Interviewing for a job can be stressful, but it shouldn’t be terrifying. Thankfully, there are some ways to make the interview process part of your job search strategy more bearable.
If you want to find your dream job, there is a good chance you will have to participate in some job interviews. Maybe even a lot of them.
Your list of effective job search strategies should include: Having fun in interviews.
This may sound a little unreasonable, since most of us think of job interviews as a type of psychological torture!
Most of us go into job interviews with a lot of anxiety and fear.
We feel like we are going in front of a firing squad or being subjected to a harsh interrogation.
We can’t be ourselves, and we are dramatically relieved when it’s all over. This makes us seem stiff and unnatural.
Needless to say, this mindset does not allow us to make the impression we want to make, and we are likely not going to get the job.
If you experience interview anxiety to the point of misery, it may help to keep these simple ideas in mind in order to approach interviews from a more light-hearted, authentic perspective:
- You are meeting a new person.
- Focus your energy on being interested in your interviewer rather than on anxiety about your performance.
- Have fun!
Keeping these points in mind will help you to present a relaxed and confident self. When you approach the interview from this perspective, you are more likely to make a positive impression.
These principles are important even if you are interviewing for a job you don’t really want. You never know who your interviewer knows. If you make a good impression with them, they may mention you to someone else.
The goal in an interview should be to create a genuine human connection with the other person.
This means having a less stiff, more relaxed approach.
So, go into your next interview with the goal of having a little fun!
If you’ve ever wondered if you’re doing the work you’re truly meant to do, I’d like to invite you for a F.R.E.E. Career Strategy Consult with me so you can have your first breakthrough. Book a time to chat with me here.