7 tips to build confidence before a job interview
Interviews are nerve-wracking, and it can be hard to stay calm and collected when you’re under pressure. However, with a little bit of preparation and mindfulness, you can feel confident in your ability to ace any job interview!
Practice mindfulness throughout the day
The importance of being mindful throughout the day cannot be overstated. It will help you feel confident, which will make it easier for you to perform well in your interview.
Practice these simple exercises throughout your day:
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- Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in silence before starting work each morning.
- Listen to some music without any distractions.
- Spend 10 minutes at lunchtime eating outside and enjoying nature.
Don’t listen to your “inner critic”
The inner critic is the voice inside your head that tells you how bad you are at everything and makes you feel anxious and unworthy. It might say things like:
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- “Well, if I had been more prepared for this interview, I would have known how to answer that question!”
- “I wish my outfit looked better. They probably think I’m unprofessional!”
The inner critic has a way of making us feel insecure about ourselves, but it isn't based on reality. Unfortunately, when this voice has control of our thoughts, it can affect our confidence in job interviews (as well as many other areas of life).
By learning how to recognize when the inner critic is talking and taking steps to silence its voice whenever possible, we can keep ourselves feeling confident throughout our careers as well as in any given situation where self-doubt might otherwise get in our way.
Validate yourself
There’s a reason why self-validation is a key part of the confidence building process. It’s because validating your accomplishments, even though you might feel like you don’t have any to speak of, makes you feel more confident. When we think positively about ourselves, it helps us believe that we deserve good things.
This can be particularly valuable when going into job interviews because it helps us prepare for them with confidence—and that confidence will help make us look better in front of our future employers!
The best way to start validating yourself is by asking questions like "What am I good at?" or "What do I excel at?". The answers may not come easily at first—we often aren't used to thinking about these things because they're so easy for others who are successful!
But if you keep asking yourself questions like this over time and begin making mental notes whenever something comes up (like an achievement), eventually you'll start seeing patterns emerge and realize what areas of your life need improvement too; then those improvements can happen naturally through practice rather than having someone else tell us what needs changing.
Be realistic
The first thing you should do before an interview is be realistic about what you can and can’t achieve. This means:
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- Understanding your own skills, experience and knowledge so that when asked a question, you know where to look for answers.
- Understanding the job descriptions so that when asked a question, you know how best to answer it.
- Deciding if the role is right for you and if it’s something that can be achievable within the needed timeframes.
It’s also important to not get too hung up on trying to impress people too much; remember that interviews are just one part of the process of getting a job.
Let go of any expectations
Don't set yourself up for failure by expecting a perfect interview. If you want to feel confident in your interviews, let go of any expectations you have of a ‘perfect’ interview.
No one is perfect and no job interview is going to be perfect. When you expect perfection, you will be disappointed every time and that will make it very difficult for you to feel confident during the interview process.
Have a go-to self-care routine
If you're getting nervous about an upcoming job interview, try to find ways to feel more relaxed and confident. Here are some ideas for how to do that:
Calm down with music or meditation. Music can be a great way to block out stressful thoughts and calm your nerves before an interview. Or if meditation is something that interests you, take time in advance of the interview to practice mindfulness.
Take a walk outside or around the office building where your interview will be held. This can help get rid of excess energy so that it doesn't affect your performance during the actual meeting. Plus, fresh air does wonders for mental clarity!
Your confidence levels are not set in stone
If you’re feeling nervous about an upcoming interview, don’t worry. It's completely normal to feel nervous before a job interview. But there are steps you can take to overcome your nerves and get ready for the big day.
There's a lot of advice that says confidence is something you either have or don't—it's not something that can be learned or practiced. While there may be some truth to this view, the fact remains that confidence is a skill, not a trait; it's something we can cultivate and improve upon with deliberate practice and constant effort.
And if you want to increase your level of self-confidence in general, then here are some tips on how to do it:
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- Make sure your posture reflects how good you feel about yourself.
- Use positive affirmations. Tell yourself things like "I am confident," "I am capable," "I am great," etc., until those words start sounding true!
If you’re feeling nervous about your next job interview, remember that it’s ok to feel the way you do. There is nothing wrong with being nervous! Nervousness is just another part of the human experience and one that can be managed by focusing on yourself as much as possible.
Remember: confidence is an attitude, not an inherent trait. With practice, you can alter your mindset so that it reflects well on both yourself and others around you.
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