Do you get nervous when you have to make small talk or talk about yourself, for instance during an interview, with people you don’t know? Well you’re not alone.
Interview Weakness
I have been coaching a few clients recently who all had the same interview weakness: Nerves. Being a little nervous before a job interview is normal. You’re anxious and want to do well so you can land the job. Nerves can be a problem if you find it hard to communicate with other people because you’re to busy worrying about what other people are thinking about you.
Constantly worrying about peoples approval is resulting in many unsuccessful interviews.
When you’re invited to an interview the recruiter and employer want to learn more about you. Through your resume you have already proven that you might be perfect for the job. Recruiters just want you to be relaxed, friendly and tell them why you are interested in working with them.
Remember an interview is a two way street. Try to enjoy the conversation and at the same time learn about the company and what they can offer you.
Confidence And Shyness
So relaxing and trying to enjoy the experience is the secret but it’s easier said then done. You might be saying “you don’t know how nervous I get when I have to talk about myself in an interview”.
Well, I do understand because I used to be very shy and for a long time was very nervous to talk to other people let alone talk about myself. I had to work on myself and build my confidence.
After every interview I went to I tried to think how I could have done better. What questions made me uncomfortable? Where there questions that I had a hard time answering? I figured what made me uncomfortable and nervous was talking about myself. I wasn’t very confident so how could I convince strangers that I could do the job and would be a great part of their team?
I worked very hard and looked at my resume very closely. I realized that every body has different skills and abilities and that I was unique. I know that I am a hard worker and for myself have accomplished a lot. My confidence started to grow and when I had to answer questions about myself I was more calm and relaxed because I was proud of my experiences and really started to believe that I would be an asset for a company.
Stop Thinking About Yourself
People are not judging you on every word or sentence you say. You’re the only one who does that. People just want to get to know you and have a pleasant conversation or interview and you and your nerves might be preventing that.
You will appear more confident If you stop thinking about yourself and worry about how well your doing in interviews. When recruiters and employers see that you’re confident and proud of your accomplishments and skills then they are going to want you on their team.
When your less nervous interviews turn out to be a lot less scary 🙂
You may also be interested in:
In The SpotLight: Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing
Hope and Help for Your Nerves (Signet)
Photo by: SashaW
7 thoughts on “Nervous People Don’t Get Jobs”