We all have our own head trash.
Some folks think they’re “too old” to get the job, and that people will think they’re past it. Others believe they’re “too young”, and hiring managers will discriminate against them unfairly.
Some candidates worry about their track record because they’ve worked in “too many” different jobs and believe interviewers will see this as a lack of commitment. Others worry about their track record because they’ve worked in the same job for most of their life, and they believe interviewers will see them as being “too one-dimensional”.
I know women who feel they’re overlooked and ignored because they’re “not attractive”; and I know others who feel like they’re “just a pretty face” who nobody wants to take seriously.
None of that head trash is real.
But the effect it has on your confidence absolutely is real. And although, in the real world, being “too old” or “too young”, or having “too much” diversity in your experience” or “not enough”, or being seen by your colleagues as attractive or “plain” won’t hold you back, a lack of confidence will.
I wish I could give you some golden advice for overcoming head trash.
But I can’t.
Self-doubt is something we all experience, in some form or other.
It’s not going to go away.
In fact, sometimes it can help us perform better.
All I can say is this:
Next time you’re about to walk into an interview, or next time you’re sitting next to the phone waiting for it to ring, remember that everyone — and I mean everyone — has these self-doubts. Everyone has their poison.
It’s okay to feel nervous.
It’s okay to be anxious about something that’s important.
Just don’t let it get in the way of your performance.
When it comes to job interviews, there is one “hack” that can help you feel more confident. Our students typically find that once they’ve had a chance to break the ice and deliver their “go-to” interview answers, their confidence grows as they start receiving positive responses from the interviewers.
This “hack” only works if your interview answers are good.
So it’s important to invest time, and yes — perhaps even money — to learn how to put together a set of “go-to” interview answers that bring out the very best you have to offer and blow interviewers’ minds.
