It can be nerve wracking as it is to interview for a job, but if you are an introvert it can be even more scary. Here are some tips to ease your nerves, so that you can put your best image forward.
Approach the job interview as a regular conversation and reduce the pressure on yourself. This shift in perspective can make all the difference in the world. Also, if you approach it from the perspective that you are there to see if the job is a right fit for you, it will take some of the pressure off of you. Think of it as an informational session to find more about the job. Then you can go into the interview with your best foot forward.
Use you listening skills to your advantage. Listen very carefully to what the interviewer is saying and take it all in. Then carefully formulate your thoughts. This will allow you to tailor your responses to them and demonstrate what makes you unique.
Prepare some questions you want to ask of the interviewer. Arriving prepared with these questions will allow you to relax a little more as you won’t have to come up with the questions on the fly. Also, be prepared with answers of questions you think the interviewer might ask you. If you have your answers prepared, then you won’t be stumbling to answer them when the time comes and your nervousness catches up to you.
Providing information about your skills and accomplishments is not bragging. Providing information about your successes and professional value is what interviewers want to hear. Remember, it’s all in the presentation. This information speaks to facts and is not considered bragging.
Take a deep breath and relax. When you have moments where you get nervous, you feel like your mind goes blank, just take a deep breath. Then think and respond to the question. In most interviews, a question is asked several times but in different ways.
Follow up with a thank you note. After the interview, take the time to write a thank you note. This will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, expertise, and professionalism. You won’t be nervous anymore and you can state very clearly what you may have wanted to say in the interview.
