Q. Liz, I’m jobhunting. I’m employed. Job is good but the market is too good not to look. I had an interview Tuesday. It was great, but I noticed that I was still very eager to please. I have a job. It’s like I couldn’t resist falling into that “good little job seeker” mode
I’m getting better slowly but I’m noticing that this is old, old training. “Please the teacher. Please the interviewer.” Any tips for curing it?
A. Here are a few:
1. Pat yourself on the back. The first step is noticing your own fast heartbeat, jitters, whatever you feel during the interview that makes you play the submissive dog. We’ve all done it. We have to see and feel the discomfort of it in order to learn from it
1. Pat yourself on the back. The first step is noticing your own fast heartbeat, jitters, whatever you feel during the interview that makes you play the submissive dog. We’ve all done it. We have to see and feel the discomfort of it in order to learn from it
2. Interview as much as possible. Repetition is a great remedy. Get your friends to mock interview you. Talk about yourself until you get sick of it. Get used to interjecting questions so the interview becomes a conversation. Practice staying in your body.
3. Throughout every mock or real interview, be aware of your breathing. Consciously slowing down your breathing is a good way to get back in your body. We have a tendency to get outside ourselves and evaluate our “performance.” Try to stay in your body & on your recon mission
4. Most people get nervous going into a job interview. It’s a weird, stilted, business slash social situation. You walk in not knowing what to expect. Some interviewers are chill and normal. Some are arch and formal. How do you prepare for that?
5. Research the company. Using what you know, visualize the job. What would it be like? What kind of challenges would you be likely to face? As you generate questions in your mind, jot them down to ask the interviewer. Decide what to wear and lay out your clothes the night before
6. If you can, move your body just before the interview. Walk to the place instead of driving if you have a choice. Get winded. The ideal state is when you feel like you’ve run up and down 10 flights of stairs. That will keep you in your body
7. As you walk in, think “I am awesome. I am smart and capable. I’ll check this place out. I’ll meet these people and see what they’re like. Could be a great place for me or not but I’ll learn something today and that’s cool. Only the people who get me, deserve me!”
8. YOU WILL KILL IT
