interviews 😣

Former Member

Recently, I’ve been applying for more jobs and there’s one thing that keeps getting in the way of accepting them.... interviews >~<

Does anyone have any advice on interviews? I get really jittery and I’m scared I’lol mess it up...
What do you talk about? Do you act like yourself or try look more professional?

Former Member

Hey @ren0420 I hate interviews I think most people do lol. The only advice I can really give is just make sure to prepare for them. Before I do an interview I like to practice questions that I think they may ask and research the company your applying for. Also a really simple thing to do before interviews is to just read the job description, most company’s will have values that are important to them and you can tailor your answers to the company’s values.

It’s normal to get nervous before interviews and I’m sure the person interviewing understands, so just be yourself xx

Azziman

Do your best to keep calm - practice questions, get better informed on the company, keep water on hand etc. And don't be afraid to take a few seconds before answering a question if you need some time to think - that's completely fine. Best of luck!x

Former Member

Hey @ren0420

Interviews are such a stressful part of applications, but remember that the company have chosen to speak to you. Out of all the applications they get, you have stood out for the right reasons and they think you could be the person for the job.

Before interviews I read up on the company and prepare some mock questions/answers to revise - this is helpful when they ask about skills etc, as I always forget the things that I can actually do! I also run through the job description/role again and highlight any key points that I could emphasise when reflecting on my experiences/skills. When you're in an interview, don't be afraid to take your time answering their questions.

It's completely normal to get nervous and jittery, and it shows that you care about the interview. Remember that you've already proven your knowledge and experience on paper, and that's the hardest bit. Just be you xx

Former Member

Hey @ren0420, first off, congratulations on even getting to the interview stage. I've been applying for jobs recently and honestly that is no easy feat. I only have one experience of an interview but I found it helpful at the time to just think 'this place would be lucky to have me'. This helped me to feel a bit calmer and more confident but this may not be helpful for everyone. Like someone said before, it does often help to just prepare as best you can and have some general pre-prepared answers. This may help you to feel more in control and less nervous. I feel like I'm just echoing other responses but remember that you have the skills necessary for the job because otherwise you wouldn't be at the interview.

In terms of feeling scared and jittery, that is entirely normal. But maybe it may help to ask anyone you trust like family or friends to give you a practice interview? This may help act as a stepping stone because you are still being asked unexpected questions but by someone you know. I tried this and, at first I found this nervous as well but once I had mastered this, it did give me some more confidence in my interviews (but I was still nervous ofc). If this may not be possible then (a bit of a weird technique) but I recorded myself saying a list of random questions on my phone, then sat in front of a mirror (but this isn't exactly necessary) and basically gave myself a practice interview. You may feel differently, and definitely feel free to share, but for me the scariest part of an interview is that you have no idea what you will be asked and I panic that I won't be able to think well under pressure. For me, doing this weird technique helps to overcome this as I practice answering kind of random questions under a bit of pressure, although obviously this isn't exactly the same as an interview.

Hope this was at least slightly helpful, but overall yes absolutely be yourself because the job has to be the right fit for you as well, so there's little point in pretending to be someone you're not. The right job will appreciate your skills, qualifications and personality but to help feel less nervous, I find preparation always helps. Remember to always have faith in yourself. Sending hugs!

ellie2000

an interview for me is like a hostage situation

Former Member

Hey @ren0420, just the fact that you've made it to the interview stage shows that you've caught their attention! I agree with a lot of the advice here- research the company and practice answering questions beforehand so that you reinforce all of the information you need to know. It's totally normal to be nervous, so just make sure you allow yourself the time you need to think about and answer the questions you're being asked.

Wishing you all the best

Former Member

I've had two job interviews, and in both occasions I have got the job
I have really crippling social anxiety and during both interviews I felt like I was awkward and didn't say enough or kept repeating myself - so don't feel pressured to be perfect.
However my advice for my future self would be to practise what to say before the interview, and try and pretend to be someone else - because once you've got the job you can be yourself haha.

Former Member

Practice and research! I think everyone is nervous and the more interviews u do the better u get at it. Practice possible questions that u may get asked and where possible throw in an example - it demonstrates u have put it into practice e.g teamwork give an example of when u have demonstrated teamwork. Good luck

Former Member

Hey @ren0420 well done for getting to the interview stage! I know how stressful and anxiety inducing they can be. What I found employers really liked at the end of an interview is when you have a good few questions about the job to ask at the end of the interview as it shows a real interest. Of course dressing smartly and even if you are nervous as long as you are super smiley and friendly it is fine. As has been said before it is good to have some background knowledge on the company.

I hope this helps!

JustV

maryam852 wrote: »

@ren0420 It is completely understandable that you are worried about this but please remember to be yourself because your employers are hiring you not a person you think will impress them. Act like yourself but do not be completely unprofessional, as you are applying for a job. A good tip would be to research the company beforehand or at least if they are doing anything new- you could bring that up. An even better idea is to tie up the company's achievements with why you want to join e.g 'As...have recenty written a diversity statement, I feel as though this would be a perfect fit for me, as....'

TurtleTee wrote: »

Hi! I find interviews horrible aswell, I think anyone does! Just think of them as a conversation with a purpose. I've found when I am nervous and thinking of how I am being perceived by other people then I don't do as well. Take a breathe, go in and try to relax (difficult I know). The other person is just that, a person. Their job is to make sure that you are the best fit for the job, not to judge you.

Thanks for your contributions here @maryam852 and @TurtleTee. I've just removed your posts and closed the thread since it was originally posted in May.

Here's some more info from the community guidelines around why we do that:

As a general rule, any thread over a couple of months old can be considered 'dead' and is best being left in its grave. If an old thread is bumped by someone other than the original poster (sometimes known as the OP), a mod will probably close it.

There are a few reasons for this:

1. If the thread is asking for advice, any help will be useless after a certain length of time because the problem will have been dealt with.
2. Newer posters get confused by all the old and ex posters who originally replied to the thread.
3. The original poster might not want old issues being brought up and bringing back potentially bad memories/feelings.

If you read an old thread and find something interesting you'd like to discuss, start a new thread of your own.