I was reading some of my ‘google alerts’ on interviewing today, and this little piece with interviewing tips came up.
I was especially struck by this one statement: “Remember: when you walk into that office, you don’t have the job to begin with. In theory, you have nothing to lose. You either come out way ahead or back where you started. If you approach the situation with a “win-draw” mentality, most of the pressure will fall by the wayside.” (emphasis added).
It made me ponder whether confidence is the single biggest factor in a smooth interview performance. I have witnessed nervous, insecure applicants absolutely bomb interviews that they should have aced. This type of diffidence during an interview can effectively undo hours or days of preparation. Alternatively, I have seen calm, confident, and collected individuals secure jobs over more qualified candidates due to impeccable interview performances. Extensive preparation combined with quiet confidence (i.e. not cocksure / arrogant) can win you a job.
The things that may affect this all-important characteristic during an interview are innumerable: level of preparation, amount of sleep, location of interview, what your friend said to you two days ago, how your cat looked at you when you woke up… you get the picture. People’s confidence can be shaped by a number of different factors, not all of which we have control over. That is why I found the above quote so interesting.
I think Mr. Karpeles hit the nail on the head with this advice. Despite your attitude when you pull up to the interview, remind yourself that the worst thing that can happen to you is nothing. If you do not get the job, so what? No harm has been done. If you do get the job, congratulations! The point is that, when walking into an interview, you are entering a situation in which your current state can not get worse, only better. This type of positive thinking can have a profound and very real affect on you. Hopefully, it will allow you to forget your apprehensions and grant you confidence in the moment at hand: your interview.
View the original blog post and comment on this piece by clicking here.
View Mr.Karpeles’ “Ten Tasty Tips for Interviewing” here .
Contact Mark Avera at MAvera@TopBuildingJobs.com.
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