Page 149 - 101 Dynamite Answers to Interview Questions

142 Nail the Job Interview!

Give your outfit a finished look by accessorizing it effectively. Silk
scarves or necklaces that enhance your outfit, but don’t call undue atten-
tion to themselves, can help complete your polished look. A basic pump
- dark, if your skirt color is dark - with little or no decoration and a
medium heel height is best.
You may choose to carry a purse or attache case, but not both at the
same time. It is difficult not to look clumsy trying to handle both a purse
and an attache case. One way to carry both is to keep a slim purse with
essentials inside the attache case. If you need to go out to lunch, or any
place where you choose not to carry the attache case, just pull out your
purse and you’re off!

Let Nervousness Work for You

Anyone about to face a job interview experiences some nervous anticipa-
tion. The degree of nervousness will differ from one person to another,
but it is a basic human response to a threatening situation. Most job
applicants indicate they wish they could rid themselves of their feelings
of nervousness. Although an understandable desire, even if you could do
so, the result would be counterproductive.
The feelings you may describe as nervousness - a queasy feeling of
“butterflies” in your stomach, sweaty palms, a dry mouth, an increased
heartbeat? or knees or hands that tremble - are the physiological
manifestations of an increased flow of adrenalin. This physiological
reaction to what you perceive as danger can be just as useful to you as you
prepare to “do battle” in the interview as it was to our caveman ancestors
who faced a different kind of jungle out there. The caveman when faced
with a dangerous situation made a decision to stand his ground and fight
or to flee. In either case adrenalin was his ally and helped him to fight
more fiercely or flee more rapidly. It will work for you, too, if you will
learn to manage it rather than trying to fight it.
A limited amount of controlled nervousness will actually keep you on
your toes and help you do a better job in the interview than as if you were
overconfident and complacent. How can you best manage this nervous-
ness? First, by recognizing it for what it is - an asset - and trying to
manage it rather than worlung against it. Most important? be prepared for
the interview. You must do your data gathering on the job field as well as
the organization prior to the interview. Anticipate questions you are likely