Let’s face it – it’s pretty natural to feel a little nervous before a job interview – even the most self assured amongst us would confess to being a little apprehensive before the big day. What is important however is how we deal with those nerves and ensure that they don’t get the better of us. These basic tips on being more confident at interview should hopefully help.

Always do your interview research

In many respects, an interview is a little like an exam. By that we mean that it will always go much better if you do that all important preparation in advance. It is vital therefore that you do some thorough research in advance of the interview. Find out all you can about the company, its products and services and even its competitors. Look at the company website, its social media accounts or general news articles. Also, make sure that you go into some detail researching the job itself – review the job spec, familiarise yourself with the types of duties you would be typically expected to undertake. The more thorough your research, the more knowledge you will acquire and consequently the more confident you will appear at the interview.

Prepare your answers

Whilst it would be well nigh impossible to know exactly what questions you will be asked at interview, it would be also fair to say that there are some interview questions which you will be pretty much guaranteed to be asked. These of course will vary depending on the role but could include questions on team working experience you have had, on challenging situations you have had to handle, on targets you have had to achieve. The key is to have a look at the job spec or advertisement and the essential criteria therein. This may give you a clear indication of the most important qualities and traits that the employer is seeking. Prepare your answers to questions related to these traits and you will feel much more confident as a result.

Practice makes perfect

Although role play situations can be awkward and even embarrassing, they still have their uses. By running through a pretend interview with a friend or family member, you will be able to practice or rehearse your answers, make improvements and thereby ensure that when the real interview takes place you give a polished performance. It’s always best of course if your friend or family member is open and honest on how your interview has gone – they’re not helping you at all if they simply say everything is fine. Observations on your answers, your body language and your overall demeanour should all be given and of course be welcomed!

Body language matters

If you walk into the interview room, with your head slightly bowed and then slouch or perhaps cower in your seat, you are not conveying the image of a confident candidate by any means. Likewise, walk in with your head held high and when you sit down, sit upright and maintain good eye contact with your interviewers and the opposite is true – you would be confidence personified! Always remember that it is not always what you say which matters – it is how you say it that matters too. Never underestimate anything about your body language from the eye contact you make through to how firm your handshake is.

If you’ve got an interview coming up soon, we hope that these basic tips on being more confident should hopefully help.

Got any other tips that you’d like to share? Why not let us know via the comments section below…