How Confidence Got Me My Dream Job
By Ruoro Kairu
When you think of situations that get you out of your comfort zone, attending an interview is likely among the top situations.
Will I be able to articulate my answers? What questions are they going to ask?
These are some of the questions you may ask yourself before an interview.
Getting nervous before attending an interview is common. The outcome of the interview determines your career and future.
What happens if interviews are your worst nightmare?
Nancy has been out of a job for two years now. She has been to more than ten interviews this year alone. Most of the interviews end the same way, a regret email shortly after the interview or no feedback at all.
Tired of the job hunting struggle, she called a few of the companies she had interviewed with and sought feedback.
‘You lacked confidence through the interview.’ ‘You couldn’t clearly explain yourself.’ ‘You were shaky and uncertain.’ This was the feedback she constantly got.
It was not her qualifications. It was not discrimination. Neither was it her experience. She missed out on these positions simply because she lacked confidence.
“Sure, I have always been a shy person who prefers keeping to myself,” remarks Nancy, “but I never thought it would cost me my career.”
This was Nancy when she had called us to see how we can help her build her confidence during interviews.
After the call, we arranged to meet so I could better understand her situation.
During the meeting, she narrated her journey and how she felt she couldn’t get a job for her lack of confidence.
“I have always thought my skills and qualifications would speak for me. I have been employed once before, but now I think I only got the job because I knew the hiring manager,” she says.
Shouldn’t your experience vouch for you? Why do you need confidence?
It is true, your skills, qualifications, and experience will help you. At the same time, remember in an interview, how you express yourself counts.
If you look around, you’ll notice the confident people are the ones who get jobs, they are the ones who get promoted, and they are the ones who excel in their careers.
I’m not saying you can’t achieve all these if you’re not confident, but it will be more difficult.
Confidence then plays a key role in your overall career success.
After understanding this, Nancy joined the Speak With Confidence training, that she may grow her confidence, and in the end, ace an interview.
She graduated a couple of months back. A while after, I emailed her to see if there was any change.
“I went back to actively applying for jobs.” she told me. “I have already been to four interviews, two of the interviews have had great feedback –the first one, I’m trying to negotiate for a higher salary and the other one, I’m waiting for the third interview to be scheduled.”
Not only did Nancy build her confidence, she’s now going to the second and third stage of the interviews, and, she’s able to negotiate her salary!
How did she move from being timid to negotiating her salary?
Here are three easy tips Nancy used to build her confidence
1. See yourself as others do
Have you ever listened to your recorded voice? It sounds different from how you envision yourself speaking.
While you’re at an interview –or any other presentation, there’s how you think you communicate. That, however, could be very different from the actual presentation.
“I did a Skype interview and recorded myself. Afterward, I watched the recording to see what I would normally do during interviews.” says Nancy.
She noticed her posture and body language were working against her.
“Once I learned my body language habits, I started being conscious every time I was speaking or presenting. Over time, I have been able to control my body language during interviews and in general”
Seeing yourself in the eyes of someone else will help you notice the behaviors you don’t pay attention to.
2. Get feedback
“I like keeping to myself. I do engage with others, but most of the time, it’s when I need to, and not because I simply want to.”
It is important to realize you can’t improve by yourself. It is difficult to view yourself and your presentation objectively.
Nancy started asking for feedback on any small presentation she did. This way, she became more aware of what she was doing wrong and started working on it.
Get feedback from your friends, colleagues, etc.
You can also join the Speak With Confidence training where you will receive in-depth and actionable feedback from the trainer.
3. Practice
“Without practice, it is impossible to improve.”
Nancy is right; the only way to improve your confidence is through practice. Take some time and practice a presentation or an interview.
As you prepare, you’ll continually improve your confidence and presentation skills.
This is what Nancy used to gain the confidence to attend an interview and show her skills and value.
Are you looking to boost your confidence? Have you been attending interviews with no luck? Are you looking to improve your presentation skills?
Join the Speak With Confidence Training and you too, will build your confidence and achieve your goals like Nancy.