4 Ways To Find Your Chill In The Interview

Ah, the interview. Fun, right? Said...no one. But what if told you it could actually be fun?! What if you could enter the interview feeling confident, secure and excited to share yourself? It is possible. Really.

Well, my friend to get you started, I've put together a few tips that you can practice before the interview to give you the clarity you need to keep your cool during the conversation. Wait? A conversation? Yes, that's what I said. An interview is a conversation, not a torture session meant to expose you as the incompetent fraud you really are (or so you may think about yourself). Anyone else out there with a bad case of imposter syndrome or is it just me? Cool.

What you do before the interview can prepare your mind, body and soul for an integrated experience. Here are a few ways to prepare.

1. Research

This is an important step before a job interview and for navigating your career. The more you know about the company, industry and role you're interested in, the better. As you learn more about what is important in your industry and your role, you'll begin to envision yourself in the role which leads to authentic expression during the interview.

Ideas for Research:

• LinkedIn: Delve deeper into this platform to research things like company culture, amount of employees, connections you have the currently work there or have in the past, posting activity, overall feel of the company. The more you can understand about what fuels the company and how employees experience it, the more information you'll have to spark questions and discussion during the interview.
• Industry News: Life and business is moving at warp speed lately. Staying current with new findings, trends and ways of operation will help facilitate your conversation. The more you can engage with the hiring manager during the interview, the greater the chance to shine!
• Company and Industry Leaders: You don't need to go into full stalker-mode here, but definitely get familiar with the leaders of you company, who would be your direct manager, and also how leaders in your industry think about how they operate. Leaders usually contribute to their company website or other industry platforms. This will give you a sense of what's important and relevant for your company, industry and particular role.
• Company website: Most company websites these days will include a section that highlights what the company values and how they work. This section is a window into what it would be like to work for the company. Take some time to study this section so you can understand how you identify with it and what you can contribute.

2. Identify Your Superpower

There is something that makes you uniquely, perfectly YOU. Identifying this special something will only help you understand yourself better which allows you to share your true self under pressure. This is not a quick task and will morph throughout your life. But to get the juices flowing, here are a few prompts to identify and express your own superpower:

• What is something you could talk about for hours with no preparation?
• What activity or project do you get so lost in that you lost track of time when you're doing it?
• What do people always ask your advice or opinion on?

 Begin here to discover what all of these things have in common. Be patient with yourself. As you notice these common threads you'll start to find the common denominator that makes you, YOU.

If you'd like to experience the Find Your Superpower Exercise and Meditation using The Integrated Interview Method, click here for help!

3. Relax Your Nervous System

Spending time to learn techniques to relax your nervous system will help you in all aspects of your life, not just during the interview. Here are some ideas for you:

• Meditation: Meditation is the most important component in leading an integrated life in my opinion. Our ancient lizard brains like to think they're keeping us safe by keeping us stuck. Thanks, brain..ugh. Meditation is a practice that helps you bridge the gap between your lizard brain and your enlightened true self. There are multiple techniques to try, some as simple as focusing on your breath for just 5 minutes a day. If you want to take a deeper dive, I recommend Ziva Online.
• Breathing Techniques: There are multiple techniques for calming the nervous system that use the collective ancient wisdom of Yoga and Ayurveda. A few of these techniques, or Pranayama, are alternate nostril breathing and breath of fire - as you may have experienced in a traditional Ashtanga Yoga class. I encourage you to explore these techniques during your journey. (I'd love to send you my free Master The Interview Questions download which includes a sample of the Integrated Interview Method along with a bonus breathing exercise! Just subscribe to our newsletter on this page and we will send you a free download right away!)
• Move Your Body: Any time you can get your blood flowing you will jar yourself out of your loop of worry and immediately find clarity. The best way to do this is just get up and take a walk! It can just be a 5-10 stroll, preferably outside if possible. If you have physical limitations and aren't able to walk, you can try alternatives such as moving just your upper body, using invigorating breathing techniques or even visualizing a mind-clearing walk using music and meditation.

4. Clear The Path

This is important, but is often overlooked. If you have an interview scheduled, make sure you clear the path for the day. If you think you can run out of the office and pop into an interview and pop back, you're probably wrong. Anything can happen from Point A to Point B, even if it's all online. You don't need the distractions that come along with rushing when you're trying to present yourself authentically. Do yourself a favor and clear your schedule, give yourself time in the morning to do your breathing and meditation, test your lighting, internet, and computer camera and microphone for video interviews, run your commute if meeting in person, turn off any notifications during the interview and give yourself time to unwind after the interview - because you deserve it!

Start Now

Even if you don't have an interview scheduled, I hope these tips have helped you understand that interview prep is a process. Now is the perfect time to start preparing so you can feel calm and ready when the opportunity comes. You will have another opportunity. Want some more support on your journey? Here are few more suggestions for you. 

 Are you ready for something more personalized? I get it and would love to support you in your integration journey! Check out The Integrated Interview Digital Workbook here. 

Now go find your chill already! The world is waiting for YOU and will be ready when you are!