Interview Tips for Shy People

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How Shy People Can Achieve Interview Success

Books on job interviewing often instruct candidates to “sell themselves” during a job interview. If you become irritated when you hear this cliché, you may be one of the 40%+ of Americans who suffer from shyness (www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/199511/the-cost-shyness).

Because shy people are deeply self-conscious, and because an interview is a situation where people evaluate you, this can be a seriously uncomfortable process that can have a negative effect on the outcome of their job searches. Fortunately, there are steps to take that reduce anxiety if you are a shy person.

Reference Others

Shy job candidates often have problems talking about their achievements. Mentioning accomplishments, no matter how well earned, often feels awkward to them. I have found, however, that many shy candidates are comfortable referencing what others have said about them.

For instance, “What are your strengths?” is a common interview question that makes people tongue-tied. I advise you to reference a compliment from your manager. “During my last performance evaluation, my supervisor said that I give 100% at work every day,” is an example. Shy people, from my experience, are more comfortable repeating a manager’s positive statements.

Practice Makes Comfortable

A recruiter asks you during a phone interview, “Tell me about yourself.” You don't want to freeze and then ramble for a few minutes. Practicing a more coherent response beforehand will help to alleviate anxiety.

Many areas have career centers, churches, and libraries with volunteers that conduct mock interviews. Try to find services where the volunteers have a background in HR or as hiring managers. They can give insight in to the impression you make in the interview. If you do not have those resources in your community, “practice, practice with friends and family,” said Sherry Julitz, with SKJ Recruiting/Consulting.

Prepare Questions

Not only should you practice questions about your strengths and weaknesses, it is beneficial for you to prepare questions for the interviewer. From my experience, shy candidates often struggle when interviewers ask if they have any questions, especially if the candidate hasn't prepared questions in advance of the interview.

Hiring managers love it when candidates ask questions that do not involve pay and benefits. A few questions convey interest and enthusiasm in a position. In addition to asking questions that follow up topics covered during the interview, I recommend you ask questions such as…

1. What should I expect in the first 30 days?
2. How do you define someone who is successful in this position?
3. What type of professional development do you offer?
4. What is the turnover rate here? 

Show Your Passion

A passion for your work helps in an interview. Think about why you enjoy the healthcare field. Make mental notes about the positive contributions you have made during your career. Researchers have found that even shy people express comfort talking about areas of interest (https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200910/the-cost-shyness).  “When people find out what they love to do...that passion will prevail over any initial shyness during the interview,” notes Ron Turzy, National Director of Complex Rehab Technology.

Don’t Be Hard on Yourself

Job search books sometimes give people the impression that interviewers are always well-trained and well-prepared. This assumption is incorrect. Many interviewers are stressed trying to balance their job duties while searching for new employees.

A little practice and preparation relieve stress in a job interview. Remember to reference the compliments others have given you and think about situations that make you feel strongly about your profession. If you are a shy person who wants to shine in an interview, put these measures in practice.