Fear And Trembling
October 7, 2007 by Darlene McDaniel
Filed under Careers
The Business Channel Theme day is all about fear. This is a repost from June 2007, that will help you to use fear to energize you and propel you forward during your next interview. Fear is something that you can use to help you, rather than immobilizing you.
Are you shaking in your boots before an interview? Do your palms sweat? Are there small beads of sweat on your forhead, nose or above your lip?
Everyone gets nervous before an interview if they have a pulse. Even those of us who consider ourselves experts. However I believe you can manage your nerves and use them to propel you forward in the hiring process.
What can you do to minimize your nerves and use them to move you forward?
1. Preparation is the key to minimizing your nerves. You MUST have a plan before you walk in the door. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” You should know what you want to say to the interviewer. If you have no idea, you have no business stepping into the interview.
2. Surrender to the fact that you will be nervous. Your nervousness doesn’t have to triumph over your ability to interview effectively.
3. Learn how to quietly calm yourself in the face of stress. One thing I learned to do is how to take a deep breath in the presence of others. The key is to do it when they can’t really tell you have done so. It takes practice to master, but I use it to this day.
4. Understand that nervousness can be used to energize you. As a professional speaker, I release the energy, the nervousness as I step into my presentation. I am up, not HYPER, but up, and energized. I put a smile on my face and I go for it. I also sing and I do the same thing with singing. As I step into the song, I release the nerves and push through it as I sing. This technique works for interviewing.
5. Confidence in yourself and your plan will help to move past the nerves. If you have an offensive plan, and you focus on execution, you won’t have time to be nervous.
Approach your interview with fear and trembling, but don’t allow it to swallow you up and hinder you from sharing who you are and the value you will bring to the organziation. Yes, I am saying be nervous, but use it rather than seeing the nerves as an enemy to conquer.
Great site…
Thanks!
Darlene - This is great advice… and a good mental checklist leading up to, and just before the interview.
Thanks for visitimg Yvonne. I enjoyed your site last night. The writing cafe is a great idea. Let me know if you would like to do a guest post this month. I would love something about writing jobs, suggestions or options for people who would like to work for themselves. How to interview effectively to get freelance jobs, etc. Let me know what you think!
I’d love to, Darlene! That sounds great. But can I take a rain check and take you up on that a bit later? I’m absolutely snowed under right now. I’ll keep in touch.
Thanks for your positive feedback about the Weekend Writers Cafe. Pleased you enjoyed it!
during an interview i have not a superior n effective word while introduce myself n i feel nervousness. give me some suggestion n effective introduction which helps me in interview.
thanx
ARVIND
Arvind, thank you for visiting Interview Chatter. In order to eliminate or reduce stress and nervousness you will need to prepare. The more you prepare, the less nervous you will be even in the introduction. Let me put together some more thoughts that may help and I will send you a note. Please let me know if you have any additional information.