As a child I have felt butterflies in my stomach every time I went for an exam, no matter how well prepared I was. The anxiousness, a tiny fear in the pit of your stomach, forgetting everything learnt at the last moment, and glancing at all the pages like I had picture memory. Then, I thought all this would end once I finish college. I was so wrong!
Next came the dread of attending an interview. I felt the exact same like I did during an examination. That jittery feeling is unexplainable. I always would keep feeling that something awful would happen, which never did happen. That feeling of dread. So, when we fear an interview or an examination, we tend to avoid it, especially if we are comfortable elsewhere, even if we aren’t happy doing what we are doing. And, I did just that. Worked for my Father-in-law, though I did not like the job nor the salary, and it was because I feared rejection in an interview, the feeling of I am not good enough. Thankfully, I met someone who made me realise that I am way better than what I was doing at that time. I had potential and I should explore it.
To, all who fear interviews or are not confident enough after taking a long career break, I would suggest you follow a few tips that I share here, it may help you.
Stay updated
Be honest
Learn a new skill
Practice mock interviews with someone
Listen and then speak
Be punctual
Learn about the company
Be confident
Be professional
Organise the related documents
The key to success is knowing your worth, and being confident about yourself. It is okay to fumble, what’s important is you correct yourself. Another point we all should keep in our mind and understand is that we should never compare ourselves with another. Also, the interviewer is a human and has also gone through the same to be seated there.
Practice calm, before you leaving home and after you reach your destination. As Robert Frost said, “The best way out is always through.”