Henry Ford said it best: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” So, consider this: Is your job search and interview mindset keeping you hopeful or hopeless?
The way you approach a situation has an impact on the result. Your mindset will impact your employment outcome before you ever submit that resume or enter the interview room. Ask yourself...
- How do you walk into an interview?
- Do you believe your chances of getting hired are a gamble and therefore don’t even consider preparing for interviews?
- Do you believe interviewers are the enemy and perceive them as judging you the entire time?
- Are you so tired, frustrated, or nervous with interviewing that your focus tends to be on just getting it done?
What if you were to think of the interviewers as potential, future co-workers? What if these "new" co-workers were to become your friends? How would you present yourself in an interview then? Is it possible that the interview can be a time where you get to really feel your strength and walk away with new people thinking you were pretty cool?
An interview is YOUR time to shine. The employer has gifted you a set amount of time to showcase what you have to offer. How you come across is completely up to you and will be affected by your mindset.
MINDSET: Confidence
Are you overly confident and arrogant, or are you unsure of yourself and constantly doubting...everything? A shy person doesn’t need to pretend to be the most outgoing person alive. However, if you’re so shy that the interviewers feel like they’re pulling teeth just to get answers out of you, you might as well pay them for doing all the work. For the bold and opinionated, you don’t need to make yourself weak and opinionless.
Remember, though, that the interviewers aren’t your friends and family who already love you; they’re total strangers who need to form an opinion of you so they can narrow their decision on who to hire. Don’t make it easy for the interviewer to decide you aren’t a good fit. Determine your confidence level beforehand and adjust your mindset accordingly for an interview setting. Either fake it until you become confident enough, or remind yourself that there is ALWAYS someone better than you if you need to take it down a few notches.
MINDSET: Interviewers
The interviewers want to like you. They need to fill a vacancy and want to be reassured there are good, strong candidates out there. There is no reason why you can’t be that person. No reason. The interviewers can be your friend or your enemy. It’s your choice. I recommend choosing to see them as your walking billboard. Make such an awesome impression on them that they can’t stop raving about you long after you leave. Yes—this does happen.
On the other hand, if your mindset is one of fearing the interviewers or of anger and frustration towards them, this will also be what they remember long after you leave. In the event you apply for another position with them in the future, the chances of you receiving an invitation to interview again will have likely decreased. It’s up to you to start off on the right foot with the right mindset.
MINDSET: The Energy Of Self-Talk
What are you telling yourself? Do you believe you are worth having the job you want? Do you really want the job you’re applying for, or do you just want any job? Have you become bitter and now believe all HR personnel are stupid? The energy (or sometimes lack of energy) created by not believing in yourself, by not having your heart in something, or by assuming others are the problem, can be felt on both a conscious and subconscious level.
Think of the times you’ve walked into a room and immediately knew someone was talking about you. We can all sense other people’s energy and they can sense ours. Whatever you tell yourself is likely going to be exactly what you get in return. A shy, scared mindset yields doubt in your ability to perform, and an arrogant mindset yields an immediate wall between you and the interviewers. Show yourself to the world, but remember that no one owes you anything.
If time is of the essence in earning that next paycheck, why waste time on assuming you know everything, believing you can’t achieve what you want, or on blaming others? Your mindset shapes the world you live in. Be mindful and make it the most fantastic place ever. Your future is listening.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.