job Interviews are draining experiences for many of us, made all the more stressful when there is an information gap about what we can expect.  Here are some tips to help to reduce the stress of the unknown when preparing for a formal job interview.

1.       I am not sure what I’m being tested on in an interview

An interview can feel like an unknown entity where you fire word missiles into space and hope that by some miracle you score a hit.  The hiring panel are there to make a decision, and they will have a methodology and a scoring system to select candidates.   You can contact the company in advance and ask if you can have the interview process explained to you and what you can expect.  For example, in a structured competency-based interview you can expect to be scored across 5-6 competencies, which are probably listed in the job spec to help you prepare.   

2.       Interview panels intimidate me

An interview panel is actually a good sign that a company is aware of the risk of bias when hiring and is trying to use a structured method to reduce it. If your interview panel has at least three people and reflects gender balance, then it’s a signal to you that the company is trying to have good hiring practices.  A panel might comprise a HR Representative, a Manager and possibly an external interviewer or Board Member.  The interviewers listen and score your answers and the person who scores highest will be offered the position first.  By understanding the reasoning of this system, you can prepare better for the task.   

3.       The thoughts of travelling to the interview fill me with anxiety

If you have reasons for why you would strongly prefer an interview by Zoom rather than in person or if you need to gain a good understanding of their interview process and what you can expect in order to prepare, don’t be afraid to reach out when you are offered the interview.  Don’t let anxiety of the unknown harness this moment and become a barrier to you.  Contact the company for more information or to request adaptations to the interview process.  And trust your gut feeling; if they’re inflexible about accommodating you, perhaps their company culture is not the right fit for you anyway.

4.       I’m never sure if I am waffling

If you are told in advance the length of an interview and if you know the size of the interview panel, you can calculate how many questions you’ll be asked and how much time you’re expected to spend on them.  30 minute interview?  You can probably expect 10 questions, and you should spend about 3 minutes on each question. 3 person interview panel?  You can expect that each interviewer will ask at least 3 questions.  Therefore if you have not heard from one interviewer yet, make sure you allow yourself enough time and material to answer their questions.  Using these benchmarks can help you prepare a balanced picture of yourself and an opportunity to score points across the board.

5.       I couldn’t find any information on the company

When you are researching the company in your interview preparations, you may want to consider contacting them.  The team you wish to join might be happy to hear from you and to answer some questions you have.  Be sure to have your questions ready and double check that they are appropriate to ask.  Always know the reason that you are asking a question and if the reasoning is unclear to you, drop it from the list.

6.       I don’t know how to handle myself when I walk in

While most interviews are now on Zoom and walking in is less of a worry, you are still auditioning for a role in a company that has an existing team and you want to demonstrate that you align well with the culture of that team.  Don’t enter the meeting until you are ready to start a conversation.  And when we do go back to interviews in person, be on form from the moment you enter.  Be courteous to people you meet in the reception area, be warm and professional to the person who comes down to escort you to the interview room.  If you are nervous or tense, take five deep breaths to centre yourself.  First impressions of you are important. 

7.       I like to prepare really carefully for my questions

It’s great to know your key examples for each competency but the most important thing is to listen to the question you are being asked.  It is tempting to launch into prepared material  but it may not be that relevant to the question.  If you’re not answering what they’ve asked, they can’t score you on it, and you are losing yourself points.   Know your key examples for each competency.   Similarly, you may have that one question you are nervous about answering, but if you spend all your time preparing for one question, and if you spend ten minutes of your interview answering one question, you are not giving your interviewers enough material to score you across competencies.

8.       I don’t know what to say when I’m asked about a work skill I know I haven’t done before

You want to communicate hunger, preparation and interest.  Your interviewers want you to do well and are often eager to hear you speak the words that allows them to score you highly.  Know that women are much more likely to stick with what they’ve already done, while men come in and speak about what they can do.  Practice saying ‘YES I can do that’ and keep practising until you can say it with conviction.  Demonstrate that you are able for new tasks, rather than focusing on whether you have done them before.  Because if you don’t say you can do it, the next person being interviewed is going to score those points that you have passed up. 

9.       I would love to get to the point where I feel ready for the interview

The night before the interview, think about the three core messages you want to get across.  Know the job description really well and relate it to what you can do.   Know these three messages and go into the interview with a clear and open mind.  This is your moment. 

And honestly, breathe into it and enjoy the moment.  You’re at the table.  You’re here.  Be proud of yourself that you have made it this far.