Whether you are looking to advance your career or need to replace a position you lost, to interview successfully you need a plan to build self-confidence, grow a supportive mindset and develop your professional presence. Although the numbers of U.S. jobs lost have been deeply distressing, CNN Business states that companies are still hiring thousands of new employees to keep up with the shifting economy. There ARE or WILL BE new positions to apply and interview for.

Once you’ve secured the all-important interview, don’t blow it just because you didn’t have a strategy to effectively present yourself and showcase your talents. Perhaps you are like Cindy, a client who came to me looking to set herself apart from another in-house individual with sights on the same position; he had the credentials and years of experience to back him as a strong candidate. With fine-tuned guidance on soft skills and a boost to her inner confidence, Cindy’s strong skill set and talents showed through and the position was awarded to her. 

Or your scenario might be like John’s, who was preparing for phone and virtual interviews. By refining succinct replies to commonly asked questions, defining appropriate attire and surroundings for virtual interviewing, and adjusting his defeating self-talk, he was able to focus on the interview itself. The process aligned his mindset and nonverbal communication to better support a confident, poised delivery during the interview process, leading to an onsite interview. 

Get out of your own way

Your mindset and thinking are your foundation to a successful interview. It takes work, but ridding yourself of self-doubt and negative internal conversations is a must. This head chatter can happen anytime, but it usually occurs when you are out of your comfort zone or in stressful situations — like during an interview. It is crucial to get a grip on this and turn your mind and self around with positive internal dialog. This can be calm and reassuring, such as “I’m confident that I’m as good as my competition.” Or you can tell yourself something simple like “You’ve got this!” When aligning your inner voice, recognize that beliefs don’t always equal truth. We can be hard on ourselves. Is what you are telling yourself really the truth? 

Develop your presence intelligence

You are your own best resource for effective interviewing. If you have made it to an interview, your interviewer(s) wants to see, observe and experience you. YOU alone can set yourself apart from all the others with the same education, talent and skills. Do you fit the culture? Do your strengths align? Do you look and act the part? Take the time. Hire a coach. Do what you need to do to discover what will trip you up in presenting yourself well during the interview process. Define what will allow you to positively stand out. Developing your “presence intelligence” will allow you to shine, make it to the next round and ultimately secure the offer. 

How to develop your interview-ready presence intelligence…

Create a strong awareness of self in how you communicate verbally and nonverbally, how you listen, and how you look, carry yourself and think. Perfect yourself for the audience you will be interviewing with.

Get in the know. Appear as an expert and be aware of all that you can. Take the time to research the job, company and culture of the organization you are interviewing with. 

Define what you are most proud of in accomplishments and strengths. Develop 3-5 well-articulated sound bites that best highlight the value you bring.

Practice makes perfect, but not in your head. Practice out loud, even if it seems awkward.

Practice in “like” conditions for the interview you are preparing for (e.g., in-person, phone, video). 

Set the “day of” tone with a strategy to align your mindset and routine for the interview ahead.

Today’s interviews come in a variety of formats and sequences: phone, video conference, onsite in single or panel format, formal to informal or a combination approach. Having a strategy to effectively present and position yourself in all of these situations will not only raise your confidence, but increase the odds of hearing, “Our next step is…”