Tuesday, September 17, 2019

How to deal with the excitement of an interview

Interviewing is a significant event in life. It is especially exciting for those who are not used to talking to HR often. Rabota.ru expert, psychologist Natalya Gulyaeva tells how to cope with emotions.

Why are we worried about the interview

If the applicant has been unemployed for a long time or he is responsible for other family members, or this is his first job, then, of course, the level of stress is quite high. Moreover, money is at stake that provides the primary needs for food, housing. An unconscious fear arises, which is skillfully disguised as vague anxiety.

Under the excitement, for example, there may be a fear of evaluation: “What if I'm not good enough for this position”, “Suddenly I can’t pass this“ exam ””, “Suddenly someone will be better than me”.
Understanding the nature of emotions is the first step to changing them. We figure out how to remove anxiety and arouse confidence.

Look at the situation from a different angle

People who change jobs often do not perceive the interview as a test, but as an opportunity to change their life for the better.

Think about the fact that the employer needs you - your time, skills. You go to a meeting with a potential employer, not only to convince him of your need, but also to understand if this work suits you, the level of payment, the team, the boss. Many job seekers even consider the interior of the office, in which they intend to spend a lot of time.
At the interview, not only HR is eyeing you, but you are eyeing the company.
Focus on your interests
The excitement that accompanies the trip to the interview, you can miss many important things that in the future can greatly affect whether you will be comfortable working in this place or with a high degree of probability you will have to look for a new job.

Therefore, it is important to focus on your criteria for comfort in relation to your future job. Think about how interesting the proposed functionality is, whether you like the office, whether it is convenient to get to it, whether there is a sufficient salary, whether there is a social package. Reflections of this kind will partially reduce anxiety.

When you choose a sofa, you take into account its design, color, dimensions, material and much more, but you hardly think whether you will fit this sofa.

Get ready for an interview

Uncertainty often causes anxiety - lack of information and the likelihood that something will go wrong.

Search the Internet for the maximum amount of information about the company you want to get into.
To rehearse the interview, say out loud what you want to say HR.
Ask people around you to tell you about your strengths and weaknesses, let this happen as often as possible. So you are mentally prepared for the fact that at the interview you will be evaluated.
Write down your achievements and strengths. Modesty at the interview is not much appreciated. Remember what you have already achieved, and let it fill you with confidence.

Life hack: “deceive” the alarm

When we are anxious, the right hemisphere of the brain begins to work intensively. To reduce the level of excitement, you need to use the left hemisphere as soon as possible.

Since the left hemisphere is responsible for logical thinking, memorizing text, solving mathematical problems, then for quick switching, try to calculate how much will be 75% of 1250, or remember some poem. This will help you better deal with the excitement before the interview.

At the very beginning of the conversation with HR, tell the real facts from your work biography - your brain will switch to the correct and appropriate left hemisphere mode in this case, which will help you successfully cope with the task.

How to dress for an interview

For an interview, you should dress more carefully than you usually go to work - this is a rule of good form. In addition, your success largely depends on the first impression.

The main thing is that the suit is sitting

The most important piece of clothing advice you can give to those who go for an interview: Choose clothing that is comfortable for you. That is, the suit should correspond to the business dress code and you should be comfortable in it - do not press anything anywhere, do not rub, do not wrinkle.
Your self-confidence depends on how well you feel, how much you like yourself.
Therefore, if you are not used to wearing business suits or bought a new thing for an interview, “live” in these clothes. Walk around the house a bit, stand in the mirror and rehearse what you want to tell HR about yourself. This will definitely not be superfluous.

Business Dress Code Rules

Depending on the company and the vacancy that you apply for, choose business style or the most stringent dress code option - business best.

Business style involves a suit, but instead of a jacket, you can wear a cardigan or pullover of a classic cut. The texture of the fabric should be smooth - tweed and boucle “relax” the image. Choose one-piece suits or suits in a faint pinstriped. Shoes, belt and bag may not match in color, but should harmoniously fit into the overall look.

Business best - this is necessarily a business suit, soft blue or gray shades. Belt, shoes and bag should be the same color. Shirts are pale tones. For men, a tie is mandatory - plain or in a dull strip.
The image for the interview should be minimalistic - you demonstrate not so much yourself as your business skills.
Even if you are interviewing for a creative position, for the first interview with HR it is better to choose an emphasized business image. You need to focus on your creative abilities - play carefully with accessories. Bright details will add creativity.

Color value

When choosing a suit and accessories, pay attention to the colors that you plan to use to create your image.
Give preference to soft, clear colors. Dark blue and its shades indicate the seriousness of the applicant, his determination and sociability. Intense dark turquoise - demonstrates leadership ambitions.

Shades of gray and brown - show reliability and the desire for stability.
Beige gamma is good for an interview - calm and balanced.
The burgundy-wine color, fashionable this season, is suitable for an interview, but provided that you are confident enough, but it is recommended to choose red color exclusively for accessories.
Pink should be avoided - on a subconscious level, it signals a request for patronage and sometimes infantility. Bright yellow, orange, green colors, as the main ones in a suit, are also undesirable - they distract. There is a danger that HR will not remember you, but your suit.

