Ease your mind.

I am not a morning person.  Never have been, probably never will be.  Unless it’s forced.  Yet the past few days I have found myself waking up at 8am.  I’ve noticed that if I get a full 8 hours of sleep, I am more likely to sleep longer.  But if I only get 6 hours of sleep, I spring out of bed and have a strong attitude about starting my day.  Maybe this is the start to me changing my ways. (Yawn.)

Anyways, I was doing more research and stumbled upon an interesting find.  I’ve discovered four things that interviewers wish prospective employees knew.

1.  They actually like you.

We all know everyone gets nervous going into an interview.  What you don’t realize is that the interviewer is probably just as nervous as you are.  A lot of hiring experts agree that when they sit down with a candidate, their first thought is that they want to hire that person.  As long as you meet the qualifications and are nice, smart, fun, and approachable, many interviewers will have a hard time not liking you.  Think positive.

2. They don’t necessarily want to hear what you think they want to hear.

Interviewers can see right through by-the-book answers.  Yes, you should research interview tips and potential answers to questions.  But don’t speak those answers word for word.  You will sound robotic and fake.  Instead, use personal examples to make your answers more individualized.

3. They don’t expect you to have all the answers. (Phew!)

Not knowing the answer to a question is okay.  More times than not, interviewers just want to see how you approach answering the question.  This is almost a sort of behavioral test; they want to see how your mind works and what your body language reflects when you are unsure or uncertain.  Just remember: Not knowing is okay, but faking an answer or making it up is not.

4. They want you to want them.

You need to show genuine interest in the company and what they do, otherwise why would they want to hire you?  Think about it.  If you owned a business, you’d want to hire someone who was enthusiastic and excited about your business, not someone who was just going through the motions.  A lot of people think that being too enthusiastic makes you look desperate.  Wake up!  IT DOESN’T.  When applicants express energy and enthusiasm for a company and its products, they are much more likely to get hired.

Relax and understand the pressure isn’t all on you.  Companies are under just as much pressure to fill vacant spots.  So breathe, smile, and ease your mind.  Interviewing isn’t as hard as it sounds.

Thank you to Mary Lorenz for this helpful information.

Image from: http://www.raidercheckup.com/s/689/images/editor/job.jpg