Most people are uncomfortable talking about themselves. There’s that fine line between sounding boastful and confident. The challenge is that if you don’t come across with a level of confidence, interviewers may doubt your abilities. In today’s article we share some insights, based on our experience interviewing candidates, to prepare well enough so that confidence becomes second nature.
- Know what you’re walking into
When setting up the interview, find out if it’ll be one person interviewing you or a panel. Then using tools such as LinkedIn, do what you can to research them and their role in the company and industry. This forms an important part of interview preparation. When you know who you’ll be talking to it makes casual conversation leading into the interview easier. This can help you relax and feel more confident as the interview progresses.
- Find out the company focus
Online networks make it relatively easy to research a company, find out what projects they’re involved in and if they have a specific area of focus. Some companies are working hard to reduce their waste on site, others have made a commitment to reducing energy usage. If these are values that align with yours it immediately creates common ground. Most people will naturally come across as more confident when talking about things that they value.
- Consider what the company wants
Most companies are not just hiring to fill a role, they have a specific type of person in mind. When doing your research on the company, try to find out about the culture and way of working and then determine if it’s a place where you can succeed. If it is you can talk about how you can add value to the company in the interview by aligning it with the way they work and projects that they’re involved in.
- Be yourself
Trying to be something or someone you’re not is stressful. Rather be confident in yourself and what you can achieve for the company. Companies are looking for people that are authentic and confident in their abilities, because those are the people that produce results. If you’re confident in your skills and experience, let it come through in the interview.
- Eliminate external stress
Do your preparations in advance, leave early and plan to arrive early for the interview. By planning for eventualities, you’re showing diligence and preparedness, and this is very attractive to companies.