Since the beginning of our Career Track Coaching business, one of the most common themes we find in our young clients is the fear of interviewing. Our clients ask for help building their confidence and being able to articulate their strengths, experiences, and stories in an interview.
Listed below are a few ways to reduce your stress prior to an interview:
- Prepare with a purpose. … preparation is the key
- Develop an interview template that you can use for future interviews
Include the following:
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- The company background- research all you can about the company- Do you know anyone who currently works there?
- Who will be interviewing you- look on LinkedIn to get their background and see if you have anything in common
- Job Description and skills required
- Your 30-second commercial/elevator pitch
- Your top 5-8 strengths
- Follow-up questions you want to ask at the end of the interview
- Role-Play the Interview with a friend or in front of a mirror- if you’re right out of college,
most career centers offer free interview sessions - Visualize Success in the interview and encourage positive self-talk…you will get better
after each interview - Focus on your strengths and what value you can bring to the organization
- Prepare for behavioral-based interview questions where you have to give a specific
example of your strengths
Provide your answers in the following format:
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- Current situation
- Challenge
- Solution
- End result
- Bring energy to the interview
- After each interview, set time aside to reflect on your interview
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- What went well
- Challenges- Tough questions I need to get better
Next steps
The key again is preparation/practice and embracing your nervous energy. You will continue to learn from every interview and ultimately build your confidence.
