Interview nerves
Discussion
Hi all
I have an interview tomorrow at 1pm and I am unbelievably nervous.
Just thinking about it is giving me that sinking feeling in my stomach.
I think I am nervous because is a daunting 3 separate interviews, tomorrow is with the sales manager and I have never worked in this industry before - Pensions and Investments.
The role is a Appointment co-ordinater with a large well-known company who offer amazing progression opportunities through there training, fantastic salary and commission etc.
I gather that I would be the youngest person working there at the age of 23 and I don't have any qualifications as such. however I do have 6 years sales experience and this is a sales job.
I REALLY want this job, it offers the kind of rewarding career I have been looking for.
How do I control my nerves?
J
I have an interview tomorrow at 1pm and I am unbelievably nervous.
Just thinking about it is giving me that sinking feeling in my stomach.
I think I am nervous because is a daunting 3 separate interviews, tomorrow is with the sales manager and I have never worked in this industry before - Pensions and Investments.
The role is a Appointment co-ordinater with a large well-known company who offer amazing progression opportunities through there training, fantastic salary and commission etc.
I gather that I would be the youngest person working there at the age of 23 and I don't have any qualifications as such. however I do have 6 years sales experience and this is a sales job.
I REALLY want this job, it offers the kind of rewarding career I have been looking for.
How do I control my nerves?
J
Try and focus on the positives you can bring to the role - why you match / exceed the needs of the job.
Know your CV perfectly, and have good answers for any difficult questions like gaps in employment history / dubious education results / areas where your skill set doesn't match anything they mention. Not saying you have any of these, but if you do, a robust answer that can be spun in a positive way will sound good.
From the physical point of view, if they offer you a drink, take it. A glass of water will give your hands something to do instead of fidgeting and taking a sip allows you to pause and think.
Know your CV perfectly, and have good answers for any difficult questions like gaps in employment history / dubious education results / areas where your skill set doesn't match anything they mention. Not saying you have any of these, but if you do, a robust answer that can be spun in a positive way will sound good.
From the physical point of view, if they offer you a drink, take it. A glass of water will give your hands something to do instead of fidgeting and taking a sip allows you to pause and think.
Possibly slightly higher risk, but as a salesperson you should have the confidence
At the start of the interview in the sit down, door closing first 10 or 20 seconds say something like.
"I feel strangely nervous about this interview, probably because it looks like such a good opportunity..."
shows your human, but not weak
good opening line and allows the interviewer to re assure you
probably means he won't start in with an absolute grilling
shows you care about the outcome.
Chances are it will settle your nerves too, because you won't be worried that he thinks you are nervous.
I am SURE others will disagree with me, but...
At the start of the interview in the sit down, door closing first 10 or 20 seconds say something like.
"I feel strangely nervous about this interview, probably because it looks like such a good opportunity..."
shows your human, but not weak
good opening line and allows the interviewer to re assure you
probably means he won't start in with an absolute grilling
shows you care about the outcome.
Chances are it will settle your nerves too, because you won't be worried that he thinks you are nervous.
I am SURE others will disagree with me, but...
Just go in, don't waffle and tell the truth.
If your GCSE's are crap then explain why, didn't work hard enough, spent too much time behind the bikeshed etc.
In my case it was my crap A Level results that were flagged up at my interviews. I explained I'd just turned 18 and it was less distance to walk from the my common room to the pub than it was to go up the 8 flights of stairs to Maths/Physics hence my crap results. But obviously I learnt my lesson by turning it around at University, working hard andfluking achieving a 2:1.
They seemed to like the fact I was prepared to own up to my own errors and not skirt around the issue.
Too many people approach interviews with a balls out "I've got to impress" attitude that mearly ends up in them lying and being caught out or the interviewer thinking they're a d
head.
ETA: To actually answer your question... I felt that by knowing I wasn't lying/trying to overimpress I actually relaxed quite early on in the interview.
Also, if you can get the interviewer talking about the role in question and/or finding a common interest to discuss it helps everyone relax. (In my current job my line manager is ex Aerospace so we spent much of the interview talking about aircraft!
)
Good luck. It's worth it in the end
If your GCSE's are crap then explain why, didn't work hard enough, spent too much time behind the bikeshed etc.
