5 Tips That Help Me Nail Every Interview – From Someone Who Always Failed in Interviews Before

Being at a job interview is never an easy task; you can’t help feeling just a little bit nervous, especially if you feel really passionate about the job and you want everything to go perfectly. Feeling that pressure may lead you to make mistakes you aren’t even aware you’re making, and you don’t leave the good first impression you wanted to.

Then, you don’t get the job, and you feel so disappointed – you were convinced you had all the necessary qualifications and skills. So, what went wrong?

Fatal Mistakes Interviewees Commonly Make

You were bragging too much. You wanted to show that you are the perfect fit for the job, so you went a little overboard – and it backfired.

You didn’t ask any questions. Going to a job interview, you expect to be asked a lot of questions. A job interview should also enable you, as a potential employee, to ask everything you want to know about the position.

Making up answers to questions you don’t know. This is always a bad idea – the interviewers will see right through you.

Answering with “yes” or “no.” You were too nervous, so you just said “yes” or “no.” It is always good to elaborate your answers to show you really understood the question.

You don’t get a second chance on a job interview – there is no second first impression, and that is why you need to work on your interview skills. And yes, you can practice how to be good at it – interviewing is a learned skill.

Interviews Are No Longer Fearsome When You Master These 5 Things

Show Your Confidence by Your Body Language in the First 4 Minutes

According to research,^[1] interviewers only need 4 minutes to decide whether they will hire you. So, it is crucial to exude confidence from the moment the interview starts.

You need to show you are confident immediately, not by talking too much about yourself, but with your body language. That means you should smile, make eye contact, and sit with your back straight. By all means, avoid playing with your pen, looking down or touching your hair and face constantly.

For example, when an interviewer is talking to you, or asking questions, lean in to show you are interested about what they are talking about.

Good Answers Are Always about Giving Specific Examples

Answering interviewers’ questions with general answers, such as “I am good at solving crisis situations,” would make it harder for them to understand whether you are a good fit or not. It’s always good practice to draw on your personal work experience and give examples of specific situations.

When an interviewer asks, “How would you solve a crisis situation?” start by saying “When I was working for X company, we had a similar situation,” and proceed to explain how you dealt with it.

Avoid Negative Expressions Whenever You Speak

If you use expressions such as “I didn’t,” “I haven’t,” or “I can’t,” that negative connotation will stay in interviewers’ minds. You should always try to use positive language, even if you haven’t come across something in your work experience. Instead of saying “I have never been in charge of such a task,” say “I have done similar tasks that I believe would help me in dealing successfully with that task.”

Ask Specific Questions to Show Your Interest in the Position

Not asking any questions means you are missing out on an opportunity to find out valuable information, and to make sure that is the right job for you. If you don’t ask any questions, it might signal that you are not that interested in the job.

When asking questions, try to be specific, such as “What are some short-term and long-term goals for my position?”

Be Familiar with What Is Written on Your Resume

Many of us write our resume at some point, and then just add new work experiences without revising it completely. It would be really embarrassing if an interviewer asked you about something from your resume, and you don’t know how to answer. Look closely at your resume before the interview and make sure you know all the facts.

Also, interviewers might not have copies of your resume, so make sure you have a few extra copies with you, and make sure all your things are well organized. You don’t want to waste valuable time going through your things looking for something. You risk looking unprofessional and it would be highly unlikely they would hire you if you are unorganized.

Your work experience can help you a great deal on job interviews, but these are some of the other skills you can practice that will help you get the job.