Interview Anxiety
Everyone gets nervous for job interviews to a certain degree. And everyone tells you the same things;
‘You need to sell yourself’
‘Just be you’
‘You’ve got to have confidence in yourself’
And we all sit there thinking I know all of this! The people who tell you those things aren’t wrong but if you’re a self-deprecating person like myself then it’s not going to help.
I’ve applied for my fair share of jobs and know how utterly tedious and soul-sucking it is. (I’m still looking for a job now.) We all eagerly wait for replies knowing the majority of the time we won’t hear anything. Sometimes we’ll get a standard email rejection. And we sit in front of our screens thinking why did I bother?
And when we get an interview? There’s a brief moment of happiness before the anxiety attack. Then the self doubt seeps in, but what I’ve figured out is that you can’t be good at everything. I’m not great at interviews but if I’m going for a job I really want then I can let my passion and determination take over.
I’ve had some intense interviews which lasted all morning. One started with a tour of the building, a pre interview with other staff and a meet and greet with the department, then an exam and then the formal interview. I was exhausted mentally and physically. I didn’t get that job but it was good practice, I’d never had anything that full on before. And that was the first time I’d ever been given feedback on an interview. They liked me but the other candidate was more qualified. Fair enough.
I’ve also faced interviews where I’ve had to give a five minute presentation on how to attract and engage with a younger generation. When I first read that my flight instinct kicked in for a moment but then I thought, no I’m going to do this and I’m going to do it right. This “younger generation” they want to reach is my generation and I’m a perfect case study to use. So I did my research, called on people I knew to help me and start making it. Then BOOM. They told me I wouldn’t have a screen for my presentation. Again the flight instinct takes over and my confidence begins to waver. But once I’d finished it and rehearsed every chance I got my confidence built again higher than before.
The build-up before an interview is always worse than the actual interview I find. And even when you’ve had loads of interviews and not getting anywhere, I try and take away the fact that something on my CV stood out enough that they wanted to meet me. And it’s not always that an interview didn’t go well, but the person after may have blown them away.
The job centre always tells people to apply for anything because a job is a job, I disagree. Going for jobs you want means that if you get the interview you’re going to try harder because you want it.
In the end you’ll know if the job is right for you no matter what anyone else says.
