Headhunter's tips for taking anxiety out of job interviews

Last week's Headhunter Challenge asked what was the best way to build confidence and eliminate jitters in a job interview. Here are some of the Headhunter's thoughts.

Nervousness and sweaty palms reveal anxiety, a particularly dangerous state to be in when you interview. You can supplant anxiety with confidence, if you know how.

Most people are not aware of a simple rule from the world of behavioral psychology: If you want to change your feelings in a situation, you must start by changing your behavior — not the other way around. We'll get to the specifics momentarily. First, let's discuss the red herrings in our poll.

Doing practice interviews isn't a bad idea — as long as you're practicing substantive work skills. Most people will practice using body language and will rehearse answers to the "top 10 interview questions." But employers don't pay people for their interview skills. They pay people to do a particular job.

Avoiding risks in the interview isn't a bad idea, either, unless you reveal yourself to be a bump on a log. The candidate who merely answers questions and waits for the interviewer to take the lead comes across as a mediocre worker who needs hand-holding to get the job done.

To understand how you can beat interview anxiety, you've got to understand what it is you're fighting. Nervousness and sweaty palms are actually manifestations of helplessness. We get nervous because we feel we're not in control. If you're not prepared to show an employer exactly why you should be hired, you're definitely not in control of your meeting and that's why you're nervous.

The trouble with job interviews is that different employers expect different things from candidates. There's no way to prepare for all possible interview questions and scenarios. (That's why all those "top 10 question" books are ultimately a waste of time.) This realization produces fear and helplessness. But imagine this: You never again have to worry about what an interviewer is going to ask you. Instead, you decide what you're going to say and do, and take control.

Before you start an interview, respectfully let the employer know that you're glad to answer questions so you may be evaluated. Then, explain that you'd like 15 minutes during your meeting to demonstrate how you'll do the job. This is the preparation you need to do before your interview. It's a tall order, but if you don't do it, to me it reveals that you have no business going on the interview because you have no way to control it.

Your presentation (and preparation) must answer what I call The Four Questions:

1. Do you understand the work the employer needs you to do?

2. Can you show how you will do the work?

3. Can you do the work the way the employer wants it done?

4. Can you show how you'll do the work profitably for the employer?

Clearly, this approach requires a lot of effort. But why should anyone hire you to do the job if you're not able to do the job in the interview?

No matter what the employer throws at you, when your turn comes to do your presentation, you will be ready. No matter how you answer questions such as "Where do you see yourself in five years?" your demonstration of how you will add profit to the company's bottom line will put you far ahead of every other job candidate.

When people try to plan answers to unknown interview questions, they naturally become nervous and helpless. Candidates who are ready to answer The Four Questions have an agenda of their own — a behavioral agenda that they can plan and practice. Though they might be a little nervous, they also feel confident because they can make an enormous impression on the employer. They are prepared to show why they're worth hiring. They are on the job in the interview. Their behavior produces the feeling that they are in control, no matter what happens. And that keeps their palms dry.

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.