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Simone, 35, asks: »I'm looking for a new employer and I've already sent a few applications. My documents seem to be convincing because I often receive an invitation to an interview. But after the first conversation it never goes on. In the meantime I'm so afraid that I'm very nervous during the appointments and that I can't really show what really makes me special. What can I do against it?"
Dear Simone,
Even if you score points on your résumé with specialist knowledge and a few years of professional experience, your attitude and personality will ultimately decide in the interview.
After all, your counterpart should have a good feeling afterwards that they have just met the right person for the position to be filled and a friendly new colleague.
Nobody wants the fearful supplicant as a new employee.
It is important that you change your perspective and attitude.
Who knows, you might even enjoy interviews in the near future?
A rejection can also be a good decision
A job interview is a conversation about mutual ideas. Both sides should have the chance and opportunity to talk to each other about their expectations of a good future cooperation. Your interlocutors may come to the conclusion that you are the right person for the position and fit into the existing team and the corporate culture - or not. You can also find out for yourself whether you can bring your experience and strengths to bear in this position and stay motivated and healthy in this work environment over the next few years - or not.
If both sides exchange information openly and honestly and make a conscious decision on this basis, the probability is high that it will really fit.
Every rejection by an employer as well as every rejection of a contract offer are just as good decisions as the joint signing of an employment contract.
Leave the posture of the examinee
Many job changers consider an interview to be the next toughest test of their lives. You want to convince, prove yourself and fight your way through the strict selection process. They train their self-presentation, reveal their perfectionism and impatience as weaknesses and report on their greatest successes as if there were no tomorrow. They fear the questions about their motivation to change and hope that the well-concealed gap in the résumé will not be revealed. They dutifully want to meet expectations that they don't know and accurately fire off the answers they think HR professionals want to hear. One-sided favor instead of real getting to know each other.
Anyone who is blind to the new job shouldn't be surprised if it doesn't fit right from day one.
Leave the candidate's combative attitude and make yourself aware that every conversation with a potential employer also serves to protect yourself.
Curiosity and genuine interest instead of exam fear
Isn't it great that an employer is interested in you as a new employee?
Your application documents aroused the curiosity to get to know you more intensively and personally.
What could be more exciting than taking a look behind the scenes at a company that interests you and talking to the people there about your goals and future plans?
For your next interview, focus less on your perfectly rehearsed self-presentation and more on everything that is also important for you in order to make a good decision.
What should be fulfilled in a new employer so that you will do well there in the next few years?
Write it down and think of suitable questions to get a good feeling for it in the conversations.
It is precisely this curious attitude and your genuine interest as a person towards other people that will give you serenity and strength.
Even if the other person leads the conversation, you can do a lot to ensure that it becomes a good exchange between equals.
That should be fun.
Your interlocutors will like it.
