Interviews can be nerve-wracking, and whilst they are a necessary part of finding a job and you can practice with common interview questions and know what to wear to an interview to look the part, it isn’t always easy to feel ready to walk into your potential new company offices.
Confidence will help get you hired though, because it helps to create a good first impression and showcases your strength and work capabilities, so it is an important trait to master.
If you feel like you could use more confidence or like you need to overcome nervousness, here are some tips on how to build your confidence before a job interview:
Dress the part
If you feel put together and dress for success, it will help you put your best foot forward and feeling confident you look the part.
Read these pages if you are not sure where to start:
Be prepared
Nothing will help you feel more confident as preparation and practice. Working through areas you are insecure with or unsure of will help you overcome them and feel ready. Visit our job interview hub to review various areas of a job interview process, such as the stages of a job interview and common mistakes during a job interview.
Don’t forget to breathe
Feeling relaxed will help you feel more confident. If you are feeling stressed or need to be calm, placing focus on your breathing and ensuring it is slow and deep will help you to do this. It will calm the nerves and ensure you are getting enough oxygen to your brain so you can think clearly and rationally.
Focus on your body language
The job interviewer will inevitably notice your body language. It is an extremely important non-verbal way of communicating. Ensure you don’t fidget, such as wringing your hands, shaking your feet or legs, twirling or touching your hair, and squirming. Sit and stand in strong, power stance positions, and do not close off to those in the room by crossing your arms.
Have a firm handshake and bow correctly
If your interview starts off weakly, you are likely not going to feel confident for the remainder of the interview. Read these tips on how to introduce yourself at a job interview because if you bow incorrectly or have a soft or weak handshake, it can come across as impolite and reflect a lack of experience in business and in interviews.
Make eye contact
Do not look away from your hiring manager because it is rude to not acknowledge them, but it will also help to show that you are confident with yourself in the situation alongside them. Be sure to not stare too often or too intensely though so as not to be inappropriate or creepy.
Remember what other people have said about you
It’s sometimes easy for us to feel like we are “not smart enough” to do a job, or there are better candidates out there. This isn’t going to help you feel confident. You can build your confidence and regain your faith in your abilities before a job interview by reminding yourself of all of the praise past colleagues and your friends have shared with you.
Do what reduces your stress
Not only will participating in an enjoyable activity reduces your stress, it will also distract you from any nervous thoughts you may be having. Activities could be playing sports or going to the gym, having a relaxing massage, taking a walk outside, or spending time with your family, friends or pets.
Be positive
You may feel like it is hopeless and you may find it difficult to calm down, or think it is just your personality to not be confident or good at job interviews. But without thinking that you can change or improve, it will be a lot harder to move forward.
Take it slow, and stop and pause if you need to
If you feel yourself getting anxious during the interview, just remember to take your time, take a deep breath, and take it slow. It will help calm you down and keep you on track with answering the questions.
If you want to work on building your confidence before a job interview, visit our job interview hub to review common areas of the job interview process so that you are prepared for them.
Contact our team today if you would like to discuss anything further.
