Signs of Anxiety in an interview and how to avoid it!
Let’s face it; interviewing can cause anxiety in most people. It’s a natural feeling. The secret is to avoid showing anxiety. Or, at least, minimize the feeling during that all-important interview.
Anxiety shows up in subtle ways during an interview. Stuttering, verbal fillers, appearing rigid, showing little eye contact and shaky hands are all common signs. But, the real “killers” for any interview when it comes to exhibiting anxiety are low assertiveness and slow talking.
A recent article in the Journal of Business and Psychology called Behavioral Expression of Job Interview Anxiety found that these two anxious traits cause the most concern to interviewers. Slow talking gave the impression of uncertainty.
As a general rule, people who are less anxious during an interview are going to show more assertiveness and exhibit a faster speech pattern. During an interview, “don’t be afraid to take ownership of your contribution to a project.”
Be prepared to identify quantifiable accomplishments in prior jobs. How was this done? Explain the challenges you had to overcome and the things you learned from the event.
If you have technical skills, be prepared to discuss your abilities in this area. How have you kept these skills sharp?
Have you worked with teams on a project? If so, be prepared to explain the challenges and results of working in a team environment.
If you are a slow talker by nature, rehearse answers to questions you’re likely to be asked, providing details in your responses.
As always, “be confident, optimistic, professional and likable.” These are the great influencers in any interview. Preparation, instead of “winging it”, will help to alleviate anxiety.
At Key Corporate Services, we know the importance of presenting candidates in the most positive way. Our specialists are focused on getting the attention of the best and brightest candidates in the job market and tell our clients’ stories so that we can introduce the “right” people to the “right” companies.
Give us a call and let us go to work for you.
From The Key Corporate Services Blog Team
