Job Interview Jitters

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Romans624
Romans624 Posts: 822
in Chit-Chat
They say that most are nervous when going through the job interview process as an applicant. The worst thing that can happen is you don't get the job.

I am actually more worried that I'll get the job, but that it won't be right for me for one reason or another. Its at a credit union, and I've only gotten a message to call them and I'm already nervous. I like dressing up, but when its all business code it will get me worrying about having a perfectly professional and new outfit every day (my wardrobe is changing as my clothes are a bit big now). I kind of like a more relaxed environment. Plus I'm fat so I don't like how I look anyway. (Yes, confidence issues)

The guy who referred me mentioned that someone he referred was stupid enough to complain about her last job, on the job there(she didn't work out), and his catty coworker(his words) was the one who told him about it. Yay, catty coworkers! I know you can't get away from them and they don't bother everyone. But I'm kind of a quiet, meek person so those types kind of freak me out.


Anyone else get terribly nervous when going through the interview process?
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Replies

  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    just saying all that I feel a little better and less nervous.
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
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    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up
  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up

    If it does come up, do you have a positive way of putting the split so it sounds good?

    I will probably be just fine in the position. I just get nervous and anxious about changes in my life I think.
  • directorj
    directorj Posts: 537 Member
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    I'm currently looking for a job and its been 2 months straight. I have gone through 6 interviews, 5 phone and 1 in-person. I'm at the point where if you reject me, I could careless now. However all those interviews, I'm still waiting on a response (rejected 2x) but I did the process so many times that I know exactly what to say and how to say it.

    Interview process just takes way too long. Once you do it enough times, the nervousness goes away by a lot!
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
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    sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump :flowerforyou:

    Good luck!
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm currently looking for a job and its been 2 months straight. I have gone through 6 interviews, 5 phone and 1 in-person. I'm at the point where if you reject me, I could careless now. However all those interviews, I'm still waiting on a response (rejected 2x) but I did the process so many times that I know exactly what to say and how to say it.

    Interview process just takes way too long. Once you do it enough times, the nervousness goes away by a lot!


    i would call back and ask them for feedback on your interviews
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
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    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up

    If it does come up, do you have a positive way of putting the split so it sounds good?

    I will probably be just fine in the position. I just get nervous and anxious about changes in my life I think.

    other than saying it wasn't a good fit...i dunno.
  • torygirl79
    torygirl79 Posts: 307 Member
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    I was out of work before my current job. I went for a few interviews in different places, fairly confident in my abilities as thankfully political agents are a niche market, there tends to always be a demand for experienced ones.

    One interview I was interviewed by a panel including a senior politician who will remain nameless. He spent the whole interview looking at the wall or out of the window and quite clearly did not want to be there. I t was somewhat off putting for my confidence!

    Thankfully I am now in a lovely job with great people.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i never get jitters. if you're right for the position then sell yourself if not then why bother interviewing? :laugh:

    also the purpose of an interview isnt to get a job, it's to learn about the job, ask questions about the job and you both try to work out if you'd be a good fit both in the role and in the organization.

    i guess i dont get nervous about interviews because i'm usually interviewed 2-3 times from a company by everyone in the company until they make a decision. plus i think the 2 month long google interview process thoroughly killed any interview jitters i may have had. it basically comes down to either you knowing the position and can sell yourself and being the awesomest person at doing it or you don;t know the position and cant sell yourself.

    as far as having quit, just say you left because you wanted to pursue other opportunities and leave it that. it's not a big deal so no sense in making it into a big deal. noone wants to hear about how it was because you hated your boss and the company was stupid, that's EVERYWHERE. most everyone hates their boss :laugh:
  • sing4me4you
    sing4me4you Posts: 88 Member
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    I've been conducting a lot of interviews lately and I can tell you that you should relax, come across as yourself and be sure to ask questions about the role, the team atmosphere, etc. If you do a little homework, you will be able to determine if the place is right for you or not. Good luck!
  • directorj
    directorj Posts: 537 Member
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    I'm currently looking for a job and its been 2 months straight. I have gone through 6 interviews, 5 phone and 1 in-person. I'm at the point where if you reject me, I could careless now. However all those interviews, I'm still waiting on a response (rejected 2x) but I did the process so many times that I know exactly what to say and how to say it.

    Interview process just takes way too long. Once you do it enough times, the nervousness goes away by a lot!


    i would call back and ask them for feedback on your interviews

    Thanks! Yeah I done that and it's always "get back to you on XX days". I did ask for feedback in the in-person interview, I asked "is there anything in my resume that concerns you? or you'd like to fix" the HR was impressed I asked and was stumped. She said "I never been asked that, I'm happy you asked it".
  • mtaylor33557
    mtaylor33557 Posts: 542 Member
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    I went through an interview process a few weeks ago... I ended up going to three different interviews, and I was nervous EVERY time.. and I worried about what I wore/looked like every time.

    I also worried that I couldn't live up to the answers that I was giving or the impression that they had of me.

    But, that's all part of the process. Sit up straight, put on a nice smile, give genuine answers, and at least appear confident in yourself.. you got this.

    If you get the job, you'll be nervous at first, but you will adjust and become very competent.

    I got the job offer.. but actually turned it down.. I had another offer pending (its a long temp-permanent story) that was closer to home and the new offer ended up being a bit lower than what I make now.. but I don't regret the interviews.. the more you do, the more convident you'll be and you'll make connections even if you don't get or don't decide to take the job!

