We have all been in the situation where, when someone asks us after an interview, how it went, we say that it went well. And, indeed, this is how we feel. We think we aced it. We felt a good vibe. We answered all questions. We even plugged in a joke and saw our interviewers react favorably. And then… no answer, or, worse yet, a letter of this type: “thank you for taking the time to interview with us. At this point, we decided to proceed with another candidate…”
This feeling of rejection – especially after feeling so good about the way the interview went… Especially because it was truly the job we wanted, and we knew we could deliver… So, what happened?
Let’s break it down. First, let’s see why we feel good. Imagine: you are going for a job for which you know you are a great fit. You arrive all pumped up. You answer all questions, because you know the material – like the back of your hand. You are a bit nervous during the interview, and so you tend to focus more on your responses than on your interviewer’s body language, tone of voice and overall reaction. You also feel good about the interviewer, because they send out a good vibe, and, subconsciously, you like them.
What happens in reality… The fact that you are nervous and you focus on your responses only, makes your body become very rigid. You project an aura of being under pressure, and, even though you are answering the questions correctly, you seem to be too stressed when doing it. Between a forced smile and a little but of a hand tremor, you do not project too much confidence. This makes people on the other side of the table to pull back, become more reserved.
It is nothing more than a common sense, but it always pays to ask the question: what do employers want? They want candidates who know the job, who are confident about delivering results, and who can fit into the company atmosphere. Put yourself in your interviewer’s shoes. What do you see yourself from across the table? This is the type of behavior you should analyze and correct. Nervousness aside, gather your emotions, build up confidence, and go at it!
Of course, it is easier said than done, but this is where practice comes into play. Even experienced actors, with long and successful movie or theater careers, rehearse before each performance. And they are professionals! So, unless you are a perpetual interviewer, your skills get rusty from one job to the next. This is where practicing in front of the mirror helps. This is where friends and family come in handy. And, if you feel that you could use more drilling, we offer professional interview preparation services.
So show interviewers that you are motivated, knowledgeable, and confident!
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Awesome post! I thought the third paragraph was very insightful