This mentality shift keeps you from being nervous at job interviews
I majored in Theatre, where auditioning frequently was essential. I was terrible at it. I got nervous, and I would “push”. Pushing is what happens when you’re so riddled with anxiety that everything you do or say comes out forced. You’re trying too hard to seem calm and collected because you are absolutely not calm nor collected.
Sound familiar?
This is what many people experience when they go in for a job interview, and it’s a killer. Not only do you come across as stressed out, but you’re more likely to make mistakes because you’re fighting against your bodies “fight or flight” mode. It keeps you from coming across as capable and confident, things recruiters need to see in candidates. This overwhelming nervousness can set you back and for a while it kept me from getting the most out of my education.
But one day I stumbled upon a secret that changed all of that for me. I did it once by accident, and then after that I made a conscious effort to apply this simple mind-shift, and I started landing any role I wanted.
It’s going to sounds ridiculous: I stopped wanting the roles I was auditioning for.
What?
Just hear me out.
A friend pushed me to do an audition for the lead role in a student production. I didn’t really want it, but I knew it would be good for me to try anyway, just to get some experience. I knew I couldn’t take the role because I was too busy with other projects and coursework, but just to better myself I did it anyway.
I had no desire for the role, which meant that I wasn’t hung up on whether I got it or not. I wasn’t invested. Without the investment, there was nothing to be nervous about. Whether I got the role or not was irrelevant.
I did great.
I could feel how well I was doing. I was confident, I spoke clearly and with conviction. I had fun. I’d always heard from acting coaches that auditions are supposed to be fun because it’s your chance to let loose and try new things. I never understood that, but after this audition, it was clear.
After the audition I was offered the lead role, which I had to turn down.
But the technique stuck with me. I was never nervous to audition again. I started getting lead roles. More importantly, I started to apply this manner of thinking to other aspects of my life, particularly job interviews.
But how does this help me?
Obviously if you researched a job, and applied to it, chances are you really want that job. You are invested, because something is driving you from your current job. And from that investment comes nerves.
Maybe you want more pay, maybe your boss sucks, maybe this new job is in a field you are passionate about. Whatever it is, this new opportunity has something that you want.
But for our technique to work, you’ve got to do some play acting:
You have to pretend that you don’t need this new opportunity.
There’s a slight change in the wording here. In my example above, I didn’t want the role. After that, I auditioned for roles I wanted, but I kept reminding myself of one thing. I didn’t need the role.
I was perfectly fine just going to class and going to work and hanging with my friends. Would it be nice to have that lead role? Of course. But I didn’t need it. My life didn’t depend on it. I was fine where I was.
So when I applied this mentality to my job search, I went in eager and passionate but not nervous. I didn’t push. That’s because my passion came from wanting the job. But I knew at the end of the day, when push came to shove, I didn’t need the job. I could keep marching on in the job that I had, and at the very least, I would be OK.
But I wanted a change, I wanted to work for a great company that did great work, I wanted to prove I had what it takes. And when you think of it like that, what’s there to be nervous about?
Rene DeLeon is an amateur professional writer and a recreational charlatan. He still gets nervous from time to time. Yell at him on Twitter: @Rene4591