    Good luck!
  • sing4me4you
    sing4me4you Posts: 88 Member
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    I was out of work before my current job. I went for a few interviews in different places, fairly confident in my abilities as thankfully political agents are a niche market, there tends to always be a demand for experienced ones.

    One interview I was interviewed by a panel including a senior politician who will remain nameless. He spent the whole interview looking at the wall or out of the window and quite clearly did not want to be there. I t was somewhat off putting for my confidence!

    Thankfully I am now in a lovely job with great people.

    Now you sound like you have an interesting job!
  • SocWkrBee
    SocWkrBee Posts: 374
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    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up

    If it does come up, do you have a positive way of putting the split so it sounds good?

    I will probably be just fine in the position. I just get nervous and anxious about changes in my life I think.

    other than saying it wasn't a good fit...i dunno.

    I change jobs a lot. You can always say the "it wasn't a good fit" bit, but they are going to want to know why. Then, you can say that you are looking to inprove you skill set, in whatever it is that you do. The focus is not why you left the last one, but why you want this one. You need to remember what the job posting said that they wanted. Just ask youself how you meet those qualifications and you'll be fine!
  • kd_mazur
    kd_mazur Posts: 569 Member
    Options
    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up

    If it does come up, do you have a positive way of putting the split so it sounds good?

    I will probably be just fine in the position. I just get nervous and anxious about changes in my life I think.

    I left a job I had for 6 years to take a better paying one. That job only lasted about 2 months before I knew I had made a bad decision. I began searching and interviewing again. After 6 months at the crappy job, I found another one for still more money and much closer to home. Durring the interview I explained that after being at the other job for some time I decided I wanted a change and that it just wasn't what I hoped it would be. The company just wasnt a good fit for me. They accepted that answer and I have been working there for the last year.
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I've been conducting a lot of interviews lately and I can tell you that you should relax, come across as yourself and be sure to ask questions about the role, the team atmosphere, etc. If you do a little homework, you will be able to determine if the place is right for you or not. Good luck!

    i too have recruited, but i can say right now...that not everyone recruiting knows what is going on. my coworkers have at times been so judgmental towards candidates that i really liked and then hired dopes in return. recruiters don't always know, so jitters are totally normal.
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Absolutely perfectly normal! It happens to us all - you get excited about the job advert, you get excited when you get an interview... then you start to panic that it won't be right for you. Don't let that fear stop you - you may love the job. If you don't, look for another one! I've moved job every 2-3 years as once I feel I've learned all I can from a job I get itchy feet and look for the next challenge. I've even stuck one job out for just six months as it wasn't a good fit. It's all good experience (and a way to work your way up the career ladder). I'm now head of marketing for a large organistion and have interviewed and mentored countless staff.

    With clothes, formal workwear is actually easier, I think, as you can get tailored clothes that are more flattering than casual wear. I have a few dresses that I wear on rotation (no point buying loads as I'm losing weight!). They don't have to be expensive, just buy classic colours (for me red, navy and black are good). A little cardigan or smart jacket over the top will change the looks, as will some inexpensive chunky statement jewellery (I love interesting necklaces as I feel they move attention away from my big fat stomach!). As well as buying a tailored dress, try a soft fabric dress (such as a wrap dress) - not only will it drape flatteringly but you can buy a wide belt to cinch it in at the waist once you get get smaller and the dress gets bigger! Easy way to save money. Just remember that work clothes are just that - you can save the stuff you love for outside of work. Dress to fit the image expected of you and just get a couple of dresses that will work on a temporary basis.

    Good luck with the interview!
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    Options
    i have one on tuesday and am nervous more about the interview than the job

    i know i will be a star in the position

    the interview i am worried about because i quit my last job and i want to make sure that it doesn't somehow come up

    If it does come up, do you have a positive way of putting the split so it sounds good?

    I will probably be just fine in the position. I just get nervous and anxious about changes in my life I think.

    other than saying it wasn't a good fit...i dunno.

    I change jobs a lot. You can always say the "it wasn't a good fit" bit, but they are going to want to know why. Then, you can say that you are looking to inprove you skill set, in whatever it is that you do. The focus is not why you left the last one, but why you want this one. You need to remember what the job posting said that they wanted. Just ask youself how you meet those qualifications and you'll be fine!

    the thing is, the job that i left was the same type of management position. and i don't have a good reference for it. i did a great job, but i left because i couldn't deal with my employer anymore, it was micromanagement up the *kitten*.
  • SRH7
    SRH7 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    And like the others have said, if you want to succeed at an interview:

    * Do your homework - very easy with the Internet. Drop into the interview info about the company, in particular about the team you will be working with. Make it clear you don't just want a job but to work for that particular firm. Show you have an awareness of the firm (annual reports and press releases are a good source of info on company websites)
    * Ask questions! An interview is as much about you finding out if it is a right fit for you. This will also help with nerves. Ask them about the team you will be working with, any interesting changes going on, what a 'normal' day will be like (if there is such a thing).
    * Smile! Your CV/resume will have shown you are suitable for the job - the interview is often about whether the team will be able to put up with working with you for 40 hours a week!
    * Use the STAR technique - perhaps the most important tip. I have interviewed candidates who have superb track records but who answer in single sentence responses without demonstrating what they can do. A basic outline is here but there will be loads more if you Google it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situation,_Task,_Action,_Result
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    I am fine going into the interview and ok during, but when I come out I start second guessing what I have said and worrying that I have said/done the wrong thing. I have just been called back for a second interview for a job I would really like and now I think I may have been a bit gushy, sometimes I just don't know when to stop talking.

    Just waiting for the phone call to tell me yes or no arrrgghhhhhhhh.

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