Job interview

Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
Hi everybody!

How do you guys deal with job interviews? I have one tomorrow and I'm really anxious! This is my second one and the first one went really well. That's even an understatement. The woman who interviewed me really liked me (she told me several times during the interview) and the only reason she didn't hired me was because I'm going back to school next years and that means that I won't be available in a few months. Even knowing this I am still anxious and I'm really scared.

Any tips?
 
that_girl

that_girl

Member
I have one tomorrow, too!
It is my first interview and I'm starting to feel anxious. I'm afraid that I will freeze and can't answer the questions...
 
Crumpal

Crumpal

Member
D'oh! Just thinking back to job interviews I have been in makes me nervous.. :)

Whats helped me the most is:

1) Practice - You only get practice by doing interviews, unfortunately. But, the more you do them, the better idea you get for what kinds of questions you might need to answer.

2) Try not to fear the worst. After all, the worst thing that can happen is you don't get the job. Nothing else bad can come of it.

3) Try not to get worked up about it. Some interviewers will do their best to make the people they're interviewing comfortable. Some don't. There's no way to know how you'll feel when you get in there, so try your best not to worry about it. (I know its impossible - but try!)

4) Understand that even if you seem nervous, and even if you think the person interviewing you thinks you look nervous, that doesn't mean they're not going to like you. I have to interview people at my job, and trust me, I know all about being nervous at job interviews. In fact, it makes me nervous when I have to interview people. I don't consider being nervous to be a negative at all when I am deciding whether I think somebody is qualified for the job or not.

Just try to be yourself and try to make it a fun experience rather than a stressful one. Its hard, but you can do it! I find that laughing is the best thing I can do to relieve my anxiety, so I try to laugh and have fun when I am in an interview. Sometimes it even works! :)

Good luck!
 
Y

yeahyeahyeah

Active member
I just had one today ,, went really quick about 15 minutes . the only problem was where to look . i could'nt stare at the interviewer too long without feeling anxious . I would think of my next question while she was talking + try not to focus on my nervousness .

Thinking of "do i really want this job " rather then " can i get this job " helped calm me down .. I had to many job interviews where it sounded so wonderful only to end up working in a hell hole .

I left the interview saying " i'll think about it and get back to you " thanks .
 
NathanielWingatePeaslee

NathanielWingatePeaslee

Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!
Staff member
I've done interviews that I thought I totally failed (stammering, blanking on simple questions, blushing profusely) and ended up getting the job. I've also not gotten the job on interviews I thought went super awesome. In the end that made me feel less pressured to perform well since it didn't seem to matter anyway. ::p:

The 6 Crappiest Interview Questions - The Oatmeal

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Deus_Ex_Lemur

Deus_Ex_Lemur

Well-known member
tigerlilja said:
I've had several job interviews lately, both on the phone and in person. If you're on the phone make yourself as comfortable with your environment as possible before the interviewer calls. In person, I found that the friendlier your body language are and the more enthusiastic you are when you greet the interviewer the more relaxed the interviewer becomes toward you before they start asking you the serious questions. Smile a lot if you can, sit up straight. Also, google common interviewer questions and recite answers to them.
Click to expand...

Yup. Good stuff. I'm HORRIBLE at phone interviews... I am no smooth cat in person either (or lemur rather =) but I try to meet in person when possible. Environment is key - but - always feel more anxious still.
 
Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
Thank you so much for the tips. I hope it all goes very well and I'm just going to do it. It's not about getting hired but the fact that I tried, I guess!
 
Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
that_girl said:
I have one tomorrow, too!
It is my first interview and I'm starting to feel anxious. I'm afraid that I will freeze and can't answer the questions...
Click to expand...

I have the same! I really don't care if I get the job or not but it don't want to mess it up cuz I'm afraid I wont go on an other interview.

But good luck! We can do it! We just have to stay calm and be proud of ourself for even trying. Let me know how it all went.
 
Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
Crumpal said:
D'oh! Just thinking back to job interviews I have been in makes me nervous.. :)

Whats helped me the most is:

1) Practice - You only get practice by doing interviews, unfortunately. But, the more you do them, the better idea you get for what kinds of questions you might need to answer.

2) Try not to fear the worst. After all, the worst thing that can happen is you don't get the job. Nothing else bad can come of it.

