There aren’t many people who think about interviewing for a job without getting butterflies in their stomach or breaking out in a cold sweat. Going to an interview combines many people’s fear of public speaking with their fear of rejection, uncertainty and change. It’s impossible to know what questions you’ll be asked or what type of competition you’ll be going up against. Facing an interviewer is very frightening. You are asked to sell yourself as the best person for the job when, realistically, you probably don’t know if you are the best person for the job.
Another cause of the stress that comes with interviewing for a job is the high-stakes possibility of getting the job. Chances are if you are interviewing for a job it is because you really need it. Maybe you had a job and lost it so now you are looking for a new one. Perhaps you have recently finished school and are trying to enter the workforce for the first time. No matter your situation, the bottom line is that you need a job and you can’t get a job without successfully interviewing for the position.
Although there is no way to know exactly what to expect going into an interview, there are some things you can control and some things you can do to be as prepared as possible. Have you ever studied so hard for a test that you were actually excited to take the test because you felt so confident? With enough preparation and planning, you can feel that way going into an interview. The more confidence you have, the more convincing you will be and the better your chances of getting a job offer.
Our series on interviewing will help prepare you to feel confident going into an interview and to sell yourself as the best person for the job. In this series, we will look at the following topics:
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Physical Appearance
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What to Bring to the Interview
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Interviewing Etiquette
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Answering Questions
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Asking Questions
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Wrapping up the Interview
This is the first post in our series on interviewing. Stay tuned for future posts in this series! If you would like to learn more about teaching workplace readiness skills, click the free trial link below.
