Tips to look confident in an interview

After a long, tiring journey of searching and applying to jobs, there is a real sense of achievement when you are rewarded with a golden ticket- an interview. However, after a short moment of celebration, your heart will start pounding and your palms will start thinking about the questions that will be asked in the interview and how will the interviewer be.

If the thought of sitting in front of a hiring manager makes you feel nervous, then you are not alone. Projecting confidence in a job interview is just as important as showcasing your skills and qualifications. It is of utmost importance to exercise the way you communicate your confidence and professionalism, doing this can help you to keep your calm and also to improve your confidence in the interview.

Why Confidence Matters?
Confidence is the act of having trust in you. In a job interview, it is very important to show trust in yourself. Doing this can lead the interviewer to have trust in you as well. You need to communicate to the interviewer in such a way that the interviewer is convinced that you can do the job well. It is normal to feel nervous when going for an interview. Below are some tips that will help you appear confident in the interview:

1. Eye contact: To show confidence, it is always advised to practice eye contact. Keeping steady and natural eye contact throughout the interview is a good way to portray confidence. You should aim to sustain natural eye contact instead of eye contact that might feel fierce or boring. When communicating with the interviewer try to look occasionally at the resume that you have carried with you to the interview before you continue to communicate with the hiring manager.
2. Maintain good posture: After gaining a stronghold on eye contact, it is expected to practice good posture. Body language is an important form of communicating confidence in the interview. When you go for an interview you need to make sure by sitting with your arms unfolded in your lap to express an open, friendly attitude. A posture with a straight back with your shoulders back and your chest and chin raised shows that you are confident of any questions that may be posed.
3. Practice handshake: One of the best ways to show confidence in an interview is to greet the interviewer with a firm handshake. Doing this will portray a good impression in front of the interviewer and will show that you have experience and confidence.
   
   You need to consider the following points before giving a handshake:
• The initiator should initiate the handshake
• Maintain eye contact when you shake hands
• Smile to show that you are happy to be there
• If your palm is sweating then wipe it off before shaking hands
• Have a firm handshake, but do not apply much force
• The handshake should last anywhere between two or five seconds, with two to three pumps
  
  
4. Stay calm: Fidgeting is a sign of nervousness. If you tend to tap your fingers or shaking your legs, or twirl your hair, practice keeping your hands on the table. If you often shake your leg when you are nervous, you can keep your hands on your lap and apply a little pressure to remind yourself to stop shaking.
5. Rehearse your answers: One of the best ways to show off your confidence is to prepare answers to commonly asked questions for the interview. It will help you feel more confident and less pressure if you walk into the interview with this knowledge. You can practice by sitting down with a family member who can help you in thinking the right and apt answers.
6. Talk at a normal speed: When going to an interview always make sure that you speak calmly and slowly. You should answer each question by explaining one point at a time. Also, one must remember to keep to the point rather than rambling about irrelevant things. Talking at a normal speed, remaining calm, and sticking to your point are signs that an employer quickly picks upon.
7. Consider dress code: Choosing the right outfit for an interview can help you boost confidence. Every organization has different dress codes depending on which vertical or the industry it is. If it is an MNC then one should wear formals. The best formal colors are back navy blue, or dark brown.
8. Think positively: You can let go of all the negative thoughts and boost your confidence is by thinking positively. You can overcome this by positively working on the weak areas and gaining a stronghold on them. Thinking positive is one of the best ways to crack any interview without taking too much stress.