How to Ace Your Interview When You’re An Introvert

You’ve just landed a job interview, and now you have to go present your resume and yourself in front of complete strangers. It sounds like the worst thing ever, right? 

It can definitely be nerve-wracking. But don’t panic!

By changing just a few small things, you can really change the way you feel about your next job interview. Nothing can completely get rid of nerves, but with practice and confidence, you can learn to shrug the worries away. 

Here are some of the top tips to helping introverts ace their next job interview. 

1. Tune into your strengths and weaknesses. 

Your interviewer is likely going to ask you what your biggest strengths and weaknesses are. This is a nerve-wracking question for everybody, not just introverts. But one thing you can do to make this a little easier on yourself is to prepare the answer to this question beforehand. 

When you know your strengths, they shine even brighter. When you are aware of your weaknesses, you can more easily identify opportunities for improvement. Make sure to write down your thoughts and share your findings with the interviewer. 

2. Make a preparation plan. 

Again, time can make all of the difference. Giving yourself even a little bit of time to prepare can do wonders when the big day comes. If you’re an introvert who struggles with being put on the spot, you want to put some time aside to prepare for everything the interview might throw your way. While you’re making a prep plan, check out https://samshiahwallstreet.com/ so you have all the info you need to make the best interview plan out there. I know because I’m an introvert as well. And when we plan things, we know how things are going to go. And more importantly, we know how to adapt because we have plan A-Z. So if plan A fails, we are already halfway through plan B. And if that fails, we move on to the next plan. Eventually we will succeed because we never give up. We plan for failure. 

This is a great way to keep your nerves in check before, during, and after the interview. Prepare to make small talk at the beginning of your interview, so you can easily transition into a more serious conversation. 

3. Understand your shortcomings. 

If you have a really hard time greeting people, make sure you can prepare to meet the expectations of the interviewer the right way. A good way to do this is to give an overly-enthusiastic hello when you start the meeting. Although you normally wouldn’t greet people like that, you can use it to give yourself a burst of energy that will carry you confidently throughout the rest of the interview. 

You can also focus on working around your weak spots. If you know that you aren’t the kind of person who can answer questions quickly, even if you’ve prepared answers, simply be honest and ask the interviewer for a minute before you respond.

4. Schedule the interview yourself. 

Are you a morning person? How about a late-afternoon person? Do you have other things that fill up your schedule, like classes or babysitting? It can be chaotic trying to find time to squeeze in an interview. And it will be even worse if the workplace schedules one for you. 

You can take control of the situation by giving the recruiter your availability. It’s recommended that you give yourself ample time before and after the interview to be alone, so you can clear your mind. 

During this before-the-interview time, you can brush up on some last-minute studies or engage in a quiet activity to calm your nerves. This is excellent for remaining grounded and keeping your head clear before the moment arrives. 

5. Embrace your introverted spirit!

There’s nothing wrong with letting the interviewer know that you are introverted. A clever way to incorporate this knowledge in your interview is to use it when you are asked to talk about your strengths or weaknesses. You can start out your response with, “Well, as an introvert, I’ve discovered that I am usually….” 

This will keep with the natural flow of the conversation while letting them know a little bit more about your personality and character. 

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.