A job search can be stressful and tiring, but staying positive and motivated can make a world of difference for how a candidate is viewed in the eyes of the interviewer. If the thought of sitting across from a hiring manager makes your stomach twirl, you’re not alone. But don’t let your nerves get the best of you!
During the interview, a good interviewee plays the part of a good actor/actress – put on your best performance, and never let your fear and anxiety show. Your goal is to make a good impression from the beginning, which means appearing confident to those evaluating you. Here are some strategies to help you feel calm and more confident during job interviewers
Practice Your Power Posing
Even before you speak, your posture reveals a lot about you. Not only can body language influence how others see you, it also affects how you feel about yourself. Power posing refers to the posture of confidence, it will affect your brain’s testosterone and cortisol levels, and makes you feel more confident.
Slouching, slumping, and crossing your arms are examples of closed-off postures, which exposes your anxiety and fear. Leaning forward while standing or sitting straight shows you’re engaged and in a position of dominance. Spend a few minutes practicing power poses before your interview – open yourself up, spread your arms, stand straight and tall – this will build a sense of assurance in an instant.
Make Eye Contact
When we feel confident, we tend to look people in the eyes when conveying an idea. One of the best ways to appear confident in front of a hiring manager is to keep steady, natural eye contact throughout the interview. A key giveaway of a nervous character is the lack of direct eye contact—looking down, looking away, and avoiding direct eye contact with the interviewer.
A confident interviewee should be interactive and engaged with the interviewer. When feeling nervous, remind yourself to make regular eye contact and look the interviewers in the eyes when listening to their questions. At the same time, you don’t want to look creepy by staring at people! So remember to take natural breaks, like looking away or glancing down at your resume once in a while.
What Would Your Confident Friend Do?
You must have a friend or know someone who’s super confident and always have everything under control naturally. When you feel awkward or nervous, think about what a confident person would do. Pretend to be your confident friend, this may sound strange, but it forces you to think out of the box and help you look at things with a new perspective.
Your ultimate interview aim is to show the interviewers something of yourself – your amazing skills, admirable qualifications, suitable past experiences and charming personality – while proving to them that this version of you is exactly what they’re looking for. For introverted, nervous or shy job seekers, it may be easier to act as someone confident during job interviews.
Imagine Yourself Succeeding
Imagining yourself being successful at an upcoming job interview will give a boost to your confidence and self-esteem. Before you enter the interview room, visualize a successful interview scene: imagine how you walk to the room, shake the interviewer’s hands, have smooth conversations and answer all questions with absolute confidence. This technique will help sooth your pre-interview nerves. If you have a strong belief that you are the best person for the job, then you will relax and act as one!
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