Overconfidence BEFORE the interview Leads to Failure IN the Interview

 

Over the years, in my job interview coaching experience and interacting with senior leaders giving as well as taking interviews, the one thing that has stood out as a crucial defining factor for ‘failures’ in job interviews was OVER-CONFIDENCE and that too BEFORE the interview. 

And unfortunately, the ones with experience (more than 5 years) are the ones who fall for it. And as the experience increases, greater the over-confidence until they attain nirvana (enlightenment, often resulting from a failed interview).  

We are not talking about the over-confidence shown by some candidates during the interview. Most interviewers find it very annoying and they want to get over with the interview as soon as possible in that case. 

What we are talking about is the over-confidence BEFORE the interview. The over confidence that one can walk into a job interview WITHOUT preparation. After all, you know yourself and your work experience. So whats there to prepare? Right? 

WRONG !! 

A Job interview can be nerve-wracking experience for many. Being alert and aware is paramount with the most important skill being ‘ready presence of mind’. It is not a 100m sprint where you run your fastest on a predefined track. Its a game a chess where you need to respond with your best move …DEPENDING on the moves of the other player. And you become a champion only when you force the other player to play the moves You want them to play. 

The problem with overconfidence is that it leads to a lack of preparation. Candidates assume that they know their career well and that they can respond to any question without any preparation. This is where they go wrong. 

While you have a huge bank of stories, incidents, achievements, failures, experiences to share; the challenge is picking the RIGHT one within a few seconds of the question being asked. 

The biggest problem with not preparing for job interviews is that you may end up selecting the wrong story or incident to narrate. When you're asked a specific question related to your skills or challenges you have faced in the past, it's important to be able to choose a relevant incident from your past work experiences to highlight your skills and abilities.

However, if you're not prepared, you may end up selecting the wrong incident or simply narrating the first incident that comes to your mind. This may not necessarily be the best one to showcase your skills or abilities.

The second problem with not preparing for job interviews is that it can lead to long and meandering responses. If you haven't prepared your story, you will end up narrating it as it happened and as you remember it, which means you might end up going on and on and on with that story for about four or five minutes. This can be boring for the interviewer and may make them lose interest in what you're saying. It's important to keep your responses brief and to the point, and this can only be achieved through preparation.

Therefore, it's important to prepare for job interviews by thinking about the kinds of questions that you may be asked and what your responses will be. You should make sure to choose stories that highlight your strengths and abilities and practice telling them in a concise and effective manner. The interviewer doesn't have time to listen to your life story, so it's important to keep your responses brief and to the point.

Preparing for job interviews can take some time and effort, but it's well worth it in the end. By preparing adequately, you can increase your chances of success and avoid the pitfalls of overconfidence. Remember, job interviews are opportunities to showcase your skills and abilities, so make sure that you're prepared to make the most of them.

And don’t make the mistake of preparing all by yourself without seeking any help - especially if you are aiming for a critical / senior role where conversion into an offer letter can make a significant impact in your life. Don’t leave it a chance. And also when you are not having a job in hand and have already realised in 1-2 interviews that you are not prepared well for the interview. Take professional / experienced help. It can make a huge impact by helping you convert your interview into a job faster - can make a difference of a month or several months of salary. 

In conclusion, it's important to strike a balance between confidence and preparation when it comes to job interviews. While it's important to believe in yourself, it's equally important to prepare for the interview so that you can present yourself in the best possible light. By taking the time to prepare, you can increase your chances of success and avoid the pitfalls of overconfidence. Good luck with your next job interview!

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Make sure you don’t miss out on the “Cracking Job Interviews” event on Sunday 5th March - a 90-minute rapid-fire session to cover the basics of preparing for and cracking a Job Interview.

Visit the link to learn more about it: 

https://www.linkedin.com/events/90minuterapidfirestrategiessess7034082374397112320/ 

#kmcc #takecharge #layoffs #coaching #jobinterview #job #interviewskills

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This is the 12th article in the ‘Job Interview Coaching’ series that I am doing.

You can follow me to ensure you don’t miss out.  

Introduction - https://bit.ly/CJI00  - the inspiration behind the series

1st Article - https://bit.ly/CJI01 - Learned Helplessness and Job Search is like dating

2nd Article - https://bit.ly/CJI002 - Bears and Teddy Bears of Life

3rd Article - https://bit.ly/CJI003 - Career is a Box of Chocolates and You have a choice

4th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI004  - Don’t let too much time be a problem

5th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI005  - Match-making happens in heaven and the Interview Room  

6th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI006  - Job Interviews are Story-Telling Sessions  

7th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI007  - Fuel for Launch – Your Achievements

8th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI008  - Weighing you down – Your Challenges

9th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI009  - The Most Common Interview Question

10th Article - https://bit.ly/CJI010  - The sure shot way of failing an interview

11th Article -  https://bit.ly/CJI011  - Connecting the Dots 

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