We explain what to do if you are extremely nervous, and how to deal with the most common fears.
First of all, let us comfort you: it’s absolutely normal to be worried at an interview. Both for beginners and more experienced professionals. There are 7 most prevalent fears of IT-job seekers:
- Fear of missing the needed experience.
- Fear of getting the wrong answer.
- Fear of failing the technical part.
- Fear of tricky questions.
- Fear of public speaking.
- Fear of success.
- Fear of refusal.
We at SweetSoft, believe that any activity is a skill that can be learned. Successful passing the interview is no exception. Let’s go over the steps to prepare for your dream job interview.
Fear #1. You guess that you don’t have enough experience
All people start from the beginning, blank CV and first interview.
A little encouragement for trainees
The powerful CEO was also gaining his first experience in someone else’s company. Famous writers were also nervous near the publishing house with their first manuscripts. Screenwriters were grumbling that their first scripts weren’t good enough. Even beginner IT folks might have confused Java and JavaScript at first. To get the peak you have to take the first step. To get enough experience you need to get your first job. The practice you need won’t fall out of the sky.
Step 1. Think about the future
If you have a 60–80% match with the requested skills, then specify that 40–20% of the required experience you will be able to master in parallel with the work. Tell Tech Lead which technologies you use confidently and which you need to learn. Also, explain how you will do it:
- what Internet resources will you use?
- what books and technical documentation you plan to read?
- what project will you prepare as a skill practice?
If you have just finished training, it is better not to attribute skills that you do not have. Assume that you would gladly agree to work with a mentor or a probationary period.
How to overcome this fear? Home Strategist Tactics
Carefully read about each required technology and prepare a detailed plan for learning it over the next three months. The plan should include:
- exact time frames,
- source of the knowledge,
- duration of the research,
- expected results.
For example, you do not know CSS and HTML5. Then you can say you ordered from Amazon HTML5 and CSS3 All-in-One For Dummies 3rd Edition from Andy Harris. You will read it for 2 hours outside of work every day. You can also say that you use w3schools.com and stackoverflow. YouTube channels, official documentation, articles will also work.
This approach allows you to come up with a plan for self-development and also proves you as a goal-oriented person. Sometimes this is more important than knowing all the required technologies.
Fear #2. You assume that you will give the wrong answer
So, to err is human.
However what is an error?
When it comes to general or personal questions, it is impossible to make a mistake. Because there is no right choice. You just have to answer honestly. Of course, avoiding criticism of ex-bosses and colleagues.
Incorrect behavior or answer just shows that your life values are different from those of the recruiter or Team Lead. Mismatches happen. It is not so critical to your life. It’s much worse to pretend and to get into an inappropriate organization.
Step 2. Work on self-esteem
A good method is to write down all your achievements on a sheet of paper. Also, you can record what your failures have taught you. It will cheer you up. You definitely should have something to be proud of.
How to win this fear? Wise Owl Tactics
Be wise and natural. Answer all questions openly and calmly, but don’t jump out of your pants. This firm is not the only one. The labor market is large, and there will always be a good place for a skilled specialist. The wisdom is in setting the right goal: not just finding a job, but finding a job you like.
Fear #3. The technical part makes you tremble
Some Tech Leads suppose that not knowing WHAT is not scary. It’s scarier not to know WHY.
It will definitely work
Before the interview, you can Google, for example, “top questions on Vue.js on job interview” and make research.
If you have a better perception of the text, look up articles and copy the talking points into a Word file. You can repeat them the morning before the interview. If you like video, record your insights and hints in a voice message to replay on the way to the meeting. Read the company’s case studies and be prepared to consider them.
Step 3. Clean up the disturbing gaps
It is almost impossible to know absolutely all technologies, but knowing their purpose, principles, a causal relation is necessary.
You may not have practical experience with MySQL, but you should know that it is an open-source relational database management system with the client-server model.
How to affect this fear? Thinking Genius Tactics
Start pondering the answer out loud, generate some sensible hypotheses and bring your thoughts to a logical answer. IT companies need people with critical thinking, who can confirm or refute their hypothesis. Don’t get hung up on a prosperous result. Try to demonstrate a successful process.
