How to be more confident in job interviews

Smile. Lean back in the chair. stretch. You're at ease because you know our stuff. Before the guy asks you a question, ask him one, about the business, but one me can't give a canned answer to. No, "How many offices do you have", more like "what problem are you trying to solve by hiring me" -- then smile "or whomever you do hire" -- now bigger smile, like you both know he's going to hire you. Let him give this answer, which will be in great detail. Nod appropriately. When he finishes, nod slowly, like you're absorbing what he had to say. Pick from what he wants your best qualities, incline you head to one side (it looks humble , and like you're thinking), smile, and explain your strengths that fit what he wants. Then apologize for going on at length, and say "but I know you have a lot of questions for me". Then the "normal" interview starts, but you've taken charge in a very diplomatic way.

Two things to remember: Research the company. Use all the resources you have internet, library etc etc. Learn about who they are, what they do. If you can check the news for recent important events for them. Also try and find out who some of their competitors are and how they match up. Secondly I once heard a phrase that might be useful. 'If you act like a general, walk like a general and talk like a general, you'll be a general'. In other words act confident, walk confident and talk confident and you will be confident. You can't trick the interviewer into hiring you with clever phrases and remembering a bunch of them will only be useful if they ask the right questions. Know all you can about the company but there is no point in being someone your not. Being confident will attract more points than being cocky.

Do all the homework that greycap suggests. Prepare as well as you can. Make sure you're rested, accentuate the fun part of having the interview (sic), etc. And then after having done all that say to yourself "I'll do my utmost to get the job, but not all is lost if I don't get it". The reason is that there are factors outside of your control in doing an interview; there's a certain aspect of luck, of the match between the organisation, the interviewer and you. But more importantly; this realisation will put you in a state of mind that enables doing well and being as self confident as you can.

My interviews improved immeasurably after two things. The first was doing a mock interview and being filmed while doing so - watching it back was excruciating but gave me a huge amount of things to improve on. The second was practice, practice and more practice. You can guess what sort of questions they're going to ask you about (previous jobs, your background, why you want this job, what you do in your spare time etc). If the job has key competencies or skills listed you can guess what they will ask on those, too ("tell me about a time when you had to demonstrate leadership", etc). Come up with answers to those questions - not ones you have to learn word for word, just some key words or phrases you know you have to drop in. Have an opening sentence ready so you have more thinking time. And get friends to do practice interviews with you - it doesn't have to be formal, it could be 20 minutes over coffee or in a bar, but as long as they're asking new questions you will get used to thinking on your feet.

One trick I've used often, is simply to say "I'm sorry, I'm a bit nervous" if I stumble a bit or freeze. Always seems to break the chill a little bit, and sets everyone at ease. But then, I'm not applying for positions involving public speaking.

Maybe orthogonality's advice will work. But it has the risk of backfiring when the interviewer feels your behaviour as manipulative or phony.

jouke http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/48126#732531 "But it has the risk of backfiring when the interviewer feels your behaviour as manipulative or phony." Yeah, good point. I'm basically describing what I did last interview. To do this, you need a strong resume.

what Manjusri said, plus think this: I'm here to have a chat about the interesting things I've done and how I did them well, and to see whether I want to work for this organisation. Remember: you're interviewing them.

If there are things the organisation can do that would make the interview easier for you, consider contacting them beforehand and asking them about this. I have a communication disability and always ask for my interview to be scheduled first and request relaxed time limits. Friends who are nervous in interviews have also done this and found it helps. It depends on the nature of the organisation and the post of course - there are some situations in which you might not want to acknowledge interview nerves. Also, I second paulsc's comment about feeling free to leave silences. When I interviewed recently, one of the most powerful things was a candidate who several times said "let me think about that for a moment" - she came across as being able to think on her feet, not necessarily having a prepared answer but being able to come up with one. And my other tactic is to have lots of papers - job description, my own application, notes of anything I want to make sure I say - with me so if I am nervous or unsure what to say I can pretend to read for a moment and gather my wits. Best of luck!