5 unnecessary fears
that can derail your job interview.

Read time: 5 minutes

Whenever we go into a stressful situation like a job interview our reptilian brain kicks into overdrive. We are in fight or flight mode and, if our logical brain doesn’t take charge, it’s very easy to blow the interview.

Thorough preparation and interview practice can help to make us less apprehensive. But, in order to overcome our fears, we need to understand what they are and why we have them. Once we have done that we can rationalize them and deal with them effectively.

Let’s look at 5 common fears job seekers experience before interviews and the reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid:

Fear of evaluation

Often candidates are afraid of being judged by the interviewer. For some candidates, going for an interview means a contest – am I going to win or lose? But this is not a good strategy. The first, and most important step is to change the way that you view the interview.

Think about it – what do you have to lose here?

What’s the worst thing that can happen?

You won’t get the job, which may not have been the right job for you anyway. And don’t forget you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. It is important for both sides to understand if there is a good fit.

Lack of trust in the interviewer

Many job seekers are afraid that the Hiring Manager will misjudge them. That this HR or Recruitment Specialist conducting the first round of interviews won’t understand their unique skillset.

Falling victim to this fear is to misunderstand the recruitment process.

The main task of an HR representative is to find a candidate whose qualities coincide with the principles of the company. If you demonstrate this compatibility you will get invited for the second interview. It’s a simple matter of researching the company and understanding their core values and way of doing business.

Once you pass this hurdle, you’ll be meeting your future Team Leader or Manager who will then put you through your paces.

Fear of uncomfortable questions

Some interviewers really like to ask uncomfortable questions, conduct case studies and even make the interview a stress test.

These questions push candidates out of their comfort zone. Here is when fear of looking like you don’t know what you’re talking about can cause your brain to freeze.

Just try to stay focused and think of this as of a game where you can test your logical thinking abilities and acumen. Fear of getting into this kind of situation will only increase the likelihood of showing your weaknesses. Do not take this as a challenge or a duel with the enemy.

Be natural, this is just an element of the game that does not carry critical consequences for your life.

Fear of the unknown

Uncertainty is always nerve-racking. But it’s not like you are going to be in any mortal danger. It is worth considering the interview not as a step into the abyss, but as an opportunity to find answers.

You cannot know what exactly is waiting for you during the interview, but you can be sure that you will get some answers. In addition, interviews often follow a standard pattern and with each new experience you will become more and more confident and eventually this fear will go away by itself.

So why not get rid of it now?

Fear of being rejected

Who wants to be rejected?

Nobody.

It doesn’t feel good at all. But do not forget that not only is the company choosing a new employee, you are also choosing the right company for you. The decision must be mutual and if you get a rejection then this is another sign that possibly you would not be happy there.

It is necessary to realize that, in professional life, it is entirely normal to get turned down sometimes. See it as a series of trials and errors, which will eventually put you in the right place at the right time.

Getting nervous before the interview is natural, this is an important occasion and, just like everyone else, you want to do well. Remember that the interviewer would not have called you in if you were not considered to be a good fit for the company. And bear in mind that you can learn something from each interview. Learn to enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences.

As one famous personal development author put it, “Feel the fear and do it anyway”.

Would you like consultation advice on how to perform your best at job interviews? Register with us, choose your consultant from our team and send him/her an email,  you can also give us a call, or book a One2One consultation in our office enjoying a superb cappuccino or child drink comfortably in our cool sofas. We look forward to meeting you!

This post was written by Anastasiya Yarovaya.  

Anastasiya is a Diplomacy Masters Degree graduate, Career Coach, Senior Talent Recruitment Consultant and Requisition Reporting Manager at People Place.  

Anastasiya joined our company in 2014 as an Officer Support Specialist, and has been successfully working her way up to her current position. Anastasiya is responsible for candidate career coaching & consulting, recruitment strategies and talent delivery management together with client requisition management responsibilities. She works together with HR Business Partners and Hiring Managers across many disciplines within the employment market in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, ensuring recruitment quality delivery, client and candidate satisfaction are always at the highest standards.

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