How to be an interview success

March 16, 2011

Interviews are nerve wracking at the best of times but in these economically challenging times the fear and anxiety of failing at the first hurdle can sometimes feel overwhelming. When this happens it’s important to calm yourself with the knowledge that you have properly prepared and that you are mentally ready to offer the interviewer the best view of you.

Here we reveal a range of excellent interview techniques that should see you easily jumping towards the second hurdle, and a second interview – and then to the job itself.

Some of these key points utilise the same techniques as athletes when they are preparing to “get in the zone”. This is a useful place to be if you want to win a race, or win a job.

The key points for interview success include:

• Be prepared: Find out about the company that is interviewing you.  Go over the job description and make sure you know what the job entails and make a list of the points that you want to get across to the interviewer. If it helps, have a few notes handy in the interview in case your mind suddenly goes blank.

• Get into “state”: This describes the “way of being at any given moment”. If you are not familiar with this term then it could be worth a few sessions with a life coach, but essentially getting into “state” means being aware of what you’re sensing and doing; what you’re feeling; and what and how you’re thinking.     A good example of learning how to get into “state” is: Pull up a memory of when you last felt successful at something important. Allow yourself to think clearly about this moment and let your brain return to this place. Think about what you saw, felt and thought at that time. Then take this mental movie with you to your interview.

• Create your own mental movie: Visualise how you want the interview to go. Think of all the small details such as: What you are wearing, how you walk into the room, the manner in which you great the interviewer(s), how you want to feel when you are sitting in the chair opposite the table from them, the emotional state you want to be in for the duration of the interview (a lot of people experience success with a state that is calm yet alert).

• Drop yourself into the movie: This is your chance to “experience” the interview, in state and through your own eyes.

• Practice makes perfect: Go through the “movie script” in your mind’s eye for however long you feel is necessary leading up to the interview.

• Find an anchor: Find or think of an anchor that, when triggered, will pull up the movie and elicit the desired state. A lot of athletes run their movie to music. Or you could use certain songs as triggers.

• Eat to win: Eat a proper meal the night before your interview, try to get a good night’s sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast. All this will ensure that your mind and body are fuelled and prepared for the activity, be it a race or an interview. You will see the crossover here between an athlete and your interview.

• Go nail the interview.

 If you would like to learn more about these interview techniques or find out how to become a successful interviewee please do get in touch with Nexus Coaching.