According to advice, it’s better to arrive early at the interview location, find a restroom to warm your hands with hot water or a hand dryer. You can also buy a hot cup of coffee and hold it in your hand. Many studies have shown that sometimes just these small actions are enough to boost confidence.
The job interview is something that haunts many people. How to show your strengths, gain the favor of the employer is something that everyone wants. This applies not only to new graduates but also to those who have had several positions and feel quite anxious before interviews.
Recently, a topic on Quora – the most famous Q&A website today, shared some psychological tips to make a good impression on recruiters that has attracted a lot of attention. Below are the best tips for you to make the most of your advantages in an interview.
1. Hands are very important
Hands can make a positive or negative impression on someone upon first meeting. A cold handshake is something to avoid in first encounters.
“Dry and warm hands will help you increase your confidence. Cold and sweaty hands will make you feel anxious and uncertain,” shared member Susan Bearry.
According to advice, it’s better to arrive early at the interview location, find a restroom to warm your hands with hot water or a hand dryer. You can also buy a hot cup of coffee and hold it in your hand. Many studies have shown that sometimes just these small actions are enough to boost confidence when speaking.
Another thing to remember when participating in an interview is not to wave your hands around. If you want to use your hands to emphasize while talking, remember to control them and move slowly, avoiding excessive hand gestures.
2. Utilize body language
Member Zambelli Sylar Federico suggests that people can imitate the movements of the recruiter to create a good impression and gain their trust. Of course, do not do this too obviously.
“By imitating their movements, tone of voice, gestures, breathing rhythm, or similar things, you show the other person that you are in sync and create trust in them,” Federico said.
However, note that you should not copy exactly but create differences, for example: if they itch their nose with their left hand, you touch your face with your right hand; if they sit with their legs crossed, you sit with crossed legs but in the opposite direction.
After feeling confident with your body language, you can imitate the speaking pace as well. Some people speak very quickly, some prefer to speak slowly, and others have their own rhythm.
3. Maintain a deep, steady breath
Time is really important but don’t rush to make everything go quickly so that the interview ends as soon as possible. Short, fast, and shallow breaths will make the recruiter think that you are feeling anxious. This is not good for an important interview.
Bearry shared: “I once had a boss who really liked to meditate. Later on, he told me that he really liked the way I took deep, slow breaths during the interview. He knew that I could keep a cool head under pressure and through my breath, he felt calmness.”
In addition, when answering a question, you don’t have to answer immediately, especially with difficult questions. Many people think they have to answer immediately, so they are easily flustered because they can’t think of anything. According to member Tim Chi, sometimes recruiters like it when you take a little time to think about the question. This small amount of time can help you reduce stress and increase your confidence.
4. Don’t be overly confident
Actually, everyone is a bit nervous in an interview, the important thing is how we hide it skillfully. So how do you appear confident while you are actually feeling confused and your heart is pounding?
According to psychologist John Sannicandro: “Body language is a missing piece of successful interviews. Practice sitting, standing, and moving to increase your confidence.”
The advice for you is to smile more, maintain eye contact with the recruiter. One special note is to avoid shaking your leg. It is impolite and easily makes the interviewer uncomfortable and realize that you are very tense.
However, being overly confident or arrogant is also a negative point in an interview. Nobody wants to hire a candidate who shows excessive confidence from the first meeting. The way you sit, talk, walk, and use language should be moderate and appropriate.
5. Listen and speak only when necessary
“Sometimes candidates are so eager to let everyone know that they are capable or that they learn very fast, they try to interrupt others to say their thoughts. Remember that nobody likes to be interrupted when speaking,” Bearry shared.
Give the employer answers that are relevant and complete, listen to what they say, and never interrupt them. The truth is, not only in an interview but also in communication in general, no one likes to be interrupted.
6. Observe the reactions of others
Recruiters will observe the expressions on your face, your behaviors, and you can do the same. Pay attention to how they react to each of your answers. The important thing is to recognize whether they are interested in what you say or not.
If the recruiter seems indifferent and not interested in what you are sharing, think about stopping or changing the direction of the conversation. If they feel interested, continue to speak coherently and guide them into your story.
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