The all mighty job interview is not as arduous of a task as one may think because just like any other skill in life, job interviewing is learned….and what comes with learning a new skill: mistakes. Now I am not saying that having multiple job interviews per year is a good thing or a good way to practice because unfortunately the interviews themselves do not pay the bills however, one does not have to approach the interview with trepidation or apprehension. When you blow the smoke off of the whole thing, a job interview boils down to one thing: Confidence. When you are applying for a job the writer is under the assumption that you are actually qualified for the job because otherwise, you would not have applied. So now that we have determined that you are qualified for the position, what is the one thing that will set you apart from the other candidates? Intangibles is the the word of the day. Education, credentials and your previous work history are all tangible items that you can fall back on, but the “intangibles” are what will get you the job. Intangibles are the things like: Communication Skills, working well in a team environment, a sense of humor (yes it is completely acceptable to have fun at work) and humility. The intangibles are not things that you can learn at school or read in a book they are attributes that come naturally. I always tell my clients that if you put a gorilla in front of a computer and he/she will eventually learn how to use it, try and teach a gorilla to communicate or get along with people or that they need to be accountable: you can’t. The same analogy can be applicable to any candidate for employment. If someone does not have a sense of humor, is not punctual in any way shape or form or just can not get along with people, then it does not matter what their credentials or skills set, no employer will hire them. These are the things that you want to highlight in an interview. The writer firmly believes that it can be a slippery slope to climb when you identify “who you are” with what you “do” however, a lot of who we are dictates what we do. If a lot of who you are and your personal beliefs dictate the work that you do, then confidence should not be a problem. Confidence is the key, people respect confidence and admire introspection. When the writer goes on a job interview and the employer asks the question “Why should I hire you?” I simply turn it around and say “why shouldn’t you hire me?” But you have to be confident in order to say that, in fact you have to actually believe it.

The job interview begins as soon as you walk through the door. Here are some tips on how to shine with confidence when going to a job interview.

1)You have to remember that a first impression is the lasting one. When you are at home, look in the mirror and conduct some “self affirmations” Tell yourself what you are good at because we can all dissect ourselves as well as our inadequacies if we choose, so try telling yourself the positives. It is inevitable that it will help build self esteem.
2)When you physically show up for the interview be gregarious, have a smile and exude confidence. Confidence is always shown through body language. What would you think if you met someone that was moping around, looking at the ground and has a very feeble handshake?
3)During the interview do not tell the employer that you “think” you can do the job, they want someone that “knows” they can do the job. Remember, they gave you the interview based on your merit so they already know that you can do the job, telling the employer that you think you can do the job will highlight confidence issue, not a technical ability.
4)Finally, be yourself!! Why would you try to be something that you are not, that would make you fake. Usually when people try to be something that they are not is because they are missing something in their lives and do not have a sense of congruency with how they are as a person. If you are yourself it will exude a quality that people will admire and respect because nobody likes to be beguiled especially in a job interview.

In conclusion, there is one more thing that I would like to stress. Many employers in this day and age will ask you the cliche interview question: What are your weaknesses? There is a simple and practical answer for that and that is: I have many weaknesses, I am a human being and make mistakes everyday, but I learn from them and become wise because it is true that an intelligent man learns from his mistakes, but a wise man learns from other peoples mistakes. Furthermore, you have to remember that everybody gets nervous in a job interview, in fact if you did not I would be worried. I will now share with you a quote that I have written on my wall and that I try to aspire too…………..

“Only those who attempt the absurd, can achieve the impossible”- Albert Einstein

Posted by: Tyler McAuley