With 2016 right around the corner, many of us have big plans brewing in order to make it the best year yet. One of those big plans might include landing that dream job or internship. Over the past couple of weeks, after having mock interviews and actual interviews for my final portfolio for school, a question entered my mind: "Why do we get so nervous for interviews?" After thinking about it more, I've decided there's three reasons why we shouldn't get nervous for interviews.
1. Your interviewer is a real person, just like you.
I think sometimes our minds trick us into thinking that our interviewer is this all-knowing, perfect, intimidating person containing nothing but judgement and harsh criticism. The truth of the matter is that your interviewer has just as many flaws as you do because no person on this planet is perfect (Ryan Gosling excluded). Especially for us college students, when we go in for an interview, the interviewer knows we are young and still learning where we fit in this professional world. They understand we are going to make mistakes and that we might say "like" or "um" a couple times during our interview. If they don't understand this, then get out of that interview as fast as you can because that's not a company you want to be working for. We need to remember that this person used to be in our stage of life and recognizes this suited up world is new to us.
2. Your nerves hinder your personality.
Usually the main reason a person is hired is because of the skills and knowledge they obtain. However, personality plays a major factor in this process. Skills and knowledge are important, but if there's something I've learned over time it's that being likable and true to your personality is just as important as the boring resume stuff. When we become nervous, we often revert to our monotonous, robotic non-true selves. Since we over think the interview, we basically plan out every possible scenario so we're prepared for any question or situation. This is fine and all but when we do this, we lose some of our genuine self in the process meaning our genuine reactions and answers to questions. The interviewer wants to get a feel for how we would act in the workplace, if our personality will vibe with theirs, and if this is someone they would enjoy being around for a nine-hour day, so let your personality shine—while of course being aware of what you're letting them see.
3. There will be more interviews.
Many of us find ourselves going into interviews with the mindset that "This is it. This is the job that will change everything." I find this thought to be very dangerous. What happens if you don't get that "life changing" job? Will you give up? Sadly, some people do because they think that was their only chance at success or achieving their end goal. Here's the thing: there will always be more interviews. If you don't receive the job you were preparing for, that's okay because thankfully life goes on. Personally, I strongly believe that God has a plan for all of us. I believe that things happen for a reason and when things don't go according to plan, there is another path we need to take. Whether you believe this or not, I highly suggest you don't give up or become discouraged because the opportunities for growth, change and success are endless.
Being totally nerve-free going into an interview is nearly impossible. In fact, I believe that being a little bit nervous is good since it'll keep you on your toes. However, we can't let the idea of an interview turn us into a complete nervous, anxious train wreck; balance is key in this situation. Be confident, true to yourself (not a robot), and know that this interview is not the end—it's only the beginning.