3) Try not to get worked up about it. Some interviewers will do their best to make the people they're interviewing comfortable. Some don't. There's no way to know how you'll feel when you get in there, so try your best not to worry about it. (I know its impossible - but try!)

4) Understand that even if you seem nervous, and even if you think the person interviewing you thinks you look nervous, that doesn't mean they're not going to like you. I have to interview people at my job, and trust me, I know all about being nervous at job interviews. In fact, it makes me nervous when I have to interview people. I don't consider being nervous to be a negative at all when I am deciding whether I think somebody is qualified for the job or not.

Just try to be yourself and try to make it a fun experience rather than a stressful one. Its hard, but you can do it! I find that laughing is the best thing I can do to relieve my anxiety, so I try to laugh and have fun when I am in an interview. Sometimes it even works! :)

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks this really helped a lot. You're right, I am just going to see this as a fun thing, something to learn from.
 
A

Acegame

Well-known member
Don't be scared that they will see you are nervous, because everybody would be. Even people without social anxiety. They understand. This is one of the situations you are "allowed" to be nervous.

Also a good preparation can be helpfull. Try to prepare some answers on questions you think they are gonna ask you (like why did you apply for the job). Also come up with some questions to ask them. For example questions about what your job will be containing. This will show them your interest. And put together an outfit you feel comfortable in and that suits the occasion, so you don't have to worry about that.

Apparently you make a good first impression since the woman who interviewed you before really liked you. And if you make a fool out of yourself (i'm sure you won't) you never have to see this person again. When you get hired anyway, probably it wasn't so bad ;)

Not wishing you luck because you don't need it. You will do fine! Let us know how it went :)
 
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mikebird

mikebird

Banned
Ooooh. That is a subject.

If you feel anxious in an interview, the worst I ever got was with Orange Telecomms, in Den Haag. One person for half an hour. Toughest questions, with more people coming in, every 30 mins. Never been grilled that rough, ever.

The best I can say is to keep interviewing. After a few years, you just learn how to do it. I've had 1,049 in my life. Some good, some bad. I usually break up a bit too early, getting defensive, and attacking people for asking the wrong questions, accusing things such as "you have the CV - why are you asking me about it? It's all there! Why ask?!"

I then get onto metaphors such as "Is your hair blond, or black?" making me feel I can mock them - that is just the way I feel comfortable. I'll ask "what's your shoe size?" This is the way to ruin everything. I just do. I see every other lifeform as not as intelligent as me.

I've managed to reign this in sometimes, but it's difficult. I just finished a phone call with a recruiter, just before writing this. I said "I can't understand your questions. There's no meaning in any of that" so he hung up.

I'm good at moaning, and becoming conversationally arrogant, after a certain stage, and I can't stand questions.

I am in a completely different mood, every minute of every day
 
mikebird

mikebird

Banned
This is the best post I've seen so far!!

There are so many tactics I've tried. Every interviewer is not just different, but really different, and you can't plan for anything. In the mood I'm in right now, I think being in a delighted, happy, smily mood when you get on the phone or a face-to-face interview, aim to induce some laughter - get them to giggle at everything you say, because everyone loves that!! GIGGLE!! GIGGLE! That is the way everyone's life is based on! I don't like it, but it might help. There is no reason to laugh. That was when I was of age 0 to 12. Always plenty of humour - sarcasm / satire. Now, there is no pleasure. But the people in this world laugh for NO REASON. An affliction? Can't get through 10 seconds without giggling? Just look at the person. Smile. Giggle. They'll giggle. Am I right? Animals don't giggle. Maybe a hyena? If I induce this kind of reaction, and it works, it won't take long before I get a deep need to rip off this person's jaw with my fist. I've been waiting for this to happen, all my life
 
mikebird

mikebird

Banned
My favourite, self-fulfilling way to deal with interviews really is, if the time, expense or risk was minimal, I love to stand up, for a good reason, and say "I'm off. I don't do part-time. £too little. This is laughable. You haven't got a clue". Anything you want to say to mock them, or say they've been wasting my time and yours.

I know that all round there are no dividends. Can feel good, but maybe not. Sometimes, I just have to. It makes me feel a person again
 
Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
Hi,

The interview went good! I had to make a test and i passed it! In the end it was me who turned down the job and now them not wanting to hire me (which i assumed would happen). When I'm doing the interview I slowly get less anxious but it's the part after the interview that is killing me. After the interview i just analyze everything i said in a bad way. But i do feel that i improved myself and that's what counts, i guess.

