If there was a way to avoid going to job interviews, I would be all for it. The stress and worry in the lead-up and then the nail-biting anxiety directly before are absolutely horrendous. It should be outlawed! And sometimes it can feel like only the most confident of people get through these interviews unscathed.
But is this actually the truth?
Well, in a way. Self-confidence is definitely needed to wow your interviewer and convince them that you’re the best person for the job. But you don’t have to be completely anxiety-free in order to radiate self-confidence.
There are things you can do to both boost your confidence and the outward appearance of confidence, during a job interview.
Practice makes perfect
I know you’ve heard this a million times before. I have too. But there is a reason this little idiom is so popular – because it works. The more you practice, the better you will be at something. Including job interviews.
If you roll into an interview with no idea what you’re going to say or what questions you might be asked, it decreases your chances of success. You’ll be fumbling for answers and struggling with questions and doing everything but appearing self-confident.
Instead, make a list of the questions you’re likely to be asked. There’s plenty of websites online with hundreds of potential interview questions. Pick the ones that are suitable for your job role, and then practice answering them.
Yes, you might sound (and feel) like a bit of a twat, practicing your answer for ‘So, tell me a little about yourself’ in your bedroom while your roommates listen at the door in hysterics, but I guarantee that this practice will have you feeling far more calm and collected on the big day.
Oh, and if your roommates are too painful, invite them in. It’s always good to get a second opinion anyway!
#1: The right outfit: It’s going to do wonders for your confidence
Okay, so next you’ll want to wear an outfit that you feel amazing in to the job interview. And no, this doesn’t mean that slammin’ cocktail dress that makes you look like Jessica Rabbit. I mean the awesome business casual black dress with the elegant heels that is both comfortable and professional.
Speaking of comfort, make sure that your outfit is something that you can wear easily for at least a few hours. If you’re trying to choose between the ultra-cool six-inch heels or the comfy, old reliable ones – choose old reliable. As long as they’re clean, neat and presentable – you’re in.
A few other good guidelines for dressing right are:
- Try to suss out the dress code and then copy what others are wearing. This way you’ll seem like you already fit in and walk in feeling like part of the team.
- Make sure you hair is clean, tidy and away from your face.
- Don’t wear too much makeup.
- If you’re not sure which colors to wear, choose black.
- Don’t wear anything too tight, or that shows off your cleavage.
- When in doubt, look at the outfits that Kate Hudson wears to work in the movie ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days.’
#2: Go back to number 1: If you look amazing, you’ll feel amazing, too
Before your interview, I suggest going out at indulging in something just for you. The day before, you might head off to the hairdresser and get your hair blow-dried. You might get a manicure the morning of your interview or you could invest in a massage the day before to help you relax and unwind.
Whatever tickles your pickle, do it. Walking into that interview feeling as cool, calm and collected as possible is essential. So whatever you can do to put yourself into that state – go for it.
When you feel calm, you’ll be radiating waves and waves of happy, self-assured self-confidence.
#3: Smile: The more you smile, the better you’ll feel
Seriously, this might seem like a no-brainer, but one of the first things that flies out the window when we’re nervous is our smile. Or worse, we paint on a tense, kind of snarly expression that we intend to pass as a grin.
At the end of the day, smiles make people happy. People that come across as happy and friendly get jobs. And the more you smile, the better you will feel. Not only will your smile be reciprocated, which will make you feel far more at ease, but it’ll also signal to your body to relax and be calm.
Pretty cool, right?
Oh, and if all else fails remember that your interviewer is human. They have probably pooped today, picked their nose when they’re alone and have at one point or another, farted in an elevator. Not so intimidating now, are they?
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