Most people dread job interviews or at a minimum feel unease at proving they meet the job requirements. It is difficult to figure out what they are looking for in a job candidate. You want to focus your answers on what information they want to hear but your nerves can get the best of you. It is common to have job interview anxiety. You put so much pressure on yourself because you have been working so hard on your job search. Financially you need to land a job soon. It becomes a very stressful situation and calming job interview anxiety can become difficult.

Honest Self-Assessment of Job Requirements

When you review the job description and look at your skills, do you meet the job requirements? Think about your career and what you have accomplished. What makes you the best candidate for this role? People have a tendency to focus on so many things in their career and have difficulty narrowing it down to what truly matters. Take a hard look at your achievements and skill set. You want to narrow your focus to that. There is a limited time to make a good impression. Throwing everything out there to see what sticks is not a winning strategy. You want to have a good sense of your history and why it makes you stand out. The job posting has the answers about the specific job requirements. It outlines what matters most to the hiring manager. During your self-assessment, determine where you want to place your efforts.

Preparation Boosts Confidence

A company wants to typically know why you want to work for them. Being able to articulate why you want the job and what makes you a strong candidate is key. Researching the company and even the hiring manager gives you key insight into their performance and values. During the interview process you can gage more about the company culture. If you feel confident in what you want to share during an interview it will lessen some of those job interview jitters. With preparation comes an increase in confidence. Do not ever try to wing it. Even if you are an articulate speaker, a lack of preparation will show. Figure out a way to convey what you learned about the company and specifically why you want to work there. Practice is vital. Job interviewing skills is not something that comes naturally to most. You may want to consider making a mock interview preparation appointment with an experienced career expert. This expert can help you frame your answers, focus on what is most important and boost your confidence.

Body Language

There is a considerable amount of nonverbal communication during any encounter. Being aware of your own body language as well as the interviewers is vital to success. You want to convey your enthusiasm for the position and a lot of that is body language. Showing you are engaged and excited about the opportunity is essential. In addition, picking up on cues from the interviewer. If you look for the signs, you can see if they are interested in the discussion or if you have lost them. If you do lose their interest, you need to shift your strategy.

Calming interview anxiety is an important part of securing the position. Make sure you are well prepared and seek assistance from a professional if you need it. Utilize all the resources at your disposal. Take every opportunity as a learning during the entire job search process. Your goal is to land the next exciting opportunity.