Stand up whilst waiting/login early
We are often shown into a boardroom before an interview and offered a seat whilst we wait. Don’t take it. You don’t want their first impression of you to be struggling up out of a chair – you will look more confident if you are on their level as you first meet them. If your interview in on video call, make sure you’re signed in and waiting at least 10 minutes in advance so that their first view of you isn’t you adjusting your mic, headphones, trying to get the sound to work etc!
Make the other person feel special
Many people try too hard in a job interview and end up merely ‘bigging themselves up’. We have all been ‘bored’ by other people going on about themselves without being the slightest bit interested in us. We must learn to ask questions – and be genuinely interested in the reply.
Less is more
We obviously want to look keen and passionate about the job on offer but let’s try to compress what we say about ourself – so we don’t end up simply blowing our own trumpet.
Listen
If we nervous/scared and therefore in full flight or fight mode, we will find it hard to listen and often answer the wrong question, so try really hard to slow down your responses and listen well. It will also help to make the other person feel special and show you ‘value’ their question, rather than simply ‘boring’ them into submission.
Be yourself
We want be ourselves when we meet other people because if we are being ourselves, we will come across as relaxed, authentic and confident. But pressured situations make it hard for us to feel like ourselves. We put on a public ‘mask’ of confidence and often end up looking arrogant. We can start to change this by using our own voice rather than our ‘public’ voice. Simply by not speaking too loudly or too fast we can start to change this.
So slow down, listen and be yourself.
If we do that, we will come across as relaxed, authentic and confident.
Job done!
