How To Interview Like A Samurai
Techniques to remain calm and perform your best from legendary Japanese warriors
One of my favorite scenes in Akira Kurosawa’s “The Seven Samurai” is the interview to select who would join them on their quest to save the doomed village.
When a warrior applicant would enter the room to be interviewed a hidden assailant would attack them with a stick. A true samurai would avoid the blow and passed the test to join the team.
Japanese samurai warriors are legendary not only their fighting prowess but the ability to remain calm in the face of danger.
For hundreds of years the ancient samurai learned to condition themselves to remain level headed even during the most grueling battles and duels. These legendary warriors understood the importance of a quiet mind when faced with a difficult or deadly situation.
Today these same techniques and philosophies are used by modern elite soldiers, astronauts, corporate executives, global leaders, and professional athletes to perform in some of the most stressful and demanding situations.
These skills can also be used to prepare your for your next job interview.
Being able to perform under pressure is not something that comes easy to most. The fear of failing or making a mistake can be debilitating and paralyzing. Yet for others, possessing grace under pressure seems to come naturally.
Or does it?
History in conjunction with scientific research has shown that the ability to perform with grace under pressure is not a random trait that few are born with, but a skill that can be taught and honed.
While stage fright and anxiety may never go away it is possible to control it through training, preparation, and an overall feeling of control. In his book Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool Taylor Clark reveals that although studies show that 30% of fear responses are genetic, the remaining reactions can be trained.
Much like the samurai it is possible to drastically improve your performance under pressure through mental exercises and preparation.
Visualizing and Accepting Failure
Ancient samurai, stoic philosophers, and modern warriors alike understand the importance of not only physical practice and preparation, but mental training as well.
An important method to achieve this is to create a mental image of a negative outcome and to accept it as a possible fate. For samurai this often meant death.
In the Code of the Samurai: A Contemporary Translation of the Bushido Shoshins it states:
“One who is supposed to be a warrior considers it his foremost concern to keep death in mind at all times, every day and every night, from the morning of New Year’s Day through the night of New Year’s Eve.”
A samurai’s training never ended and the reality of death was an occupational hazard that remained on their minds. The acceptance of failure as a reality and incessant practice kept them calm and helped to prepare the warrior for battle.
While the result of a failed job interview won't result in your demise, the practice of visualizing a negative outcome is a powerful tool for achieving a quiet mind and navigating the stress of meeting with hiring managers and company executives.
Feel In Control
The samurai continuously trained to hone their martial skills in addition to conditioning their minds for battle.
This preparation gave them a feeling of control over their body and mind to overcome fear. The feeling of control is essential for maintaining a calm mind in any stressful situations.
The 15th century samurai Suzuki Shosan wrote:
“When you manage to overcome your own mind, you overcome myriad concerns, rise above all things, and are free. When you are overcome by your own mind, you are burdened by myriad concerns, subordinate to things, unable to rise above. “Mind your mind; guard it resolutely. Since it is the mind that confuses the mind, don't let your mind give in to your mind.”
Having a strong sense of control can dramatically improve your performance in stressful situations. Research show that without the feeling of control we physically can not think strait.
Amy Arnsten studies the effects of stress on prefrontal cortex functions of the brain at Yale University. Her research shows that,
“the loss of prefrontal function only occurs when we feel out of control. It’s the prefrontal cortex itself that is determining if we are in control or not. Even if we have the illusion that we are in control, our cognitive functions are preserved.”
This perception of being in control can physically determine our performance under pressure. These techniques are used today by the US Military to train Navy SEALS to handle the stress of modern combat situations.
Maintaining a feeling of control is a powerful method to keep a cool head during the stress of a job interview, even if the interview is going poorly.
Know Thyself
Miyamoto Musashi is considered one of the greatest swordsman and strategist in Japanese history and defeated over 60 foes in his lifetime including multiple opponents at once. It was through these duels that his endless training with the sword and study of zen philosophy that he was able to reach a level of mastery.
One of the keys to his success was his mastery over himself. In his memoirs The Book Of Five Rings he writes,
“there is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.”
Musashi faced each duel with the knowledge that he had prepared his martial skill and mental control. This power over himself gave him the peace of mind to approach each battle without fear.
The most important battle is the one with yourself. With a job interview or any stressful situation knowing that you are in control and have prepared will give you the strength of mind to remain calm and perform your best.
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