct a Detailed Interview
• Avoid Asking Bad Interview Questions
• Take Control in Your Interview
• Prepare for a Technical Interview
• Prepare for an Interview
• Show Your Personality in an Interview
• Improve Non Verbal Communication for an Interview
• Answer Questions on a Structured Oral Interview
• Practice for an Interview
• Conduct an In Person Interview

Read more ...

What links here

• Succeed at Psychometric Tests
• Ask for a Job Interview
• Pass a Job Interview
• Ace a Job Interview (Teenage Girls)