In my case it was my crap A Level results that were flagged up at my interviews. I explained I'd just turned 18 and it was less distance to walk from the my common room to the pub than it was to go up the 8 flights of stairs to Maths/Physics hence my crap results. But obviously I learnt my lesson by turning it around at University, working hard and
They seemed to like the fact I was prepared to own up to my own errors and not skirt around the issue.
Too many people approach interviews with a balls out "I've got to impress" attitude that mearly ends up in them lying and being caught out or the interviewer thinking they're a d
head.ETA: To actually answer your question... I felt that by knowing I wasn't lying/trying to overimpress I actually relaxed quite early on in the interview.
Also, if you can get the interviewer talking about the role in question and/or finding a common interest to discuss it helps everyone relax. (In my current job my line manager is ex Aerospace so we spent much of the interview talking about aircraft!
)Good luck. It's worth it in the end
Edited by Cyder on Tuesday 24th January 11:43
I arrived an hour early, so one guy told me to wait in the staff canteen. The manager walks in 10 mins later, shakes my hand and congratulates me on being the earlist anybody has ever showed up for an interview! He suggested that I should go and get a coffee up the road and come back at 2! Oh dear, not a great startvi feel and because I don't have the car today and there premises are in the middle of no where I am hiding around the corner..... Waiting for the time to slowly tick bye! Lol
Gargamel said:
Possibly slightly higher risk, but as a salesperson you should have the confidence
At the start of the interview in the sit down, door closing first 10 or 20 seconds say something like.
"I feel strangely nervous about this interview, probably because it looks like such a good opportunity..."
shows your human, but not weak
good opening line and allows the interviewer to re assure you
probably means he won't start in with an absolute grilling
shows you care about the outcome.
Chances are it will settle your nerves too, because you won't be worried that he thinks you are nervous.
I am SURE others will disagree with me, but...
I think this is excellent advice primarily because it is the truth. You are obviously nervous because you really want the job - That is good. As mentioned before also concentrate on breathing and don't rush into answering questions, try to consider your answers carefully. I love interviews now and view them as an opportunity for me to gain appropriate knowledge to decide whether an organisation is good enough for me - you try it....At the start of the interview in the sit down, door closing first 10 or 20 seconds say something like.
"I feel strangely nervous about this interview, probably because it looks like such a good opportunity..."
shows your human, but not weak
good opening line and allows the interviewer to re assure you
probably means he won't start in with an absolute grilling
shows you care about the outcome.
Chances are it will settle your nerves too, because you won't be worried that he thinks you are nervous.
I am SURE others will disagree with me, but...
The only time I was ever that nervous was when I took my driving test (over 30 years ago). It was at 1pm and I think I peed 2 dozen times that morning.
Edited by ScoobyDood on Tuesday 24th January 13:37
wolfy1988 said:
I arrived an hour early, so one guy told me to wait in the staff canteen. The manager walks in 10 mins later, shakes my hand and congratulates me on being the earlist anybody has ever showed up for an interview! He suggested that I should go and get a coffee up the road and come back at 2! Oh dear, not a great startvi feel and because I don't have the car today and there premises are in the middle of no where I am hiding around the corner..... Waiting for the time to slowly tick bye! Lol
We've all been there, try not to worry about it. Remember the only thing that can come of the interview is good - perhaps a job, at the very least good interview experience - so try and enjoy it. Look at it this way: they can't do any harm to you at the end of the day!
In the meantime go for a nice stroll.
Just had a call from them, it turns out the Director was very impressed with me and has invited me back for my next interview.
Thanks guys, you all played your part in putting my over-active mind at rest.
It turns out the salary is 6k higher than I first thought, Result!
No dought I'll have another breakdown come 10:30 next Tuesday.
J
Thanks guys, you all played your part in putting my over-active mind at rest.
It turns out the salary is 6k higher than I first thought, Result!
No dought I'll have another breakdown come 10:30 next Tuesday.
J
Congratulations!
In the past I've sat down and written 20-30+ possible questions and prepared answers for them. I found it gave confidence that i'd thought about most of what could possibly come up.
If they come up, you can then be in the great position of looking like you’re quickly constructing an answer when you have one ready to go!
In the past I've sat down and written 20-30+ possible questions and prepared answers for them. I found it gave confidence that i'd thought about most of what could possibly come up.
If they come up, you can then be in the great position of looking like you’re quickly constructing an answer when you have one ready to go!
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