Calming the Interview Jitters
Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are hea — Wait. Wrong story. But you get the picture: It’s the day-of your phone interview and you’ve got performance jitters. You really want this job, and you don’t always interview well. You feel unprepared, nervous. When did Kathy say she was going to call? Or was it Karen? Kim? Susan? Shoot. Maybe you were supposed to call her.
First of all, you haven’t prepared — and it shows. The hiring manager is typically a seasoned vet, capable of knowing within the first couple of minutes whether you’ll pass muster or not. Not only that, in an always busy world, you’re likely not their only candidate. So, what can you do to better prepare for an interview?
- Study
Study the Company
This is an obvious one but you’d still be surprised at how often it doesn’t happen. Try to find out all the details. Impress the interviewer with your knowledge of their company. Certain things to look for include number of employees, facts about the headquarters or CEO/executives, recent wins and any information you might easily find about the team you’ll be working with, etc.
Study Yourself
This one isn’t so obvious. Study your resume and professional history. Where do you think you stand out? Is there a way to better expand on those selling points in an interview? Also take note of any perceived weaknesses that you could better explain or spin more positively.
- Come Prepared with Questions
Along with studying the company, ask questions about it. Ask about your potential team/coworkers, ask about the culture or where you could help them excel. You’ll find lists all over the internet – including on this website – of questions to ask potential employers. They’re fantastic. Just make sure you also have some more pointed questions that will not only allow the interviewer to get a better glimpse of your interest and dedication, but also help YOU decide if this will be a good fit for you. Interviews are not a one-way street. This is also an opportunity for you to decide if you’ll be happy in the position.
- Organize
Take the above information you’ve found, the questions you’ve created, and the strengths you’ve developed and organize your thoughts surrounding them. Develop a narrative about yourself and, then…
- Practice
Practice it! This is your opportunity to really polish your 30-second elevator speech, to hear your questions with your own ears and polish them and to get feedback from a close friend or family member. Practice in front of a mirror, practice in front of a person – heck, you can even practice to your dog. Just make sure you practice. Having it in your head is a lot different from speaking the words. You won’t be polished if you don’t practice.
- Be Assertive and Approachable
This isn’t only your time to shine, but to brag on yourself a bit. Don’t be afraid to show some confidence . Also take care not to exaggerate your skills or speak for 30 minutes straight on one point — this can land you in hot water later. Be honest and truthful about your strengths, expand on them just enough to get a recent win or “personal best” across. Then move on to the next.
- Bring a Copy of Your Resume
You probably already submitted a copy, we get it. Regardless, it’s considered polite to have a few extra copies to hand out for an in-person interview. If you’re on a phone interview, both email a copy immediately prior to the interview and make sure you have a copy sitting in front of yourself for easy reference during any questions.
- Send a Thank You Note
Finally, pull yourself back to front of mind with a nice, professional thank you note thanking the interviewer for their time and consideration. Make it a point to highlight a specific piece of the conversation and why that makes you a great fit.