Job Interviews & Stage Fright

Job interviews are performances, and they come with the stage fright to prove it! Here are some tips to help you land a starring role with an employer:

First, build a resume of which you are proud. This will get you most of the way through the interview, and will "speak for you" when you are too nervous to speak.

Second, familiarize yourself with the company, and with the position for which you will be interviewing. Memorize information that you can use during your interview. For example, if you want to work at a library, you could say "I've always wanted to be a children's librarian, and children's literature was my focus in college. I understand this library has the best collection of children's books in the state."

Third, create some questions about the position that you can ask at the end of the interview. It is best to memorize these, but also have a list available in your portfolio in case you forget. If you get too nervous while in the interview, just open up your portfolio and ask one of your prepared questions.

Finally, practice with a friend. Have a friend who's been through several interviews ask you questions. If you need inspiration for the questions, there are many books available with interview questions and suggested answers.