Job interviews are intimidating. You have to convince hiring managers and business execs that you have the skills necessary to fill the position. Though you have the education, training, and experience, getting others to see why you’re the best candidate is another story. Although it’s normal to be anxious about a job interview, allowing anxiety to take over or losing confidence in yourself won’t resolve anything.
So, how do you prevent ruining a job interview? While you have no control over the final say, you can ensure that you put your best foot forward and leave a lasting impression. Continue reading for advice.
Read Your Resume
Your resume is a chronological list of your educational and professional accomplishments. It highlights your training and experience and showcases some of your greatest achievements. Reading your resume can help reduce anxiety and boost your confidence. When you see how far you’ve come and all you learned along the way, it makes you feel good.
Reviewing your resume is also a great way to practice for your job interview. As you memorize the details, you become more comfortable with presenting yourself in a positive light for interviewers.
Prepare Questions
It helps to remember that you’re not the only one that needs to prove themselves worthy. The interviewers must also explain how and why you should work for their company. During the interview, it’s good to ask questions to ensure that the brand is a good fit for you. As you write and practice these questions, it can make you feel less anxious and more confident about your upcoming meeting.
Dress With Confidence
If you’re feeling a little low on confidence, the proper attire could give you a boost. Plan your interview outfit in advance and ensure that you select clothing and accessories that make you feel good about yourself. You must find a balance between professionalism, expressing your personality, and showing off a sense of style.
You can incorporate your favorite color, add stylish accessories, and select comfortable clothing that accentuates your best features. That includes your undergarments. Avoid anything too tight, too loose, itchy, or made with fabrics that could cause you to sweat, and opt for comfortable cotton women’s or mens underwear.
Grooming And Hygiene
Don’t get so wrapped up in your interview attire that you forget about grooming and hygiene. The last thing you want is to show up dingy, smelly, or unkempt. It not only gives a negative impression to the interviewer, but it can also lower your self-confidence. Schedule an appointment at a local barbershop or salon to get your hair styled. You might also consider getting a manicure as dirty, chewed on, and dry nails can also send the wrong message.
Select a fragrance that relaxes you but stands out just enough to grab someone’s attention. The morning before your interview, ensure that you take a shower, brush your teeth, and complete your skincare and beauty routines.
Take It Easy
Reducing your anxiety and maintaining your confidence is impossible when you put too much attention on the interview. As the pressure to be perfect mounts, you start picking apart everything from your resume and interview questions to your skills and abilities. Ultimately, it results in poor performance.
The day or morning before your interview, find ways to simply take it easy. Instead of thinking about your upcoming appointment, focus on things that make you feel good and relax your mind. You can spend time with loved ones, watch something funny or inspirational on television, participate in a hobby, get a massage, or get lost in a good book. The emotional boost will help ease your nerves, helping you to have a more successful interview.
Although it would be great if you could apply for and secure a job without the need for an interview, that doesn’t happen for most people. Interviews are necessary for employers and candidates to ensure they’re a good fit for each other. As such, job seekers are encouraged to use strategies like those listed above to combat anxiety and low self-confidence to put their best foot forward.