How to Look Confident in Your Interview

Even when you feel like throwing up from anxiety, you can still project an aura of calm and assurance to ace that interview.

Finally, after customising countless resumes, penning numerous cover letters, outsmarting applicant tracking systems (ATS) and applying for any number of job posts, you have been granted a golden ticket to an interview!

However, when the celebrations wound down, you suddenly realised – it is going to be you and a hiring manager or a panel of interviewers, sitting in a room or hopping onto an online platform for what may seem like an interrogation session. And you need to work to stand out from the crowd for that coveted role.

Although interviewers will be understanding of your nerves, especially if you are a fresh graduate on the hunt for your first professional job, you still should not let your nerves get the best of you! Instead, use these quick tips to keep cool and stay calm – or at least appear to be.

Before the interview, whether you are at the office for a face-to-face meet-up or a virtual one, take a moment to take a few deep breaths. This exercise will calm your nerves and bring you down from your fight or flight mode – yes, it is possible to get there when you’re nervous enough! – and help you think before you step into the interview room or online platform.

Easy tips to calm your nerves

1. Breathe in deeply through your nose (you should feel your stomach expand)

2. Slowly inhale through your mouth

3. Centre your thoughts

4. Repeat this process three to four times

Sitting up straight gives recruiters a more confident impression of yourself. To do so, square your shoulders and raise your head to give a more self-assured and reliable air. However, take note –do not take it so far, you become stiff!

Instead, stay comfortable through the interview and do not be afraid to change positons, though you should also avoid excessive fidgeting. Try to mirror your interviewer’s posture from time to time to create a sense of solidarity, as well, although it might be hard over a video interview.

You can change your posture a little when your interviewer(s) speaks, too! In this case, you can lean forward a little to show interest in what they are saying.

Despite your nerves, try to keep your handshakes as firm and as dry as possible – especially at the end of the interview, as that would be your last chance to leave a lasting impression. Keep in mind that no one likes fabby handshakes, so do not go overboard with them, either.

If you do wish to use your hands throughout the interview, gesture appropriately to emphasise your answers – use your right hand to give out information, and your left to receive information.

It does not matter if you are in a family dinner or nervously trying to get through an interview – it is normal to ramble on when you start talking. And then veer off-topic completely by accident. While it is perfectly alright to do so during dinner, saying more than what is appropriate in an interview is not the best thing!

Instead, keep your answers brief and take the time to go through them. This will be especially vital if your interview is slated to be over video. You can also pause between your sentences for a second or two to give the illusion of talking slowly. But before you go off with this idea, do a test run with your career coaches or friends! They can help you find that “sweet speed spot” that will ensure your delivery is smooth and natural.

Fidgeting is one of the tell-tale signs of nervousness, so if you want to come across as a confident and assured applicant, master the skill of not fidgeting. A common trick to decrease fidgeting is to clasp your hands on the table. If you are a leg shaker, keep your hands on your lap instead – the added weight and pressure will remind you to not jiggle your legs around.

Sit still and do not fidget Dress up

Do not underestimate the power of looking good. Pulling on a smart outfit for your interview can give you an instant confidence boost. Add the fact that you will leave a stellar first impression on your recruiter, and the benefits really outweigh the cons of sifting through your closet.

your closet.

If you think that interviewers cannot see you fidget because your interview is over live video, think again. They will be able to hear your fingers tapping on the table over the microphone, and they will definitely be able to see you squirming in your seat! So, even if you think you are not fidgety, or have little to no fidgeting habits, do a few mock interviews with your career coaches or friends, and ask them to call out any nervous tendencies you have.

Common fidgeting habits to look out for

• Tapping fingers

• Touching hair, nails or nose

• Leg shaking or foot tapping

• Biting nails

• Chewing on your bottom lip

That is no reason to only pull on a shirt and blazer without pants if your interview is set to take place virtually, though! Although it is okay to make slightly less effort on your appearance if you are meeting your interviewer(s) over a digital platform, it will still be just as embarrassing, and detrimental to your chances, to experience a wardrobe malfunction on camera.

Things to take note of

• Smile naturally, but take note to not overdo or fake it

• In an in-person interview, fresh breath matters, so pop some breath mints right before it starts

• Be aware of your tone of voice. There is no point in saying you are passionate about something when you sound utterly bored

• Avoid breathing from your mouth. Heavy breathing is not particularly presentable. Even over a video call, your microphone can be sensitive enough to pick up your breathing!

Make eye contact

Steady and natural eye contact is one of the best ways to convey your confidence without even speaking. But take note! Eye contact does not mean staring fixatedly at your recruiter. Rather, make sure to take breaks over the course of your interview. So, after making eye contact with your interviewer(s), casually look down at your resume, portfolio, or other interesting knickknacks in the room. But be sure to always look back to the person you are addressing!

If your interview is taking place over a live video, do not make the mistake of trying to make eye contact with your screen! Instead, look at the camera to give your interviewer(s) the impression that you are making eye contact.

Things to look out for

• Do not wink or flutter your eyelashes at your interviewer(s)!

• Remember to blink

Conclusion

It is normal to get butterflies when you are getting interviewed. But do not let your nerves get the best of you. Focus on your end goal. While these tips will help in fooling the interviewers into thinking that you are confident in your abilities, you still need to practise your delivery and prepare your content to clinch that job!