Interviews

hawker

Good morning,

Basically I can't do an interview. Every one of them I do I fail and to be honest my confidence is at an all time low. I'm fairly ambitious and would really like to climb the ladder in my job but I always fail at the interview stage. It's so bloody frustrating.

Can any of you point me in the right direction? Where I could talk to someone about interview? Mock interviews? Have someone tell me where I'm going wrong?

Anything at all would help.

AARRRGH

Well, what are you doing wrong in the interview?

Are you smart/well spoken/articulate/etc. in real life? (i.e. not an interview situation.)

hawker

I prepare well for the interview but the minute I step inside the room I seem to lose all confidence and nothing I want to say comes out properly. I really do have a serious problem with them.

Yes, I would consider myself smart and well spoken. I'm hard working and honest and always get a good assessment from my current supervisors when I apply for promotion.

I mean I have had about 5/6 interviews in the last few years and have failed them all. The latest one has given me the option of feedback so I guess I will be availaing of that.

Presently I can't see myself giong for promotion again due to the interview process.

RainyDay

Practice, practice, practice - Can you get a trusted mentor to run you through a number of mock interviews?

hawker

RainyDay wrote:

Practice, practice, practice - Can you get a trusted mentor to run you through a number of mock interviews?

Thats another option that I have never considered but if I do consider another interview it's something I'll have to do. Thanks for that.

whiskeyman

hawker wrote:

Thats another option that I have never considered but if I do consider another interview it's something I'll have to do. Thanks for that.

If in Dublin and willing to pay for help, try these guys :
http://www.carrcommunications.ie/
click on "training" and you'll see they offer a "Job Interview Preparation Programme".
They are known as the best in the business.

Best of luck.

roamer

Some of those Career advisors will help on issues such as interview techniques. Check out your local press, theres bound to be someone offering those type of services in your area.

RainyDay

I find it makes a huge difference if you have actually practiced putting your thoughts/ideas together into sentances beforehand. We all have the great ideas beforehand, but when it comes to stringing these ideas together into coherant sentances when under pressure, it's not so easy.

fatboypee

I was a contractor for some ten years, every 6 months or year I'd go thru a series of interviews, nerves get to me too and I find the feedback to be most helpful even from the failed interviews. Most of the time the nerves made me come across as aloof or arrogant but being made aware of that I was able to deal with it and even began by explaining to the interviewers that I was extremely nervous (ensuring they understood that this did not occur in client meetings, merely on interrogation of myself!). I found that was a good idea as it then set the scene if I got flustered etc..

ONe piece of advice given to me that I stick by:

Slow everything down. Take your time on your answers.

All practice allright.. but you'll get to the point if you do a few of them where you won't be fazed.

Fatboy..

hawker

Thanks for all the help Folks. Some of the idea's you've given are ones I've never tried. Certainly it's worth a go anyway.

[Jackass]

Very simple. Write down everything you would like an employer to know about. From being very ambitious, to your experience, to your hobbies etc. etc. etc. ...even find mock question on the net (look at the stickies in this forum), write out all your answers.

You may feel a bit silly at first, but this will not only boost your confidence, it will give you confidence that you can answer any question, you are full of content, and you will never stumble over your words:

Pull up a chair, sit up straight, dress extremely professional, sit infront of a mirror, articulte your voice and every word you have written down, say it with conviction and like you believe it, look yourself in the eye the whole time...and when your confidence grows with this, you'll be able to wrattle it off in an interview...not a bother.

Just remember they're not just looking for credentials, they're also looking for someone relaxed, confident, lively and good natured to have around the office...not a nervous wreck!!

Dilbert75

Try the recruitment agencies. Lots of them are wasters but there are one or two who are worth their salt. Someone I know is in the middle of an interview process and their agency (in Waterford) were very helpful, forwarding on notes on interview technique and other advice, as well as tipping them off as to the identity and background of the interviewer.

Another approach would be to take the Dr. Bill approach - look in the mirror in the morning and tell yourself "I am terrific". Apparently (though I haven't tried it - it normally sounds more like "Jaysus I'm wrecked") your self-esteem will benefit. You already know you're good at what you do, you just need to highlight the points you think will be relevant to the potential employer and make sure you steer the conversation towards those points.

IronMan

I done 9 interviews in the last year, and got none of them. Had absolutely no interview technique what so ever. I was well prepared, but would say too much, and occassionally just say the plain wrong thing. Went to Carr communications, €220 for about 2 hours. They do a mock interview with you, based on a position you are applying for in real life. They video-tape this, and play it back to you, giving advice. Its very simple, but amazing that you can learn so much just by doing this. I'm still not comfortable with the false atmosphere of interviews, but they are one of lifes struggles.
Anyways went and done my 10th interview the week after, and have been offered a €30500 euro job, with loads of perks for a large semi-state. So the move to this from call-centre support, made the 220 I spent with Carr Communcations the best money I ever spent!

whiskeyman

IronMan wrote:

I done 9 interviews in the last year, and got none of them. Had absolutely no interview technique what so ever. I was well prepared, but would say too much, and occassionally just say the plain wrong thing. Went to Carr communications, €220 for about 2 hours. They do a mock interview with you, based on a position you are applying for in real life. They video-tape this, and play it back to you, giving advice. Its very simple, but amazing that you can learn so much just by doing this. I'm still not comfortable with the false atmosphere of interviews, but they are one of lifes struggles.
Anyways went and done my 10th interview the week after, and have been offered a €30500 euro job, with loads of perks for a large semi-state. So the move to this from call-centre support, made the 220 I spent with Carr Communcations the best money I ever spent!

That's great news - congrats man!
You saw your problem and tackled it head-on ... and buy spending your own cash to do so.
I think I'll make a visit up to them before I take my next interview