You’ve submitted your resume to dozens of employers, written countless cover letters and bought a bunch of nice work clothes. A few days later, you get a call. It’s the company that you wanted to work at more than anything else! Excited, you pick up the phone, eager to hear the two magic words: “you’re hired”. But that isn’t what happens. Instead, the person on the other end of the line says the one sentence that can strike fear into the heart of any job candidate: “we’d love for you to come in for an interview”.
The job interview is probably the one part of the job search process that many of us would like to skip. Something about speaking one-on-one with someone you’ve never met before and trying to answer a barrage of questions that you may have never even thought of the answers to tends to induce anxiety in many people. If you are one of those people, you’ll be happy to know that you aren’t alone. According to a study done by Harris Interactive on behalf of Everest College in 2018, 92% of Americans experience some type of anxiety before a job interview. The anxiety can stem from numerous factors, ranging from personal appearance to tough interview questions and qualifications. Luckily there are people out there who have done enough job interviews and conducted the right research in order to help those affected by pre-interview anxiety to ace their interviews and get their dream job. Some might seem a bit obvious, but others might be just what you need to overcome that nervousness and knock the interview out of the park. These are a few of the more interesting and unique pieces of advice that I’ve come across in order to put some of those pre-interview jitters at ease!
Take care of Yourself
One of the most important things to do before an interview is to make sure that you’re prepared both physically and mentally. Make sure you get enough sleep the night before, eat a good meal, take a shower or bath, or do whatever you need to do to calm your brain so you can focus on the interview.
Do Your Research
An interviewer will see you as a good fit for a position if you know about their company. Do your best to find out what the company does and how you can translate your skills into that environment. Additionally, try to keep up with company news by signing up for newsletters via email, they can provide some interesting insight to the ongoings of the company.
Reduce Stressors
The best way to reduce pre-existing stress on your mind is to plan out things ahead of time. Look at traffic updates for where your interview is and plan out the best available route to avoid getting lost or arriving late. Also make sure that you have clothes prepared for the interview instead of spending precious time the day of trying to decide what to wear. Additionally, make sure your clothes are appropriate but comfortable, because nothing can ruin strong composure quite like discomfort.
Prepare for the “Big Questions”
Two of the most common interview questions are, ironically, the same questions that cause the most anxiety: “what is your biggest weakness” and “tell me about yourself”. Luckily, these are relatively easy to prepare for. If you already have an idea of what your biggest weakness is, you’re already halfway prepared for the question. In order to give the best possible answer, you should follow up with ways that you are looking to improve on this weakness and what strategies you have previously employed to work on it. When talking about yourself, you can use what Forbes journalist John Youshael calls a “story statement”. Youshael defines the story statement as the Cliff Notes of your autobiography. It doesn’t just give them an idea of your professional background, but also your personal story as well, which can provide a better understanding between you and the interviewer.
Ask the Final Question
The most interesting tip I found came from John Youshael’s Forbes article “12 Surprising Job Interview Tips”, the tip being to ask the final question of the interview: “Have I said anything in this interview or given you any other reason to doubt that I am a good fit for the role?” Spredfast Product Manager Luke Fernandez has utilized this tactic in multiple interviews and said that he has been commended by interviewers for taking such a direct approach to asking for critiques. He further explains that the openness to feedback can allow you to clarify of answers that may not have sat right with the interviewer. Fernandez says “It’s bold, but if delivered honestly, it displays true desire and confidence,” which is something that every company looks for.