Fear #4. You are fearful of tricky questions
Uncomfortable, mysterious questions, such as your personal life or attitudes toward politics, can throw anyone off balance.
What is HR interested in?
Often such tests are needed to assess your soft skills: stress tolerance and the ability to possess yourself. To get rid of excitement, don’t take these questions as a fight.
You can also politely decline to answer or make a joke if the question violates your private boundaries. It’s worth remembering that guessing the right behavior can be difficult, so you should strive for patience.
Step 4. Learn to relax in any circumstances
To predict the company’s communication style:
- study company’s profile in social networks,
- assess the tone of the voice,
- read about the company’s attitude towards workers in the forums,
- and relax.
Don’t label the company as “your last hope”. Remember that the purpose of a job search is not to guess the recruiter’s mood and answer perfectly. The goal means to find a team in which you feel comfortable working.
How to modify this fear? Calm Cat Tactics
Remember cats that rest on their owners’ laps while their masters are nervous or busy. They definitely know the meaning of life. Don’t expect tricky questions in advance. They may not be in your interview. And if face them, spot that you have the right to decide whether to answer or not. Stay calm and polite. This is an ideal tactic.
Fear #5. Panic anxiety of public speaking
Have you ever tried telling a recruiter that you’re very nervous and dumb during an interview? It’s worth a try.
View from the other side
It’s natural for everyone to be nervous before dealing with a new audience. Especially if you don’t go to interviews regularly. Stress is the body’s defensive reaction to atypical situations. But, it’s great to keep in mind that recruiters are friendly in 99% of cases and interested in you.
Step 5. Make conversation like a winner
Do you know how businessmen prepare for important negotiations? They don’t think “what should I say?”. They analyze their parameters: experience, knowledge, and skills, and investigate what the company can give in return. They set goals. So, formulate your career goals for the near future. They ask questions. Make a list of questions for the employer. They argue their point of view. Be prepared to talk about your superpower and achievements.
How to decrease this fear? Hollywood Star Tactics
Find videos of celebrities whose style you like and study how they talk, whether they smile a lot, what gestures they use most often, what they joke about. Don’t copy their behavior, but keep them in mind as a model.
Fear #6. What if I’m accepted?
You want to get a new job, but the thought that tomorrow you will have a new workplace puts you in a trance?
Without new experiences, we stand still.
Well, all changes come with some excitement. As a result of new work, you will feel internal and external modifications. But you will also gain new valuable experience, a new line on your resume, new friends. Everything new in our life helps us to develop our career and personality.
Step.6 Consider a new life
A few free days before a new job is a great opportunity to:
- get energy,
- make plans for the new career stage,
- set up the necessary programs, prepare documents.
If you have found a new job but are still working at your old one, ask your new employers for two weeks to get your affairs in order and update your resume. If the interview went well, you will not be rejected. And if it didn’t, don’t despair. The first step is taken.
How to edit this fear? Aero tube Flight Tactics
If you feel you may not be able to cope immediately with a new position or job duties, tell the recruiter that you need 7–10–14 days to resolve issues with the former place of work.
Fear #7. Rejection seems fatality
The fundamental fear of hearing “We’ll call you back” is the cause of sleepless nights for many people.
Why interviews are cool?
They show your strengths and weaknesses. Thus, you recognize them. At best you get a new job, at worst you find out what you should work on. Thereby, the interview is always a win-win for you.
Step 7. Read some original tips from the SweetSoft team
- Remember, you need the job, but at the same time, the company needs the employee. You’re on an equal footing.
- Recruiter, Tech Lead, CEO are human beings, just like you. Don’t create creepy images. Try to find the human and intimate in them.
- There are no “silly” methods of preparation. If the Superman pose helps you, then use it.
- Be assured that interviews are a case where even rejection is beneficial. It’s the only way to develop the necessary skillfulness and pissing off.
How to change this horror? Poker Player Tactics
Professional poker players have an interesting trick: when you sit down at the table, imagine that you have lost all your money. This will allow you to cheat your brain and act without fear. Because the worst has already happened.
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