Job seeking is a stressful adventure for many people, but going on interviews may be the most stressful part of the journey. Not only is the interview a small preview for you to see the company, but you have to be your best self, confidently answering difficult questions while making a great first impression. Yep, interviewing can make everyone a little anxious.
Overcoming interview anxiety is hard to do because hopefully, you don’t go on interviews on a regular basis. So, a great way to get more comfortable and confident for an upcoming interview is to practice with an honest friend.
A Practice Interview That’s Worth Your Time
You may laugh at the idea of a practice interview because it could be awkward, but in reality, you may be dismissing the perfect opportunity to hone in on your interview skills, which could cost you that great job. Choose a friend who will be honest in their feedback and seriously interested in helping you land the job.
Focus on These 4 Things During Your Practice Interview
Once you’ve chosen who you’ll practice your interview with, follow these suggestions to make the most of out this drill.
1. Reflect on Areas for Improvement
Before you even begin your practice interview, take some time to reflect on the different parts of an interview that make you the most anxious or stressed. Do the behavioral questions make you uncomfortable? Does talking about certain previous employment positions solicit negative emotions? Do you have a hard time identifying your weaknesses honestly? These are all different examples of specific areas that can make an interview stressful. If you take time to reflect on what makes you anxious, your practice interview will be more productive.
2. Make a List of Practice Questions
You should pull together a list of practice interview questions for your partner. You can also invite them to add a few to catch you off guard. Be sure to include a variety of questions – from basic to the ones that cause you greater anxiety.
3. Decide How to Conduct Your Practice Interview
Since you can encounter a variety of interview styles, you should ask your practice partner to conduct the interview in the same way. Will you have a face-to-face interview, or one via Skype, or a phone interview? None of these interviews will feel the same, so be sure to practice using the venue or medium that will most closely relate to your real interview.
4. Welcome the Feedback
One of the main benefits of a practice interview is for the chance to improve with constructive feedback. Since you’ve chosen an honest and trustworthy friend to practice with, welcome the feedback sincerely. Your practice partner is only trying to help you so you should take their feedback and be grateful for the chance to get better before your big interview. Their input could help you get your next job!
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