Interviews can be fun!

Many people see interviews as a necessary evil which need to be endured to convince a potential employer that you are the best candidate for the role. It is not unusual for candidates to have sleepless nights before interviews and standard interview advice nearly always includes a comment or two advising candidates to be calm in the interview process.

A minority of candidates tell me they actually like the interview process. Without exception these candidates tend to perform better than those that dread the interview process. It stands to reason that a candidate who embraces the interview process will come across in a more positive light than someone who fears the interview process.

So how do you learn to enjoy the interview process?

Believe in yourself!!

Candidates who truly believe they are the right person for the job will always shine at the interview process. Obviously there is a line that must be negotiated between confidence and arrogance – but confident candidates make employers feel at ease.

Preparation is Key

There couldn’t be a better place to use the often quoted phrase – “fail to prepare, prepare to fail” – Preparation is key in the interview process – and is actually quite therapeutic in many ways. Turning up to an interview in the knowledge that you have done everything humanly possible to increase your chances of getting the job makes you feel confident in your abilities (see above). Turning up to the interview with gaps in your knowledge of the company just makes you wish you had tried that bit harder. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve received panicked calls from candidates 5 minutes before their interview asking if I could give them directions…..

Remember it’s a 2 way process.

Many candidates forget that the interview process is a 2 way process. Candidates should be prepared to ask questions in an interview just as much as interviewers. Candidates who actively engage in the interview process will come across much better than those that simply answer the questions posed to them.

If you go into the interview with the mind-set that you want to enjoy the interview process you generally will. Your enthusiasm will be obvious to the interviewer. Conversely, entering an interview with fear will undoubtedly lead to a more negative experience. Whilst following the advice above won’t guarantee you the job it will certainly improve your chances…