This is it. After endless letter-writing, CV-creating, application filling and finger-crossing, you’ve reached the interview of your dreams. Perching nervously in the waiting room, you jump every time a door opens, turning to flash a smile that never reaches your eyes. You attempt to communicate a relaxed demeanour, but it’s sabotaged by your heart pounding so hard you fear others can hear it. When you hear your name called, you know that it’s now or never.

 

 

Interviews are key scenes in the transitions we make in our lives. They are a challenge for any sensible human being because they involve a microscopic level of scrutiny. Every move, laugh and word reveals more about you to your interviewers. They have all the power and the demands of the situation make them necessarily judgemental. This challenging combination can induce extreme self-consciousness unless you have the tools to overcome it. Fortunately, there is much that you can do to trick yourself out of your anxiety.

Once you shift your thinking about the interview, you will relax and let your potential shine through. In my course Master Your Meetings I show you how to do that. I show you how to make a great impression, from your attitude and preparation to your entrance, the show itself and then your exit.

Make no mistake, an interview is pure performance. It is as heightened as theatre, because you have an allotted time in which to shine. Essentially, every move you make matters.

If you are wondering how you can possibly shine under such intolerable pressure, the answer is in your preparation. You have to plan and rehearse to the point where you can walk in and be like an actor ‘in the moment.’

It’s real; it’s natural; but it’s carefully edited to highlight the good bits. Actors learn the art of self-presentation because they do so many auditions. Auditions are exactly the same as interviews, with added thespianism.

Kate Winslet auditioned for several years when she was starting out without getting a single job. She laughed when she recounted her early days as a child actor: ‘I know how hard it is. Lots of people would say, “It’s all right for her, she’s got a great career and can get jobs,” but that hasn’t always been the case, it really hasn’t. I was going on auditions from the age of twelve and I didn’t get a single job until I was sixteen, and that was an episode of Casualty.’

Your success at interview requires that you manifest the belief that you are the right person for the job. Put yourself in your interviewers’ shoes. Who would you rather recruit? The candidate who shuffles in, awed and nervous, or would you prefer the candidate who exudes relaxed confidence, open ness and interest? It’s an absolute no-brainer. There’s a huge difference between bluff, which is born of insecurity and screams self-doubt, and optimism, which exudes bright confidence and humility.

You don’t need to show off, but you do need to show that you deserve to be at interview, and that you are the right person for them.

You need to work really, really hard on the interview beforehand. You need to prepare in whatever way is best for you: whether through drawing on your training; sitting in a room by yourself for an hour; or planning for twenty minutes and then putting it away. Feel good about what you can offer. You want to be able to hold yourself together and, more importantly, know what you want to leave that group of people with.

Take a look at my course today so you nail that looming job interview!