Question: My biggest job search hang-up is the job interview. I have had interviews but I don’t think I come across confidently. I was very good at my last job but I don’t know how to convey this fact to interviewers. Is it OK to bring performance evaluations and positive emails from my last boss to
my interviews? Do you have any other suggestions?
J.E., Seattle
Answer: As I mentioned in a recent column, nothing makes the heart race and palms sweat like a job interview. This is evident in the emails that I receive from job hunters. Some readers ask basic questions, such as what to wear (my advice: something appropriate to the position but one step up, as if you were applying for your supervisor’s job) or what to bring (plenty of resumes and a few reference sheets tucked into a folder, portfolio or briefcase). Most of the time, people seek advice about responding to interview questions, explaining employment gaps or discussing less-than-perfect aspects of their careers.
But this question is not about interview etiquette or technique. It’s about confidence.
I find myself writing about confidence quite often because it’s a state of mind that really makes a difference for job hunters. If you are confident, you can easily talk about your accomplishments. You discuss your strengths and weaknesses in a way that shows your humility and demonstrates that you can navigate workplace challenges with integrity and accountability.
Of course, it is difficult to act confident when your knees are shaking. It’s hard to come across like a dynamo when you feel insecure about your background or worried about your next paycheck.
Here’s the thing. You don’t need to pretend that you’re a confident person. That’s like walking down a dark alley and saying I’m-not-scared-I’m-not-scared as you grasp your purse and scuttle to safety at the other end. Do you think that you look brave while you’re doing this? Probably not.
Instead of faking it, try building up your confidence from the inside. Use your resume, performance evaluations and emails from your former boss as a jumping-off point (or create a list from scratch). Pinpoint a few work-related accomplishments in your background. Maybe you balanced a 40-hour work week with full-time college education. Landed a promotion ahead of your peers. Restored a relationship with an out-the-door customer. Created a new process for routing phone calls that significantly reduced wait times. Eliminated safety hazards in the stock room. You get the idea.
These achievements are proof of your value in the workplace. Commit them to memory. Practice talking about them. No matter how stressed you feel in your job search, no one can take these successes away from you.
Of course, you will still feel anxious before interviews. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that your attributes, skills and experiences are absolutely unique. Your personality is one of a kind. And your past accomplishments are just a small indication of the countless ways you will boost efficiency and profitability for your next employer.
This is real confidence. No pretending necessary.
By the way, as long as you don’t hand over proprietary documents or information, feel free to bring evaluations and written references to your interviews. Good luck.
Contact Eve at Eve.GetaJob@gmail.com
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