As an introvert and a slight social phobia, I hate going to job interviews. It plays on my two greatest fears, feeling inadequate and being judged by others. Beginning of this year with my move to San Diego, I had to look for a new job. In the beginning, I was terrible at my interviews and never receiving any callbacks. As I practiced and perfected these 5 interview tips, I improved tremendously. A few months later, not only did I get a job offer, but multiple job offers. Therefore I wanted to share these tips as they helped me get over my anxiety and prove that I am a valuable candidate. Here are my introvert interview tips for introverts.
The Story
When you run through your background with the interviewer it should tell them a story. The story explains how did you get to where you are now and why this job is the next step in your career path. This summary or story should fill in any gaps, explain any odd jobs, or sudden changes in your career. You want them to understand the way you make decisions.
Research
Two question, most interviewers ask, “why this company and what makes you a good fit for this role?” Do your research on the company, their products, industry, environment, and on the interviewer. The more you know, the more you can ask in-depth questions. The interviewer will be impressed by your preparation and proactiveness. The best websites for research are Linked-in for researching interviewers and company, Glassdoor for employee reviews on the environment, and of course their own website.
Preface Your Questions
As introverts, we can let our nerves get the best of us and we sound to rehearsal. Best way to avoid this when asking questions is to preface your questions. Listen to what they say and ask a question based on what you have read or what they talked about. This way your question sound purposeful and not rehearse.
Closing Pitch
Close out the meeting by letting them about what they said about the job and the company makes you a good fit. You want to leave a lasting impression so never leave an interview without selling yourself. Also, don’t forget to mention why you want to work there.
Breathe, Pose and Smile
Three ways to feel confident in this uncomfortable situation is to remember to breathe, pose and smile. Don’t forget to breathe especially before a tough question and then smile. The smile says “I got this” no matter how shaky the answer is. Lastly, as silly as it seems, take a power pose. These poses make you not only look confident but feel confident.
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