Job Interview Panic - How to Overcome It

Cordell writes: I'm not a bad looking person and present myself fairly well, but when I get set for an interview, I lose all confidence. My hands start to sweat, my stomach balls up in a knot, and I feel like I just want to get up and run. It's a real problem and add to that the fact that I just completed rehab, and I might as well just have been released from jail. Any suggestions? I really need help.

The Job-Specialist responds: Relax, Cordell. I can help. Your problem is very common. You just don't hear about it much because many people who otherwise appear confident to their peers, are too ashamed to talk about it.

A job interview is almost like a Master-Servant type relationship. Many human resources interviewing personnel take great pleasure at being in a position of power and like to ask questions like: "Tell me about yourself" or "Tell me why I should hire you", or some similar type tripe.

I tell everyone I counsel that it's important to go into an interview well-armed. Not with a weapon, but with weapons that promote a positive and attractive image of you. That is what an interview really is about. The personnel director has a pre-conceived idea as to who you are, and what you are about just be reviewing your resume. The fact that you were called in for an interview indicates a more positive than negative response to your resume, which means you have created a more positive than negative image in his/her mind. The interview is where YOU are in control and you enhance your image in the eyes of the interviewer.

When you prepare for an interview, ALWAYS have a Plan B, or what I call Plan B.S. You want to be fully prepared for the "Tell me about yourself . . ." line of questioning. Think of at least three (3) positive traits about you that make you attractive to a prospective employer. For instance, You are:

1. Reliable
2. Self-Starter
3. Hard worker
4. People friendly
5. Need little or no supervision

Anytime you find yourself feeling closed in, you just go back to reciting your strengths. Be optimistic about your future and what you can offer to the new employer, and NEVER say anything bad or unfavorable about a former boss, NEVER. You'll find that once you have responded to the big question, which leaves many people sputtering and stammering, in a positive and optimistic manner, the rest of the interview comes much easier and the interviewer will have gained appreciation for you. Good luck and keep in touch.

How do I Explain Incarceration?

Rob writes:

How do I explain to a potential employer that I have been unemployed the past 24 months due to incarceration? My "crime" was possession of marijuana.

The Job-Specialist responds:

First, I would not be the one to raise this issue, especially not in your cover letter or resume. Even in the interview, let the employer ask you about the break in employment. Once the issue has been raised, just tell the truth. Admit you made a mistake and stress the fact that you are looking toward the future and have the skills and abilities necessary to fulfill the duties of the job for which you are applying. Point out that everyone faces hurdles in life and it is how you face those hurdles that distinguishes you from another. Be positive and optimistic in your approach.