by VC Edwards
You Must Have Confidence to Get the Job Today, many people are looking for a job, but they have lost their confidence in finding employment, and just go through the motions of looking for work. So, if you are in such a state, when you do get an interview, you are SHOCKED—your resume was accepted and you have landed an interview! But, that is only half the battle. You are supposed to be excited about getting a job interview, but you’re not—because you hate job interviews. Now that you have an interview, you’re trying to think positive, but you keep thinking of everything that can go wrong, which can sabotage your interview, and the position you are desperate to have. So, you have to get those nagging thoughts out of your head. What you need is confidence. Even with the most prestigious qualifications, it can be difficult to get a job without confidence. Even though, job descriptions rarely list confidence as a requirement, employers expect candidates to show confidence and rarely hire a person without seeing some evidence of confidence at an interview. Confidence is so essential that the most confident person interviewed is very likely to get the job, regardless of experience. You need confidence, in some cases, more than you need exact skills. You have to have confidence that lets the employer know you can do the job, at hand. Therefore, when you are nervous, an interviewer is concerned that you have money issues, or you are not sharing something that will come back to haunt the company. Company personnel saw something promising about you on your resume, and the company’s first impression of you is presumably favorable, but, as the interview gets underway, the interviewer has concerns if you lack confidence—and since interviewers are not mind-readers, and an interviewer doesn’t know you personally, he or she can’t chance recommending you for the position. When you have confidence, you give other people confidence that they are hiring someone, who can get the job done, and who will be a good asset to the company. When you are confident it also makes them feel good that they made a good choice, and therefore they are doing a good job of selecting candidates and interviewing. Unlike what you may think, the interviewer always hopes you are who they are looking for. So, here are a few tips to gain confidence for your interviews. Tip #1 – What to Think at an Interview The thinking you must have for a job interview is, YOU DON’T CARE IF YOU GET THE JOB. An I-don’t-care mindset will naturally relax you, and ironically, employers will see a more confident person and think that you have something to offer. When you mentally put less weight on getting a particular job, you will be more composed, in contrast to hundreds of candidates, who are on-edge, and desperate to get the job. Employers will get to know you and see a potential candidate, who can bring something special to their company. NOTE: Arrogant people often get jobs because they appear less stressed than most applicants, even though they may not be the best candidate, once hired. So, keeping your confidence level up is extremely important to get a job. You don’t want to be cocky on an interview. You only want to relax any nervousness; you don’t want to be so relaxed that you offend the interviewer or seem ungrateful. If your resume has been accepted, among maybe hundreds, have confidence you have what they need. The same confidence you have when meeting someone new, whom you want to impress, is the same way you should approach an interviewer or employer—put your best foot forward, and don’t be hesitant to be yourself. Don’t let a cocky, arrogant person get a job that you should get, because you didn’t show confidence that you were the right person. For the short time an interview last, muster up the confidence you need to show interest in the company and find out as much as you can about the position, while letting them get to know you. Breathe, smile, and show your personality. Remember, an interviewer is always hoping to find the right one so he or she can shine in the face of his employer, letting his employer know he is good at picking out good candidates—so, put the interviewer at ease by showing that you are the one. Tip #2 – Use Questions to Boost Confidence When “you don’t care if you get the job” you are freer to provide answers and you even ASK QUESTIONS (because you have nothing to lose). It’s important to ask questions and engage in conversation because you will naturally show an interest in the company and you will learn valuable information about a company by asking questions that you might possibly be working at soon. Possible Questions to Ask: What are some of the particular skills or attributes you want from a candidate for this position? What do employees like about working for this company? Why is this position available? Is the company in transition? Tip #3 – Look for a Problem with the Position or Company An interview is a privilege, not a death sentence, so there is no reason to be nervous. However, if you find yourself feeling anxious at an interview, THINK OF SOMETHING ABOUT THE COMPANY OR POSITION THAT YOU DON’T LIKE, that could be a potential deal breaker—the atmosphere seems, either, too uppity or too laid-back. Be as critical thinking as necessary, in order to “loosen up.” (You only want to think critically though, not speak critically.) NOTE: This tip, of finding a negative feature about the company, works similar to a technique performers often use to overcome stage-fright. They visualize everyone in the audience as if they are naked. When you have little confidence, you often have placed a company or position on a pedestal, so, to balance your view of the company, you need to find a negative, and then you will think more realistic about the company. You want to BE CRITICAL about a company that you could end up working at 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for years. If most people were more critical of jobs before accepting them, there would be less dissatisfied workers in the country. Listen intently to the interviewer and ask questions to determine if this position would be a good job for YOU. If you go to an interview and give the interviewer all power to decide your future, then you are settling for anything. So, ask questions, to maintain power over your life and your career decisions. But, even if you do find something negative, that you don’t care to live with, FINISH THE INTERVIEW (unless an interviewer says or does something crazy to offend you)—continue to engage and ask questions until the interview is over. You can always turn down a job offer, later, so you might as well use the opportunity to practice your interviewing skills, and build your confidence. There is No Bad Interview There is no bad interview; each interview should allow you to gain industry information or experience in order to make quality decisions that lead to a job. Getting a job offer should not be your only concern. Your concern should be, if you get an offer, do you want the job? Is that a place you want to work? The questions you ask at an interview should help you determine if that company is where you want to be. Even if you don’t get an offer, every time you go on an interview, you get interviewing experience, you get an opportunity to learn more about the industry you are in (meeting with companies that might be competition to the company you ultimately work for), and each interview puts you closer to getting a job that you will enjoy, and that you will be an asset. You are Perfect for More Than One Job There are hundreds of positions that you are qualified for, so, never go on an interview with the belief that your life depends on getting that one job. There are millions of jobs available and the reality is that your life does not depend on one job. There are countless people who did not get a particular job that they were hoping for, but got a better job, because they continued to look for work. ©VC Edwards 2015 Related posts: Career Quiz Start a Business for Less Than $200 |
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