The Psychology of Professional and Career Success: Start from the Job Interview

There is no doubt that job interviews require preparation on many levels, from preparing for the interview to the way you act during the interview or meeting. There may be multiple stages before getting the job. Therefore, every stage should be treated appropriately regardless of the nature of the job or the interview.

Thus, we will present to you the most crucial and simple steps to deal with job interviews in a way that increases your chances of success, by proving your worth and competence to the employer or recruiter, and that you will be an important addition to the company or organization that you are applying for. 

The importance of arriving early to the job interview:

The type or nature of the interview may impose a certain behavior and a different kind of preparation, which allows you to go into the interview confidently. For example, when the interview is outside the office, like at a restaurant or a cafe, it is important to arrive before the interviewer to give a clear sign of your dedication and commitment to the job. It is also helpful to browse the restaurant’s food and drinks menu and try out what is appropriate for the nature of the interview, and find out what kind of atmosphere the restaurant has and dress up accordingly. 

Check the technical equipment before the job interview:

When the interview is over the phone or the internet, you must make sure there is network coverage in the area in which you want to have the interview. You must also choose a quiet room far from noise and the possibility of interruption or having someone suddenly enter the room. Therefore, it will be helpful to inform your family members of the interview, and it won’t harm to lock the room’s door from the inside to rule out any possibility of accidental interruptions.

What is the best way to avoid nervousness during the job interview?

You may tell yourself you are bad at job interviews. You could be nervous, shy, or have low self confidence. Your voice may be quieter or louder than needed, and you may feel worried during the interview, and you may feel like you just want it to be over. Don’t worry, this is normal because it has a very simple solution.

All of these concerns or problems may be present in the first interviews, but with the repetition of the interviews, these difficulties will diminish. You are probably telling yourself now: “Oh my god, I have to wait for multiple interviews. I might not get them for months, or even years”. Don’t worry, as we told you that the solution is simple. It is to practice being interviewed persistently by asking a friend or a family member for help to take the role of the interviewer, anticipating the most important questions for this interview and practicing your answers so that you can give them fluidly and in order without awkwardness or stutters. 

What are the most important questions you may be asked during a job interview?

To make the task easier for you during the interview, you can make a list of the most frequently asked questions during interviews, for example:

1. Because this is the first time we meet, tell me a little about yourself.
2. How did you know that we had a job opportunity?
3. Why do you want this job specifically?
4. Why should we hire you?
5. What are your strengths?
6. From your perspective, what are your weaknesses?
7. What do you know about the most important services that our company provides?
8. What is your preferred work environment?
9. Where do you see yourself within ten years?
10. What are your goals in life?
11. How do you deal with conflict in your work environment?
12. What is the best way to address work pressures?
13. Do you have any questions you would like to ask? 

After making a list with these questions and thinking about the possible answers, do not forget to prepare your own list of questions about the most important points to you that are related to the job. Do not settle only for answers; rather, be strongly active and present by asking your own questions and inquiries.

To succeed in a job interview, be professional from the very first moment:

When the meeting is in the office or the company headquarters, you must be professional from the moment you enter the company door. It will be very nice of you to greet the receptionist or even the cleaners because you never know who is watching you. These kind encounters may have deep indications for the interviewer, so try to be kind and professional from the beginning to the end. You can also practice that from the moment you exit your house door. Always be kind because you may be chosen for your kindness and gentleness. 

Gather information about the company before the interview:

It is helpful to go to the company’s website or social media profiles to view its activities and services, the nature of the atmosphere, and the prevailing work environment. You can also look up the numbers or accounts of the employees and contact them to learn more about the nature of the job. This will help you make your questions more direct and purposeful, and will give an impression that you are familiar with the company. 

The importance of the first impression in the interview:

There is no doubt about the importance of the first impression and its effect on the way the recruitment manager perceives you. Therefore, you must make sure to wear new clothes that are appropriate to the nature and importance of the meeting because all studies point to the strong effect that the good sense of style has on the first impression, which may be one of the important reasons why you get the job. Make sure that your clothes give the impression that you are serious, respectful, and dedicated to your job. It is preferable that you wear simple accessories and avoid wearing clothes that have a lot of folds and holes. 

What are the side conversations that can be held on the sidelines of the interview?

In some cases, the recruitment manager may engage in a small personal conversation, so it is helpful to be prepared for such conversations. You can practice having small talks that are usually about occasions, holidays, or some exceptional events, and that helps you by boosting your confidence in case the interview turns into an informal conversation. 

Here are some of the most important small topics that you can talk about with the recruitment manager, which of course depends on the nature of the meeting:

1. It may be helpful to start with a conversation about the environment you are in. For example, you can comment on the location of the company and the design of the office.
2. You can complement the recruitment manager when you see one of the awards they have won.
3. It is important that you talk about the common interests that you can achieve by working with the company because it is not right to only talk about your personal gain and give the impression that you are selfish, nor is it logical to only talk about the company’s gain to give the impression that you are a hypocrite.
4. During any conversation you have, whether it is related to work or not, try to be positive and carry your words with an optimistic tendency, and steer clear of negative talk and pessimistic views.

How can you face the anxiety that you get before the interview?

There has got to be some sort of fear before the day of the interview, which is natural and relative, and it varies from one person to another, so it may be helpful to keep your composure by using stress management techniques, which can be achieved by:

1. Arriving early by getting to the location 15 minutes earlier, which is a technique to avoid the increase of stress that you feel when you are late for the appointment. It is also a way to show that you are professional and interested.
2. It is helpful to drive your car long enough before the appointment so that you can explore the area and avoid being late due to traffic, etc.
3. In case you get to the location of the meeting and feel a bit stressed, you can go to the bathroom and take a deep breath, or drink some water.
4. In case you do not get the question, you can kindly ask the interviewer to repeat it, or ask for clarification. Take your time to give the best possible answer.

In conclusion:

It is necessary to shine a light on a very important piece of information. That the art of preparing for job interviews cannot be mastered overnight; but rather, it is a long and persistent process. Therefore,  we advise you not to refuse to go to the interview because you are not qualified. Instead, you must be involved in any job interview because practical trial in real life is what gives you the real experience that a book or an article cannot give to you.