Thank for all your tips, they really helped out a lot.
 
Snowbal

Snowbal

Active member
mikebird said:
This is the best post I've seen so far!!

There are so many tactics I've tried. Every interviewer is not just different, but really different, and you can't plan for anything. In the mood I'm in right now, I think being in a delighted, happy, smily mood when you get on the phone or a face-to-face interview, aim to induce some laughter - get them to giggle at everything you say, because everyone loves that!! GIGGLE!! GIGGLE! That is the way everyone's life is based on! I don't like it, but it might help. There is no reason to laugh. That was when I was of age 0 to 12. Always plenty of humour - sarcasm / satire. Now, there is no pleasure. But the people in this world laugh for NO REASON. An affliction? Can't get through 10 seconds without giggling? Just look at the person. Smile. Giggle. They'll giggle. Am I right? Animals don't giggle. Maybe a hyena? If I induce this kind of reaction, and it works, it won't take long before I get a deep need to rip off this person's jaw with my fist. I've been waiting for this to happen, all my life
Click to expand...


Yeah i really tried that, just smiled all the way throught it, haha.
Why wouldn't you like it? I always feel comfortable when someone smiles at me!
 
KnuffleBunny

KnuffleBunny

Well-known member
mikebird said:
This is the best post I've seen so far!!

There are so many tactics I've tried. Every interviewer is not just different, but really different, and you can't plan for anything. In the mood I'm in right now, I think being in a delighted, happy, smily mood when you get on the phone or a face-to-face interview, aim to induce some laughter - get them to giggle at everything you say, because everyone loves that!! GIGGLE!! GIGGLE! That is the way everyone's life is based on! I don't like it, but it might help. There is no reason to laugh. That was when I was of age 0 to 12. Always plenty of humour - sarcasm / satire. Now, there is no pleasure. But the people in this world laugh for NO REASON. An affliction? Can't get through 10 seconds without giggling? Just look at the person. Smile. Giggle. They'll giggle. Am I right? Animals don't giggle. Maybe a hyena? If I induce this kind of reaction, and it works, it won't take long before I get a deep need to rip off this person's jaw with my fist. I've been waiting for this to happen, all my life
Click to expand...

May be kind of funny, but your posts are making me smile XD Just had to say it, brightening up my day lol
 
superfluouslyme

superfluouslyme

1
NathanielWingatePeaslee said:
I've done interviews that I thought I totally failed (stammering, blanking on simple questions, blushing profusely) and ended up getting the job. I've also not gotten the job on interviews I thought went super awesome. In the end that made me feel less pressured to perform well since it didn't seem to matter anyway. ::p:
Click to expand...

Going to job interviews and getting a job are the biggest obstacles in my life right now. I've had similar experiences with interview outcomes, but haven't reached your level of ...assuredness, I guess. That's not the word I am looking for, but I'm coming up blank. Both my mother and therapist have suggested applying for jobs I have no intention of taking, going to the interview, and getting the practice from there. Of course, that is easier said than done. If I had no problem going to interviews, whether or not I take the job, then I wouldn't be having this problem. ;)
 
NathanielWingatePeaslee

NathanielWingatePeaslee

Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!
Staff member
superfluouslyme said:
I've had similar experiences with interview outcomes, but haven't reached your level of ...assuredness, I guess. That's not the word I am looking for, but I'm coming up blank.
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, it's still horribly unpleasant and nerve-wracking, it's just that it helps realizing that it's not so much about my performance. It's almost like I look at the interview anxiety as an unavoidable physical problem rather than thinking "OMG I MUST DO WELL AND I KNOW I WON'T"!

If that makes any sense. o_O
 
that_girl

that_girl

Member
I was so nervous before the interview gahhh, but when I started to talk with the interviewer I felt a little less anxious. She was nice, I freezed a little but in the end I think it went well. They will call me these days to tell me if I passed and to go for a second interview. It was a little nerve wrecking but like snowbal said I do feel that I improved myself and that's what counts.
 
popolala

popolala

1
if she likes you then your fine...
just be yourself..

i had a phone interview before ... well it wasnt really professional.. i wasnt prepared.. and it didnt go well in my opinion, but i manage to get a premilinary interview... 2nd interview - face-2-face... so i hope it goes well.. im less nervous because the company approached me rather than i approach them..
 
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