Print

Business style usually implies either the absence of any print or a geometric print on some details of the suit.
Drawing with sharp corners will add dynamics to the image, but if there are too many corners, it can be perceived as a manifestation of aggression. For costume fabric, a dull vertical strip is often used. But with horizontal stripes and a cage, you need to be careful - these patterns are more democratic and not always appropriate for an interview.
Always inappropriate - a floral print, paisley and even more provocative inscriptions or funny pictures. Leave these things for non-working time.

How to understand whether a job is suitable, even before the interview

A trip to an interview is always a waste of nerves and time. To save both, ask a few HR questions over the phone. Perhaps the vacancy is not worth your attention.
You will have no more than 3-5 minutes for a conversation (or chat, now this is also practiced!) With HR. During this time, you need to find out the conditions of cooperation that are fundamentally important for you and make a good impression on the interlocutor - the vacancy may be worthwhile.

About the most important
Let's be honest - the first thing I want to find out is, of course, the size of the salary. Good resume can help you with finding a gob, use resume writing service - https://finditcareer.com/best-resume-writing-services-near-my-location. Especially if the employer uses a vague wording “by agreement”. Even if you know how much an average specialist of your level costs in the market, an employer offering an “interview salary” may surprise you. And not always nice.
However, the question of remuneration should not be raised first. Moreover, the discussion of wages is usually the final stage of the interview, such issues are not resolved in a telephone conversation.

Ask about the functionality. On the one hand, this will demonstrate your interest in cooperation, on the other hand, you will be able to assess the volume and complexity of the work, and therefore, to suggest the amount of remuneration.

Incomprehensible "buns"

“Flexible schedule”, “office three minutes from the metro”, “comfortable working conditions”, notorious “goodies” - sometimes these surprises are hidden behind these formulations! A “flexible schedule” may involve choosing a work schedule from 9 to 18 or from 10 to 19; “Three minutes from the metro” - three minutes in a crowded minibus from the metro Salaryevo; “Comfortable working conditions” - the presence of an electric kettle and a personal bedside table near the desktop. And in fact, the “goodies” may turn out to be just a permission to celebrate generally accepted holidays at lunchtime.

Highlight the most important for yourself and ask only about it. You want to choose your own working time - specify what is meant by a “free schedule”. You expect to spend no more than a certain amount of time on the way to the office - take an interest in how employees get to work.

Personal preferences
If you have any prerequisites for cooperation, it is better to voice them immediately. Are you going to combine work with study? Ask if the employer is ready to provide days off on exams and tests. Do you want to work for several employers at the same time? Find out how the company treats this.

If HR leaves the conversation
It is possible that you just did not call on time - the employee may be busy with something urgent or be at a meeting, for example. Ask permission to call back at a convenient time for the interlocutor. As a rule, an employer representative is ready to devote some time to the applicant to answer a few questions about the vacancy.

Another thing is if an employee of the company refuses to discuss by phone any details of the vacancy. In this case, it is worth considering why HR is hiding information, and are you ready to spend your time traveling to such an interview.

Interview with a Healing Employer



This story happened to one applicant. He told the editorial staff of the newspaper “Work for You”.

Ilya saw an ad in the newspaper: “An assistant diagnostic consultant is required, salary from 60,000 to 100,000 rubles. We take without experience. "

The man was very interested in the salary, and he arranged for an interview. The name of the company indicated that it specializes in oriental medicine. The office turned out to be inferior - a couple of rooms on the ground floor of a panel building. The interview was a group interview. By the appointed hour, in addition to Ilya, several more mature ladies arrived. Small questionnaires were handed out to everyone, and then the employer Sergey Alexandrovich addressed the candidates. He spoke, there was no real selection of applicants. Sergei Alexandrovich was not at all interested in what kind of audience he had: who these people were, what they were doing, how they would work ... Ilya understood this right away.

The employer spoke long and enthusiastically. The general meaning was this: here, employees treat patients with acupuncture. First they are diagnosed with various diseases, and then they are magically cured with a special device that supposedly affects bioenergetic points on the hands. You can choose any employment schedule: a full week, several hours a day, etc. Payment is piece-rate, depending on how many patients you will accept. Sergei Alexandrovich assured that with full employment, you can get more than one hundred thousand.
But Ilya already guessed where he was, so he waited for the “employer” to ask for money. And he waited. Sergei Alexandrovich began the last act of the play: “We will train you for eight days for free how to work with this device, and everyone will be issued certificates! But we have a problem - renting a room where you will study has become simply unbearable. I ask you, if you want to work with us, strive to change your life and earn a decent living, hand over 18,000 rubles for a rental. The costs will pay off in the first month! ”As Ilya told an employee of our editorial office, he came out with laughter.

