The job interview can be a trying and stressful time. You spend so many days preparing for the job interview, hoping for the best and fearing the worst, and it all hangs on what you do in those few hours while you’re battling your interviewer. You follow the best job interview tips, make polite yet funny jokes, and prove to them that above all, you are the perfect candidate for this position. But even so, when you shake hands and they say ‘good luck on your job search,’ you can tell from the way they dismiss you that you didn’t get the job.
So what went wrong with the job interview? You were immaculate, both in presentation of yourself and your physical appearance. But remember that second you took to glance at the floor while you adjusted your tie? Let me remind you, it was when your brain drifted off to think about the dinner you’re going to with your friends after you sign the contract with this place. In that moment, you lost the job interview battle.
You got ahead of yourself, you lost focus, and your body language gave you away. During those few precious hours in an interview you have to do everything you can to stay focused. Why? Because they’re looking at you a lot closer than you think they are.
Unfortunately, the above scenario happened to a friend of mine. He was a lock to get the job; the interviewer even brought his boss into the room after half an hour to shake hands and get to know him. However, while they were comparing their favorite films, he lost focus and in that moment seemed disinterested and disrespectful. You are under constant scrutiny while you’re at a job interview so you need to make sure you are in complete control of what you do.
Your job interview body language says a lot about what you’re thinking, that’s why spies are trained to pick out lies by analyzing subtle body gestures. By shifting your gaze, you are showing a lack of focus and confidence. Jittery legs and nervous hands project a feeling of discomfort and anxiety. In a job interview, you want to come across as a strong candidate and these little subconscious tendencies need to be left at home when you leave for the interview.
Job interviews require focus and confidence. Think about it, if you were an employer would you want an employee who couldn’t control themselves for an hour and a half? That isn’t the making of a strong candidate, so don’t be that person. Try your best to show your best, and remain completely focused during the interview.
Have you ever lost focus during an interview? Did it cost you the job? Share your stories and how you stay focused during an interview in the comment section below!
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by bpsusf
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