Introvert, Don't Kill My Vibe - 4 Tips to slaying a job interview

Interviews are stressful and overwhelming for many. BUT the level of anxiety for Introverts hits at another level. Your brain is in overdrive trying to be prepared for responding to your first question. Except, because you’re trying to stay focus and remain calm your mind goes completely blank.

Interviews are constructed with the extrovert personality in mind [probably not intentionally]. It’s expected that candidates are enthusiastic and have compelling quick responses.

Because in order to win over the hiring parties: ◾️First impressions matter. ◾️Response time matters. ◾️How you sell yourself matters. Sooo what’s the best way to succeed in interviews as an introvert? 1️⃣ Research the interviewer(s). LinkedIn is great for this. If you know who you're going to be meeting with, it's helpful sometimes to review their background. I find it comforting to see and know who I'm meeting with ahead of the meeting. It’s also an opportunity to understand the role of the person interviewing you and also how long they’ve been with the organization, especially if you plan on asking the interviewers about their experience. 2️⃣ Prepare for small talk. First impressions are everything, right? Introverts need time to warm up to people but a 1-hour interview doesn't allow for ”warming up”, so you must prepare yourself mentally for this form of engagement. Try practicing with someone and responding authentically, this will help you become more comfortable during the “warm-up” session of the interview. 3️⃣ Prepare for the typical interview questions. The pressures of doing well in an interview can become overwhelming and cause your mind to go blank. As an introvert, you must practice your response to standard questions - to avoid that long pause or awkward silence. If the first question is “tell me about yourself”, you should be able to comfortably tell your story. There will be times that rare questions will be asked and in the event, you can “stall” for more thinking time by asking for the question to be repeated. 4️⃣ Sell your skills. Introverts are not natural ”braggers”. Practice getting comfortable with talking about yourself. If you need to write-out and practice speaking about your accomplishments then do that. Practice your storytelling and position yourself as an expert where you can.

Skills and expertise are non-negotiable

Be yourself but also have a system. If you practice, you will become an interviewing pro and all the anxiety and fear just becomes an idea.