Tip

We checked the reader’s complaint and blacklisted this scam announcement. You should not waste time on such "interviews" even out of curiosity. In such offices, they will pressure you morally and pull money. And some scammers generally use hypnosis. You may suffer, but you still won’t get any work. But if, for example, you seriously decide to carry out various “health-improving” manipulations with people without a corresponding license (which you will not be given out without a specialized education), be prepared to be responsible for your actions according to the law.
We are doing our best to ensure that vacancies from unscrupulous employers do not fall on the pages of the newspaper "Work for You" and on the Rabota.ru website. To do this, we have opened a special telephone service. If you are faced with cheating in employment - call the number (495) 961−00−18 and tell your story. Your signal will be checked, and the phone of scammers will be blacklisted, that is, their announcement will no longer appear in the newspaper and on the site.

How to prepare for an interview

Any interview is stress. To minimize excitement, it makes sense to prepare for a conversation with a recruiter in advance. Rabota.ru answers the most popular questions of applicants.
I forget everything I wanted to say from excitement. What to do?

Look on the Internet for information about the company you want to get into. You need to understand where you are going and what you can expect at the interview.

Rehearse everything that you planned to say at the meeting with HR. And it’s better to do it out loud.

Try to look good - this will add to your confidence.

Promise yourself after the interview, no matter how it goes, a nice bonus like a piece of cake with a cup of coffee.

Just before the interview, tune in to confidence. Psychologists recommend the following exercise: close your eyes and remember the situation when you did it. Remember what you were wearing, what objects surrounded you, what smelled of, what sensations were in the body. The more details, the better. Stay in this state and boldly go for an interview - you are already tuned in to the right wave.

And remember, the recruiter is also a living person and he understands your emotions.
What to wear? Is it important for a recruiter?

Yes, your appearance is important. The recruiter will appreciate your accuracy, the ability to present yourself and the relevance of the position you are applying for.
Choose a suit depending on the dress code adopted by the company. If you do not know exactly what dress code your potential employer has, give preference to clothes of neutral tones and strict cut. It is better to refuse jeans in favor of trousers.
It is important that the clothes are clean and ironed, the hairstyle is neat. Do not get carried away with accessories and perfume.
Girls are recommended natural makeup and soft manicure.
What to talk about?

It is important for the recruiter to evaluate your work experience and the benefits that you can bring to the business. Therefore, tell us about what you did in your past work, what successes you achieved. The phrases “we did the project ...”, “we launched the system ...” play against you. We need to focus on the result: “we made a project that brought the company such and such benefits”, “we launched a system with which ...”.

Tell the recruiter how your skills will come in handy in a new place.
Speak confidently - during the interview, among other things, self-presentation skills are evaluated.
The employer is interested in your motivation. Tell us why this work is important to you.
What to answer the question about the reasons for dismissal from a previous job?

If you quit of your own free will, then talk about the reasons for quitting honestly, but without negativity. That is, it is not worth saying that the past employer is a miser and a brawler.
“I want to earn more” or “I am looking for work closer to home” - these are, in general, reasonable reasons for a recruiter. “I would like to solve more complex problems” - such an answer speaks of your interest in the profession and your high motivation. “I would like to get experience in your company, because ...” is also an acceptable answer.

And if you got fired under the article?

Most likely, the recruiter will try to find out why the situation is just that. He secures himself, because if the situation repeats, this will be his flaw. Tell as honestly and without unnecessary emotions how everything happened. Do not try to drag the interlocutor to your side, let the specialist figure out who was right and who was to blame. Your task is to demonstrate objectivity and convince the recruiter that this will not happen again.
What can you tell about your hobbies?

Only that will be somehow useful for your work. If you are interviewing for the position of editor and are interested in graphic design, then feel free to talk about a hobby. If your passion corresponds to the values ​​of the company, you can also mention it. For example, taking a job as a seller in a sports store, it’s logical to talk about regular participation in marathons.

You definitely shouldn’t talk about hobbies that are time-consuming and do not overlap with your work tasks. Extreme hobbies are also better not to advertise - ceteris paribus they will choose a job seeker who does not risk leaving for a long sick leave due to fractures.

And what to tell if asked about the personal?

You are not required to talk about your personal life. But understand the recruiter - he is not out of curiosity asking about your family. He needs to evaluate your motivation, the risk of sick leave, for example, caring for small children. In general, tell only what you think is necessary. If you are not ready to talk about plans to create a family or a tradition of visiting relatives monthly in Vladivostok, then refuse to answer questions tactfully, without annoyance and in neat wording: “I am not ready to discuss this”, “we have a friendly family, of course, from time to time we all meet. ”
How to answer correctly, if they find out at the interview whether I am going to maternity leave in the near future?

To be honest, the recruiter should not ask such questions. This is an interference with your privacy. Therefore, you have every right to not answer such a question. Compose a very neutral wording and remember that, according to the Labor Code, the employer cannot oblige you not to become pregnant.

Provided that you are not going to maternity soon, calm the interlocutor, tell him that the appearance of children is not included in your plans.

I do not worry. Why should I prepare?

You just need to prepare in order not to get into an awkward situation. For example, because of distraction, you can’t blurt out at an interview at Pepsi that you always dreamed of working with the Coca-Cola brand.

It is always useful to read about the company in which you want to work, interest in the employer increases your chances of success.